Jordan Times
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
King urges PA to reform
'Qureia would dispatch delegation to Amman to talk about
reality'
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday criticised the Palestinian
leadership for its wavering demands and called for urgent reforms at the top
level in order to move the peace process back on track.
“We want the Palestinian leadership to declare clearly what it wants and not
surprise us every now and then with some decisions or by accepting things that
it did not accept before,” King Abdullah told the Saudi-based Al Arabiya
satellite channel in an interview, adding that what had been rejected before has
unfortunately become a great achievement by some people.
“In the beginning, the issue was about the return of 98 per cent of occupied
Palestinian territories, then it became about less than 50 per cent of this land
and we don't know what the percentage will be in a year or two,” he said. The
King also said the Palestinian leadership was also changing demands over the
number of Palestinian refugees who should be allowed to return to homes lost to
Israel. Jordan is host to the largest number of Palestinian refugees, with an
official number of 1.7 million. “As for the refugees, the issue was about return
and compensation, then it became about the return of a small percentage of
them,” the King added.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia reacted to aired excerpts of the King's
interview, saying he would dispatch a high level delegation to Amman “to talk
about the reality,” news agencies reported. Agence France-Presse quoted Qureia
as saying: “What King Abdullah said concerns us greatly and if he has any
information about what he said we want to hear it.” Qureia reportedly said there
was no confusion over the Palestinians' demands and that the “stable position”
of the Palestinian Authority (PA) was a Palestinian state within the borders of
1967, a right of return for all refugees and compensation for those who don't
want to return.
Some observers said Qureia took King Abdullah's remarks out of the context of
the full interview, citing that in response to an earlier question about the
Palestinian leadership the King called on the PA to institute reforms necessary
to move the peace process forward.
“I have said, however, that the Palestinian leadership is invited now, more than
at any time before, to seize the opportunity to achieve peace, through the
roadmap, and the world's support of this map. Subsequently this demands that the
Palestinian leadership should conduct a comprehensive and bold revision to many
of the facts on the Palestinian arena, and correct some of the mistakes which
the world takes as justifications for blaming the Palestinian side,” the King
told Al Arabiya.
Regional and international frustration with President Yasser Arafat and his
government reached new heights in recent weeks, as the veteran leader is seen as
unable to reach a peace agreement with Israel, curb the wide-scale official
corruption or ensure local order.
“I agree with what the King said in the interview. Everybody is fed up of what
is happening there, especially with what we have been witnessing over the past
weeks. All of this has repercussions on Jordan,” said columnist Fahed Fanek. He
told The Jordan Times the Kingdom cannot afford the luxury of waiting and just
watching in order not to anger either Palestinians or Israelis. “Jordan and
Egypt are directly affected by what is happening in the Palestinian territories
because of their historical relations,” he added.
“I am happy that the King said what he said and wasn't diplomatic about it. This
was really needed,” Fanek added.
Former Minister and Lower House Deputy Mamdouh Abbadi said there has been an
evident retraction on demands by the PA in regard to crucial issues of the
borders of the Palestinian state and refugees.
Others called for genuine reforms within the ranks of the Palestinian leadership
saying corruption was rampant. “There has been so much talk of corruption, of so
many unjustified concessions on the part of the Palestinian leadership. Here in
Jordan we want to know once and for all what the real demands of the Palestinian
leadership are” said former minister and professor of history, Amin Mahmoud. “We
would like to see genuine democratic institutions in Palestine, not
authoritative, totalitarian authorities. We have the right to criticise, and any
democratic leadership should accept criticism and discuss it, not lash back with
rhetoric,” he added.
While Abbadi described Qureia's response as rash and should have been carefully
considered, Fanek described the premier as lacking the authority to carry out
needed reforms. He said Qureia was an “employee” of Arafat, who is currently out
of the game and not acceptable to all the parties concerned including the US.
“Reform is out of the question for Arafat, because he himself is unreformable,”
Fanek added.
Responding to allegations that Jordan held hopes of returning to the West Bank,
the King said that since Jordan was founded, the country and its leadership have
been subjected “to an unfair campaign of accusations, and scepticism about the
Jordanian role towards the Palestinian cause.”
The Monarch noted Jordan's acceptance of the Rabat summit decision that stated
that the Palestinian Liberation Organisation was the only legitimate
representative for the Palestinian people, saying “we have accepted this
resolution, then came the disengagement resolution, and we turned a new page.
Jordan's role is like that of any other Arab country.”
“Personally, my foremost concern and duty as a leader of my people, is to
achieve the aspirations of this people, to promote Jordan, achieve comprehensive
development and decent life for every Jordanian. I don't have the desire, time,
nor inclination to quarrel or to be accused. In all circumstances, we are ready
to provide all the support and assistance to our Palestinian brethren, if they
were to ask us for it. Otherwise, Jordan is first, and the focus on our national
issues is more important to me than any other issue.”