George Clooney’s new father-in-law Ramzi Alamuddin has stated that the American Hollywood star’s wedding to his Lebanese-born, anti-Israel, and human rights attorney daughter Amal Alamuddin was “more than perfect” and that their marriage is “very good news” for both their family as well as for the entire Middle East.
In a telephone interview with the AFP from Venice, Italy following the couple’s “grand, simple and perfect” nuptials, Ramzi Alamuddin said the marriage “is very good news among the bad news we are living now,” adding that “the couple really do match.” His statement a testament to Clooney and Alamuddin’s similar views with regard to the Middle East and Arab World.
Amal’s mother, Baria, is an editor of the Arabic news site Alhayat.com and her father, Ramzi, is a retired professor of the American University of Beirut.
Clooney, 53, and Alamuddin, 36, wed at the scenic Aman Canal Grande resort on Saturday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Clooney’s friend, Italian journalist and politician (who served as mayor of Rome between 2001 and 2008) Walter Veltroni officiated the ceremony. The marriage will reportedly be made legal on Monday.
In August, Clooney’s then-fiancée Alamuddin had turned down an appointment to serve on a special three-person panel for the United Nations Human Rights Council to conduct a probe into violations of international law and allegations of human rights abuses in Gaza. The panel specifically targeted Israel; a move that is not uncommon in the biased United Nations and UNHRC.
Alamuddin’s reasoning for turning down the post was her busy schedule. However, she did provide the following statement to the UNHRC before declining the post:
I am horrified by the situation in the occupied Gaza Strip, particularly the civilian causalities that have been caused, and strongly believe that there should be an independent investigation and accountability for crimes that have been committed
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited “history, archaeology, and common sense” as he addressed the world and stated that “the people of Israel are not the occupiers in the land of Israel.” In fact, the Gaza Strip is not “occupied” by Israel, as Alamuddin claimed in her statements in August.
Years ago, Israel withdrew its “occupation” from that region and “continues to control the population registry for residents of the Gaza Strip, years after it withdrew its ground forces and settlements there,” according to Human Rights Watch.
Clooney has reportedly been eyeing a transition from Hollywood into politics with talks swirling around a possible run for Governor of California (most likely in 2018) and a potential presidential run down the line. In June, a source identified as a Clooney “pal” revealed to the United Kingdom’s Mirror that “now he [Clooney] has Amal by his side it will give him more credibility to run for office.”
The Mirror had also reported that President Barack Obama has been courting Clooney to consider a run himself. Obama and Clooney share very similar views with regard to foreign policy and specifically with strengthening relations between the United States and the Middle East.
In 2013, Clooney spoke in support of Iran during a red carpet interview:
And your hope is that as Iran becomes more and more integrated into the United States — I mean, into the world…you would hope that banning them would seem archaic… because it should be.
The upcoming November deadline for negotiations between the United States and the Islamic State of Iran isquickly approaching. Secretary of State John Kerry stated his “fervent hope” that a deal would be struck.