Arabia Online
Qallab: Jordan is keen to combat terrorism
AMMAN (AFP) -- Information Minister Saleh Qallab Wednesday Said that King Abdullah’s tireless efforts yielded fruit to a crystal clear differentiation between terrorism, Islam and Arabs, which helped quell an anti-Islamic campaign.He voiced the Kingdom’s keenness to combat terrorism, saying the King was the first to highlight the urgency to solve the Palestinian cause because it is the core of tension between the Arab, Islamic worlds and the United States.
Qallab’s remarks came in a statement to Al-Quds (Jerusalem) newspaper published today, and added "the continuation of Israeli flagrant aggression against Palestinians will fuel regional tensions. Israel should abide by international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions regarding the Palestinian cause".
"Jordan has always been a victim of terrorism in which during the last ten years it was the target to an array of terrorist attempts masterminded by organized networks, some of their followers are detained here. We, in the Kingdom, are interested more than US to build a world anti-terrorism front," he pointed out.
Asked on Anti-Arab and Anti-Islamic campaigns, Qallab noted King Abdullah’s contacts focus on the fact that Islam and Arabs have no links whatsoever with Sep. 11 devastating attacks on the twin towers of World Trade Center, Pentagon and other US strategic landmarks.
" There are some groups taking Islam as a pretext to carry out heinous actions worldwide. Prior to Sep. 11, attacks, King Abdullah sent messages to US President George Bush affirming the urgent need to find a peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue and calling on US to adopt the declaration of a Palestinian independent state on the Palestinian national soil with Jerusalem as its capital. The King-Bush recent talks centered on this particular point and were constructive in which Bush declared `Palestinian state was always a part of my vision` ," he noted.
"It was scheduled President Arafat meet his US counterpart in last month on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meetings , but the summit talks were delayed due to Sep, 11 tragic events. In order to prevent any set backs , the King made his US trip to urge Washington to adopt Palestinian statehood if US wants to safeguard its regional interests," he said.
Answering a question on Israeli hardliner prime minister Ariel Sharon’s statements on US appeasing Arabs on Israel’s expense, Qallab said Sharon’s allegations are" unacceptable , irresponsible , short-sighted and anti-peaceful," noting "Sharon, sooner or later, has to recognize Palestinian legitimate rights, particularly the establishment of a Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as its capital".