Jordan Times
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
King congratulates new Palestinian leader
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday congratulated new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on his election.
King Abdullah told Abbas over the telephone that Jordan will support his efforts to resume peace talks with Israel and establish an independent Palestinian state, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
The King also sent Abbas a congratulatory cable.
Foreign Minister Hani Mulki, meanwhile, met Abbas in Ramallah and passed a message of congratulations from King Abdullah to the Palestinian leader, expected to be sworn in as head of the Palestinian Authority at a session of parliament on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse.
AFP quoted Mulki as saying that Jordan had “full confidence” in Abbas' ability to “put an end to the conflict, to restore Palestinian rights.
A co-founder in the late 1950s of Arafat's Fateh movement, which is the largest group in the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Abbas was the first high-ranking Palestinian to initiate contact with left-wing Israeli figures and peace groups back in 1974.
He was also the chief architect on the Palestinian side of the 1993 Oslo accords which led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority.
The top diplomat praised the Palestinian election as fair and free, describing the process as a clear manifestation of the true Palestinian democracy.
Abbas, who voiced appreciation for Jordan's support, said that one of his top priorities is to work with concerned parties to ensure that Israel makes practical steps on the ground and resume the peace process. Earlier, Abbas met Jordanian officials, who took part in monitoring the Palestinian election. Also on Monday, Government Spokesperson Asma Khader told her weekly press conference that Jordan welcomes the election of Abbas. “It is in the best interest of Jordan and the entire region to see a viable Palestinian state established,” said Khader, also minister of culture. `Lesson in democracy' Deputy Jamal Dmour told The Jordan Times that Palestinian election should be a “lesson in democracy.” “The presidential election was an example for Arab republics, which should scrap [the practice of] hereditary presidency,” Dmour said. But Islamic Action Front MP Ali Abul Sukkar was cautious. “Relations between the Palestinian factions after Abbas' election depend on his stand on [armed] resistance,” Abul Sukkar said. Palestinian fighters rejected Abbas' call to end armed resistance, which, he said, brings heavy Israeli retaliation. Co-opting the fighters is the option favoured by Abbas. But if that fails, he would have little choice but to use force or abandon hope of peace progress, analysts said.
The task will be much more difficult if Israel keeps up raids into the West Bank and Gaza, but that itself is partly dependent on whether attacks continue in the Middle East's cycle of bloodshed. Still many deputies agreed that the peace process will see more progress under Abbas' leadership and a return of the Palestinian cause to the international limelight. “Israel has no more excuses now that a liberal personality like Abbas is leading the Palestinian people. His relations with the rest of the world will definitely play to his advantage and push Israel to return to the negotiations table,” Dmour added.