Jordan Times
Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Issue of 'yellow card' holders resolved with Israel — Habashneh

By Alia Shukri Hamzeh

“We understood the measures as a form of indirect displacement of 200,000 yellow card holders,” Habashneh told a press conference, adding that the issue was resolved following contacts with Israeli officials.

The minister had announced Sunday that diplomatic efforts succeeded in persuading Israel to revoke its decision requiring holders of yellow cards, who also have Jordanian citizenship, to obtain Palestinian passports. The measures would have been implemented by March.

“Out of keenness to preserve national interests as well as the interests of Palestinians, we regarded that such a measure, had it been implemented, would have forced Jordanian citizens of Palestinian origin, to choose between keeping the Jordanian citizenship or wavering it,” he said.

Habashneh told reporters he believed that holders of such cards would have opted for maintaining their Jordanian citizenship because Jordan is safer and more stable and because many have established businesses in the Kingdom.

“Had Israel gone through with its measures, Jordan would have taken measures in response,” the minister said.

According to unofficial sources most of the 200,000 yellow card holders live in the Palestinian territories.

Some observers believe Israel's move was part of a long-term plan to turn the Kingdom into an alternative homeland for Palestinians by way of transfer.

Others, however, regard it as an escalation in measures against Jordan for its position vis-ý-vis the separation barrier Israel is building through Palestinian territories. Israel expressed annoyance with Jordan's position rejecting the so-called segregation wall and for joining other countries in offering its legal argument to the Hague-based International Court of Justice.

Habashneh assured reporters that traveller movement across the bridges between Jordan and the Palestinian territories, whose borders are controlled by Israeli authorities, have been normal. He indicated that 246,374 people have crossed into Jordan from the Palestinian territories and Gaza over the past year, and 239,752 crossed from Jordan to the territories over the same period. He also indicated that around 36,000 people crossed into Jordan over the first two months of 2004, while 39,000 left Jordan for the Palestinian territories.

In reference to the issue of replacing yellow with green cards for those who carry Palestinian passports and employees of the Palestinian National Authority, the minister said it was a routine procedure, agreed upon with PNA officials. Habashneh said that out of the 200,000 Jordanians carrying yellow cards, an average of 500-600 have their green cards replaced per year.

In August 2003, the ministry issued new instructions to ease the movement of Palestinians across the bridges into Jordan.

Regulations involved mechanisms for dealing with Palestinians entering Jordan holding green cards.

Persons in this category hold temporary Jordanian passports but are not assigned national numbers. As a general rule green card holders cannot enter Jordan without a “no-objection” document issued by the Interior Ministry's follow-up and inspection department.

Habashneh also reiterated Jordan's position regarding new refugees saying “through our stand, we send a strong message to the world that Jordan will not be a home for new immigrants.”

Referring to how Jordan handled the issue of refugees who fled Iraq following the US-led war last year, the minister said: “Our position on the Ruweished camp goes beyond the 200-300 people staying there, because they will not change Jordan's demographic structure.”

The Ruweished camp, some 50km from the border with Iraq, hosts Palestinian refugees as well as some third country nationals. Hundreds passed through the camp, set up by Jordan and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to temporarily house refugees transiting Iraq to their countries.

Until January the camp hosted 500 Palestinian, Sudanese and Somali refugees.

Habashneh said around 70 returned to their countries, 40-50 were allowed back to Baghdad following an agreement with the Iraqi Interim Governing Council, while the UNHCR was negotiating the placing of around 70 refugees in third countries.

He said the UNHCR was in talks with other Arab countries to take back Palestinians to whom they had previously granted asylum. Lebanon and Egypt have already agreed to take in some families, he said. “We are also contacting the Iraqi government to facilitate the return of the rest of refugees to Iraq,” he added.

UNHCR officials indicate there are 1,050 Iranian Kurds in no-man's-land and some 350 Palestinians who carry Iraqi documents.

The camp, which should have been closed last September, is expected to remain in operation until April.

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