Jordan Times
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Abbas ‘convinced’ of Jordan’s view on Hamas arms
By Khaled Nuaimat
AMMAN — President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday said the Palestinian government should
dispatch a delegation to Jordan to tackle the seizure of arms Amman stressed
were smuggled into the country by Hamas.
“The information I got from Jordan was not just staggering, but also dangerous,”
Abbas, on a visit to Russia, told Al Jazeera satellite channel. “I am convinced
of what Jordan said, unless Hamas proves otherwise.”
Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh yesterday reiterated that Jordan does not
seek to “escalate the situation” and that Hamas should first dispatch a security
team to uncover more hidden arms by the group in the country before any
political talks between the two sides.
Judeh was responding to statements by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh
that he was “still convinced that any meeting between the two parties must be
political in order to address the future of relations.”
Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said Saturday he was ready to visit
Jordan to defuse the row with Amman, but Judeh said there was a “security
problem that must be solved first.”
Three suspected members of Hamas confessed on Jordan Television last week to
plotting to kill General Intelligence Department officers and stockpiling
weapons in the country.
The televised confessions followed the authorities’ announcement that they had
detained 20 suspects and seized weapons, including Iranian-made Katyusha
rockets. Two of the suspects arrested last month said they were recruited by
operatives from the Palestinian group’s Syria-based leadership.
Judeh yesterday reaffirmed that Jordan did not accuse Iran and Syria of any
involvement.
He again rejected accusations by the Islamic Action Front and Hamas that the
issue was “fabricated.”
“The government was transparent from the beginning,” he said.