AMMAN, 15 May 2006 — Jordan said yesterday it wanted the Palestinian government to send a team to search for more weapons believed to be stashed in the kingdom by Hamas activists — rebuffing another offer to receive the Palestinian foreign minister.
Government spokesman Nasser Judeh said Jordan “would like the Palestinian government to send a security team... capable of disclosing additional information and other hidden weapons... which threaten (Jordanian) national security.”
“All this must take place before any political contacts with the Palestinian government are initiated,” Judeh said, rejecting an offer by Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar to visit the kingdom.
Zahar told reporters Saturday that he was “ready to go to Jordan, even tomorrow, to clarify the situation.”
It was Jordan’s second snub of Zahar since a giant arms cache was found April 18. The kingdom canceled a visit by Zahar, which was scheduled to happen the following day.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said yesterday his Cabinet was “astonished” by Jordan’s response.
“We have said many times before that we have no intention and no policy (in Hamas) against Jordan and the security of Jordan, or against any Arab country,” said Haniyeh.
Last month, Jordanian authorities discovered a huge arms cache, including Iranian-made Katyusha rockets and anti-tank missiles, which Hamas activists allegedly stockpiled for use in attacks against Jordanian public institutions and officials.
