Jordan rejects Israeli ‘lies’ over West Bank at UN Security Council

Palestinian protesters gather during a demonstration against the Israeli settlers' wildcat outpost of Eviatar, in the town of Beita, near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. (AFP file photo)
Palestinian protesters gather during a demonstration against the Israeli settlers' wildcat outpost of Eviatar, in the town of Beita, near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 06 January 2023

Jordan rejects Israeli ‘lies’ over West Bank at UN Security Council

Jordan rejects Israeli ‘lies’ over West Bank at UN Security Council
  • Envoys’ dispute echoes rift over controversial visit of Ben-Gvir to Al-Aqsa Mosque

AMMAN: Jordan has said that it never occupied the West Bank, as claimed by Israel, insisting its presence in the disputed territory was part of an administrative arrangement with the Palestinians.

During the UN Security Council’s special session on Jerusalem on Thursday, the Tel Aviv ambassador claimed that Jordan occupied the West Bank in 1950, a suggestion described by his Jordanian counterpart as “lies and misleading information.”

Jordanian Permanent Representative to the UN Mahmoud Hmoud said: “What happened in 1950 was a union between the two banks of the Jordan River for the Palestinians to exercise the right to self-determination, and half of the Jordanian government was from the West Bank.”

Jordan, according to Israel, occupied the West Bank in 1948.

FASTFACT

The Jordanian lower house of parliament held a special session to discuss the Israeli violations, and issued a statement condemning Israel’s unilateral acts and voicing support for Jordan’s custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

However, even after the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, the area was still administratively linked to Jordan and was considered an electoral district before the disengagement law of 1989.

In 1950, a Jordanian parliament in which Palestinian Arabs from the West Bank were equally represented voted unanimously to unite the West Bank with Jordan in order to safeguard the remaining Arab territory of Palestine from Israeli expansion.

On July 31, 1988, Jordan’s King Hussein announced the severance of all administrative and legal ties with the occupied West Bank, saying the move would allow Palestinians to determine their own future.

The dispute between the two diplomats in the UN echoed a diplomatic rift between Amman and Tel Aviv following the controversial visit of Israel’s new far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is under Jordanian custodianship.

Jordan summoned the Israeli ambassador, and said Ben-Gvir’s visit had violated international law, and “the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem.”

The status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, preserved for decades, allows only Muslims to worship at the site.

The Jordanian lower house of parliament held a special session to discuss the Israeli violations, and issued a statement condemning Israel’s unilateral acts and voicing support for Jordan’s custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

The emergency Security Council meeting on Jerusalem was held on a joint Jordanian-Palestinian request, and with the support of the UAE, France, China and Malta.

Although the council made no commitment to any action during the session, member states expressed concern and stressed the need to maintain the status quo at the mosque compound in the holy city.

Delivering Jordan’s statement at the meeting, Hmoud voiced Amman’s condemnation of the “storming” of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by the Israeli minister under the protection of occupation forces.

He described the minister’s visit as a “provocative step that is rejected and condemned,” adding that it represents “a flagrant violation of international law, and the historical and legal status quo in the city of Jerusalem and its holy sites.”

Political analyst Hussein Al-Rawashdeh said that Israel has “finalized a scheme that targets both Palestine and Jordan.”

Jordan is certain of the “inevitability of the confrontation” with Israel, even after 29 years of peace following the Wadi Araba treaty in 1994, he said.

Al-Rawashdeh said that all events indicate Israel has hidden agenda against its neighbor, with the arrival of an ultra-Orthodox and far-right government in office being the first proof.

The analyst said that Jordan is facing an “existentialist threat and not only political maneuvering” from Israel and, therefore, needs to build a “Jordanian cause based on a convincing and concise narrative, and a coherent and unified internal front.”

Echoing those remarks, Mohammed Al-Tal, a veteran journalist and former editor-in-chief of Ad-Dustor Daily, said that Israel has “unfriendly” intentions against Jordan and is seeking to resolve the long-running conflict at the expense of the kingdom.

He claimed that through its repeated violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel is sending a menacing and disrespectful message to its neighbor.

During a recent interview with CNN, Jordan’s King Abdullah said that the country is ready to deal with any push against Hashemite custodianship.

The king also warned against extremists’ attempts to use Jerusalem to create conflict and violence.

On whether there are fears of a third intifada (uprising), the king said: “We have to be concerned about a next intifada. And if that happens, that is a complete breakdown of law and order, it is one that neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians will benefit from.

“If people want to get into a conflict with us, we are quite prepared. (However) let us look at the glass half full.”

He added: “We have certain red lines. And if people want to push those red lines then we will deal with that. But I have to believe that there are a lot of people in Israel who are concerned as much as we are.”

 

 


Kuwait pledges $90m to support earthquake survivors in Turkiye, Syria

Kuwait pledges $90m to support earthquake survivors in Turkiye, Syria
Updated 23 March 2023

Kuwait pledges $90m to support earthquake survivors in Turkiye, Syria

Kuwait pledges $90m to support earthquake survivors in Turkiye, Syria
  • It is the largest pledge from any country since the disaster in February: Kuwait News Agency
  • Financial aid will support UN in providing food, education, shelter, healthcare to around 18m people

NEW YORK: Kuwait has pledged $90 million to support survivors of the earthquakes that struck Turkiye and Syria in February.

The pledge is the largest made by any country since the disaster, the Kuwait News Agency reported on Wednesday. 

It will assist UN organizations in providing food, education, shelter, healthcare and other necessities to approximately 18 million affected people. 

The UN has appealed for $398 million for an urgent response in Syria and $1 billion for Turkiye. 

So far, 79 percent of the target number for Syria has been met, while 19 percent of the target number for Turkiye has been met. 

Martin Griffiths, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, expressed concern that the amount of funding is nowhere near the target, but praised Kuwait’s pledge.

 


10 dead in new attack by Houthis in Yemen

10 dead in new attack by Houthis in Yemen
Updated 23 March 2023

10 dead in new attack by Houthis in Yemen

10 dead in new attack by Houthis in Yemen

JEDDAH: At least 10 Yemeni government soldiers were killed on Wednesday in a renewed Houthi militia offensive in the contested central province of Marib.

The new attack shattered a truce that had largely held since last April, and came amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the eight-year war.

“The Houthis launched an attack on hills overlooking Harib district, south of Marib, and made progress on that front, causing the displacement of dozens of families,” a Yemeni military source said. “At least 10 soldiers were killed, in addition to an unknown number of attackers.”

The fighting comes a month after at least four soldiers were killed in the same district, and dents new optimism after Saudi Arabia and Iran, who back opposing sides in the war, agreed to restore diplomatic ties.
“The Houthis are interested in sending a clear political message that ... the Riyadh-Tehran deal does not mean they will just surrender,” said Maged Al-Madhaji, an analyst at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies think tank. “The Houthis lean more toward the option of a military confrontation than current negotiations.”

An exchange of hundreds of prisoners was agreed this week and Hans Grundberg, the UN secretary general’s special envoy for Yemen, has said “intense diplomatic efforts” were underway to reach a peace deal.
An open letter on Wednesday from NGOs in Yemen including included Oxfam and Save the Children urgedthe warring sides to reach a truce and move toward an “inclusive Yemeni peace process.”


 


Five migrants drown, 28 missing off Tunisia

Five migrants drown, 28 missing off Tunisia
Updated 23 March 2023

Five migrants drown, 28 missing off Tunisia

Five migrants drown, 28 missing off Tunisia
  • Romdhane Ben Amor of the Tunisian Forum for social and economic rights said it had sunk “because it was overloaded” with 38 people
  • The boat had set off from the coastal region of Sfax in the direction of the Italian island of Lampedusa

TUNIS: Five migrants from sub-Saharan Africa drowned and another 28 were missing Wednesday after their boat capsized off Tunisia, a rights group said.
“Five migrants’ bodies were recovered and five other migrants were rescued, but 28 are still missing,” said Romdhane Ben Amor of the Tunisian Forum for social and economic rights (FTDES).
He said it had sunk “because it was overloaded” with 38 people, mostly from the Ivory Coast.
The boat had set off from the coastal region of Sfax in the direction of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a popular launchpad for people from people escaping war and persecution across Africa to try to reach safety in Europe.
The sinking is the latest such tragedy on the central Mediterranean, known as the world’s deadliest migration route.
It comes a month after President Kais Saied made an incendiary speech accusing migrants from sub-Saharan Africa of representing a “plot” against Tunisia and causing a wave of crime.
His comments sparked a wave of violence against black migrants, and landlords fearing fines evicted hundreds of people who are now camping in the streets of Tunis.
Migrants, many of whom fear they will face violence if they go home, have called on the United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR to evacuate them.
Around 21,000 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa are believed to be in the country of 12 million people.


Israel’s policies ‘threaten ties with Arab countries’

Israel’s policies ‘threaten ties with Arab countries’
Updated 22 March 2023

Israel’s policies ‘threaten ties with Arab countries’

Israel’s policies ‘threaten ties with Arab countries’

RAMALLAH: The Israeli government’s extremist policies are threatening diplomatic ties with Arab countries amid efforts to normalize relations, political analysts and observers warn.

On Wednesday, the Jordanian Parliament voted in support of a proposal to expel the Israeli ambassador from Amman in protest at comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Parliamentary Speaker Ahmed Al-Safadi called on the government to take effective measures over Smotrich’s use of a map that allegedly “includes the borders of the kingdom and the occupied Palestinian territories.”

A veteran Arab diplomat, who declined to be named, told Arab News that the extremist Israeli government will not be accepted, even by countries that have normalized relations with Israel, such as the UAE.

This is especially true “when Israeli ministers state there is nothing called the Palestinian people and that Jordan is part of Israel,” the diplomat added.

“If these Israeli government policies continue, those countries will have stronger reactions that may include the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Tel Aviv.”

On Wednesday, media reports suggested that the UAE is considering reducing its diplomatic representation in Israel over Smotrich’s claim that “there is no such thing as the Palestinian people.”
 
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs is believed to have told its ambassador to Israel, Mohammed Al-Khaja, to avoid meeting any Israeli official.
 
On Tuesday, Bahrain also condemned Smotrich’s statements.

The Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Bahrain rejects “incitement rhetoric and practices that contradict moral and human values, and undermine efforts and international peace.”

Israeli government policy also appears to have angered Israel’s closest ally, the US. In a rare move, the Israeli Ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, was summoned to the State Department on Tuesday following the passing of legislation that will allow resettlement in areas of the northern West Bank.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held talks with Herzog, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said.

The two diplomats also “discussed the importance of all parties refraining from actions or rhetoric that could further inflame tensions leading into Ramadan, Passover and the Easter holidays,” Patel said.

Israeli political analyst Yoni Ben Menachem said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir as partners in the government coalition and has to respond to their demands.

“They will continue to blackmail him,” Ben Menachem said.

“Arab countries and the US must understand the difficult situation of Netanyahu, who is facing political blackmail,” he added.


UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 3m meals, achieve zero food waste in Ramadan

UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 3m meals, achieve zero food waste in Ramadan
Updated 22 March 2023

UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 3m meals, achieve zero food waste in Ramadan

UAE Food Bank launches initiative to distribute 3m meals, achieve zero food waste in Ramadan
  • Bank highlights its commitment to humanitarian message of serving the needy during holy month
  • Initiatives aim to promote social responsibility and volunteering among community members

DUBAI: The UAE Food Bank has launched initiatives to provide 3 million meals and food parcels to disadvantaged people in the UAE and abroad during Ramadan, the Emirates’ News Agency reported on Wednesday.
Besides distributing the donated meals, the initiatives are aimed at managing food surplus, reducing waste, and providing sustenance to those in need, both within and beyond the UAE.
In affiliation with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Global Initiatives and in collaboration with various partners, the UAE Food Bank announced the initiatives for the holy month under the directives of its chairperson Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum.
The organization also seeks to raise public awareness regarding the crucial goal of achieving zero food waste.
Deputy chairperson Dawoud Al-Hajjri emphasised the organization’s commitment to its humanitarian message of serving the needy.
“Through its diverse initiatives, the UAE Food Bank aims to promote these values globally, in accordance with its vision and mission of managing food surplus, reducing waste, and delivering food to beneficiaries locally and worldwide,” Al-Hajjri said.
The initiatives will foster social responsibility and collaboration between the bank, its partners, and members of society.
“The projects’ ultimate goals are to provide food to as many people in need as possible, while minimizing waste, reflecting the bank’s mission to manage food surplus and ensure its delivery to beneficiaries, locally and globally,” said Al-Hajjri.
Manal bin Yaarouf, chairperson of the steering committee, outlined the bank’s plans for Ramadan, highlighting the critical role of cooperation between all food enterprises.
“The bank will work with these partners to gather 3 million meals, which will be transported to the bank and then sent outside the UAE in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent. Hotels and iftar tents will also play a vital role in collecting any surplus food, and authorities will work together to identify the optimal time and location to deliver this food to the bank and charitable organizations,” said bin Yaarouf.
She also emphasised the crucial role of engagement with the private sector, highlighting the bank’s plans to strengthen its collaboration with recycling businesses that convert food unfit for human consumption into oils and agricultural fertilizers to support sustainability and protect the environment.
Bin Yaarouf said the bank also launched the “Your harees on us” initiative in collaboration with Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department to promote social responsibility and volunteering among community members.
“The initiative encourages restaurants to reserve at least one portion of harees, a traditional Emirati dish, and distribute it to iftar tents. This initiative aims to foster the values of giving and generosity,” she said.