المركز الإعلامي

In Interview with Diane Sawyer, Queen Rania Talks about Amman Bomb Attacks

11 تشرين الثاني 2005

Your Majesty, we thank you again so much for being with us. We have seen the pictures of you in the hospital, the tears of the children, and of the mothers who lost children, and your tears.

Americans feel profound anger as well. Do you?

Queen Rania: Thank you so much, Diane, for that sentiment. Yes. I mean, the shock and the sorrow, it's just unbelievable. You know we knew that no country is immune to this kind of thing and we knew that we are vulnerable like every other country in the world. You know, terrorism is global, it's not related to any - particular country, but still, when it happens, it's still very shocking and very sad. And these victims, they're completely innocent. They had nothing to do with anything and yet they are the ones who always pay the ultimate price.
There is assumption in America that this has to do with the Iraq war and that, in part, Jordan is targeted because of its association with the United States. I wonder if you think that is true. And you have also said of the Iraq war that the Iraqi people do need to know where they're heading, that obviously, at the end of the day, if you have strangers in your country, you view them with suspicion. Is this because of Iraq and the United States of America?

Queen Rania: Again, I don't want to go into any explanation as to why such an event happened, because what happened is just completely senseless. And trying to bring - any kind of explanation or, or justification would only be giving it credence and we should never do that. My husband, as you know, King Abdullah, has been working very hard for peace in our region. Now, the situation in Iraq, yes, it is unstable and unfortunately when you have a situation like this, there's a lot of anger and frustration which people like Zarqawi's people can use as fuel for their own ideology in order to spread it. Plus the fact that there's no security on the ground there, means that it is an open field for them to recruit and to carry on their activities. Having said that, I think it is time for us to stop talking about passing the blame on what's happening in Iraq, but really try to focus on the future.

On personal terms, when you woke up this morning, did you wake up to a new day of concern for your family? Of concern for your country?

Queen Rania: I woke up with a heavy heart, you know, just remembering my interaction with the people yesterday, feeling what they were feeling, the hurt, the sense of loss. But I also woke up with a sense of determination and strength and optimism, just knowing that there is such a feeling of unity in Jordan, that there's such a clear vision for us and that we know where we're going.