Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 14, 1998
Jordan committed to achieving a just peace, King tells
Meretz delegation
By Francesca Ciriaci
AMMAN — His Majesty King Hussein on Monday called for the
resumption of Middle East peace negotiations after talks with an
Israeli left-wing parliamentary delegation.
King Hussein told Knesset members from the Meretz Party that
Jordan was committed to achieving a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace, and called “on all peace-loving people
to stand united to build on what has already been achieved and
prevent the minority who does not want peace from forcing its
agenda on the region,” the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said.
Petra added that the King told Meretz Secretary General Yossi
Sarid, who was heading the visiting delegation, that he hoped the
U.S. will succeed in restarting Palestinian-Israeli peace talks,
stalled since last March, when the right-wing government of
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu began construction of a
Jewish settlement in Jebel Abu Ghneim, Arab east Jerusalem.
The King also expressed appreciation for Meretz’s efforts to
push the peace process forward and oppose the settlement policies
of the current Israeli government.
Mr. Sarid, whose party holds nine seats in the 120-member
Knesset, was quoted by Israeli Radio as saying that he discussed
with the King the recent historic agreement on Northern Ireland
and its positive impact on the morale of the Israeli peace camp.
However, he also said his trip to Jordan was not intended to
raise U.S. and international criticism against the current
Israeli government. He stressed that, though his party will
continue to oppose Mr. Netanyahu’s policies and push for the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state, he was not
calling on the U.S. to exert pressure on Tel Aviv, but “to
play a fair role in the peace process.”
Liberal Deputy Hamadeh Fara’neh, who invited the Meretz
delegation to Amman, announced that Jordanians and Israelis
agreed on establishing, together, with the Palestinians a
tripartite parliamentary commission to “enhance
international coordination at the parliamentary level against
Israeli official policies.”
Mr. Fara’neh, who was harshly criticised by a majority of
Lower House deputies for a visit to the Knesset early this year,
told the Jordan Times that yesterday’s initiative
“sought to strengthen the Israeli peace camp, especially
this party (Meretz), which has taken a strong stand against
Israeli settlement policies and supported Palestinian
demands.”
He added that the tripartite parliamentary commission would visit
the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament to “gather
international support for peace.”
Other Jordanian parliamentarians which held talks with the Meretz
delegation included Abdullah Jazi, head of the Lower House
International Affairs Committee, Deputy No’man Ghweiri,
Deputy Raji Haddad, and Senator Tssam Ghosheh.
Relations between Jordan and Israel have been tense since the
Israeli Mossad spy agency tried to assassinate Hamas leader
Khaled Misha’al in Amman last September.
According to Mr. Fara’neh, the Meretz delegation condemned
the botched assassination attempt during the meeting with the
Jordanian parliamentarians.