Jordan Times
Friday, February 24, 2006
Olmert apologises to King,
Jordan for general's remarks
Agencies
Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on
Thursday apologised to King Abdullah and Jordanians for remarks by an Israeli
general that an “Iran-Gaza Islamic axis” would envelop the Kingdom in the future
and affect the country.
Olmert telephoned the King and condemned Major General Yair Naveh's comments,
which, he said, did not reflect Israeli government policy or its official
position, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Olmert said he appreciated
King Abdullah's efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East.
Naveh, who commands the central region, was to send a letter of apology to the
Kingdom, Agence France-Presse quoted the Israeli army radio as reporting.
His comments prompted a sharp rebuke from Jordan's embassy in Tel Aviv,
demanding that he be disciplined, and a disavowal from the Israeli defence
ministry.
“We strongly condemn and reject this irresponsible remark made by the general
and we expect the Israeli government to take the appropriate action against the
high-ranking officer who made the remark, which indicates both a lack of
discipline and lack of understanding,” Omar Natif, charge d'affaires at the
Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv, said on Wednesday. “Such an unfriendly remark
may, if not corrected, have a negative impact on Jordan-Israeli relations.”
Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib was telephoned by his Israeli counterpart
Tzipi Livni, who criticised Naveh and “clarified” that his comments did not
reflect Israel's position.
“There is not the slightest change in Israel's position with regard to Jordan,”
foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Livni had told Khatib.
“I clarified that army generals don't always say things that represent the
Israeli government's positions,” Livni was quoted by the Associated Press as
telling Israel Radio on Thursday. “Every now and then we need to clarify this
because sometimes irresponsible things are said and they don't represent
government policies.” Israeli defence officials expressed embarrassment and
displeasure over Naveh's remarks.
The army chief-of-staff, Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, discussed the matter
with senior army commanders in a meeting Thursday.
“The chief-of-staff asked officers once again to show great caution and
sensitivity in all that is related to comments,” read a statement from the army
spokesman. “Comments made hastily... are likely to drag the army into a useless
public argument and create a false picture in all that is related to the
policies of the army and of the state of Israel.” Halutz and Israeli Defence
Minister Shaul Mofaz were to meet Thursday to discuss a similar matter — a
perceived slight against Egypt. The deputy chief-of-staff, Maj. Gen. Moshe
Kaplinski, told industrialists this week that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
could be losing his grip on power, Israeli media reported.
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979.
Israel and Jordan signed a peace accord in 1994.