All stories from the Jordan Times, unless otherwise specified.
King, Israeli Shas delegation
discuss Mideast peace process developments
King receives AIPAC delegation
Abbadi, Dughmi lash out at
government policies
Deputy who visited Israeli
snubbed by Lower House members
Queen inaugurates Zaha Cultural
Centre for Children, officially opens Amman City Hall
Crown Prince highlights
importance of technical cooperation between RSS, Lloyds Register
Two suspects allegedly involved
in attack against Iraqi diplomat charged with attempted murder
Ramadan campaign committee
reviews activities
King, Israeli
Shas delegation discuss Mideast peace
process developments
By Alia A. Toukan
AMMAN - His Majesty King Hussein and a top-delegation of Israel's
Shas religious party met yesterday in Amman to discuss the
stalled Middle East peace process and internal political
developments in Israel, officials said.
The meeting with Shas, which is a member of the ruling coalition
led by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, is the latest
in a string of talks held between the King and Israeli officials
in the past week.
His Majesty met with opposition Labour Party leader Ehud Barak
last Wednesday, and Knesset Speaker Dan Tichon the following day.
The chief of the Royal Court, Awn Khasawneh, told the Jordan
Times that the meeting with Shas is part of "His Majesty's
continuous dialogue with different shades of opinion in
Israel."
The 11-member delegation of the religious Sephardi Party, which
supports the peace process and territorial compromise, included
its leader Rabbi Aryeh Deri, as well as Minister of Interior Eli
Sweisa and Minister of Social Justice Eli Ishayi.
The string of visits by Israeli leaders to the Kingdom comes in
the wake of the resignation of Israeli Foreign Minister David
Levy and the defection of his moderate Gesher Party, also with a
predominantly Sephardic following, from the hard-line coalition
of Mr. Netanyahu.
Mr. Levy's resignation has sparked a new political crisis in the
Jewish state, with increased calls for early elections, or for
the formation of a national unity government comprising the Likud
and Labour parties in a bid to help revive the faltering peace
process.
The crisis in Israel has raised Jordanian fears of a further
delay to the next Israeli troop withdrawal from West Bank areas,
or of a complete breakdown on the Palestinian-Israeli track, held
at a standstill since the signing of the Hebron deal in January
1997.
Jordan's ties with Israel have been marred since the deadlock on
the Palestinian-Israeli talks, but became even more acute in the
aftermath of the Mossad's assassination attempt against Hamas
leader Khaled Misha'al in Amman late September.
The Monarch, the only Arab leader who advocated giving Mr.
Netanyahu the benefit of the doubt after his election in May
1996, has been increasingly critical of the Israeli premier,
publicly blaming him for the stalemate in the effort to make
peace.
The only meeting between King Hussein and Mr. Netanyahu since the
assassination attempt took place in November in London.
Although ties between the two leaders have remained cool since
the aborted attack, King Hussein has been cautious in maintaining
extensive contacts with other Israeli officials.
King receives AIPAC
delegation
AMMAN (J.T.) - His Majesty King Hussein on Wednesday received a
delegation of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC) who are currently on a visit to the Kingdom during which
they will meet with senior Jordanian officials.
King Hussein and the visiting delegation discussed the faltering
peace process and means of overcoming obstacles hindering its
progress as well as other issues of common concern.
Abbadi, Dughmi lash
out at government policies
By Fairouz Abu-Ghazaleh
Amman - While most deputies addressing yesterday's session of
Parliament chose to echo other colleagues' warnings against
escalating rates of poverty and unemployment, deputies Ahmad
Oweidi Abbadi and Abdul Karim Dughmi used the occasion to lash
out at the government.
In a fiery and long speech, Dr. Abbadi attacked the policies of
the present and past governments accusing them of nepotism,
favouritism and putting the wrong man in the wrong position.
He reserved his strongest remarks for Deputy Prime Minister Jawad
Anani, Planning Minister Rima Khalaf and Minister of State for
Information Affairs Samir Mutawi.
He also accused other ministers and their aides, without naming
them, of wasting millions of dinars because they are either
"ignorant or enemies of the state."
"The government policies are driving the counry towards
abyss," he charged.
Dr. Abbadi, a former police officer, kept interrupting his speech
by waving documents that he alleged contained proves of
corruption and mismanagement.
Dr. Abbadi, who spoke during the House's second session of a
discussion of the draft 1998 state budget, also accused the
government of intending to settle Palestinian refugees in Jordan
through the government's social security net which aims at
improving the infrastructure of the refugee camps.
He said that the government's economic team "would destroy
the economy of the U.S., Europe and would bankrupt the World Bank
if they were running those countires or institutions."
Turning to the new Press and Publications Law that was passed by
the government of Abdul Salam Majali as a temporary law in May,
Dr. Abbadi said:
"The closure of newspapers and the gagging of mouths will
not lead to submission ...but to explosion."
Meanwhile, deputy Abdul Karim Doghmi, former justice minister in
the Kabariti cabinet, along with other deputies questioned the
government on the effectiveness of its economic reform programme.
"The economic team has focused its full attention on the
implementation of the economic reform programme rather than on
comprehensive sectoral reform. It did not take the humanitarian
aspect on the national economic agenda, creating a state whereby
the national economy has been converted into a guided economy,
rather than an economy which is endowed with free will," Mr.
Doghmi said. Jordan launched an International Monetary
Fund-agreed economic reform program in 1989 after a major
financial crisis rocked the country leading to the devaluation of
the dinar. Though the programme was side tracked by the 1990 Gulf
crisis, it has enabled the Kingdom to reduce its budget and
balance of payments deficit, narrow inflation and prepare Jordan
to enter the global market economy.
Mr. Doghmi, who spoke on behalf of the 13-member Parliamentary
Alliance Bloc, also shed doubt on the efficiency of the Social
Security Package.
"It is only a three-year programme, and the next seven years
depend on finding high-interest foreign loans. The programme's
implementation is not certain, and it only solves part of the
problem," he said.
Mr. Doghmi, as well as other deputies, criticised the government
over its public administration reform drive.
"Government appointments, retirements and transfers which
are carried out under the excuse of implementing administrative
reform, are in reality all cases of nepotism. This trend tends to
destabilise the administration, which in turn leads to loss of
public confidence in the government," Mr. Doghmi said.
The escalating rates of poverty and unemployment remained the
overriding concern of most, if not all, the 16 deputies who spoke
during yesterday's session.
"Poverty and unemployment are two phenomena that should be
battled with firm and full determination; especially since they
have been intensifying in the last few years," deputy Adnan
Aqrabawi said.
The draft 1998 state budget amounts to JD 1.95 billion, 5.7 per
cent higher than last year's, with total expenditures estimated
at JD 1.87 billion and deficit at JD 37 million.
The House, already behind schedule, has to approve the bill
before the end of this month to enable the government to start
disbursing this year's allocations.
Deputy who visited Israeli snubbed
by Lower House members
AMMAN (J.T.) - More than eight deputies withdrew from yesterday's
session when Islamist Deputy Mohammad Ra'afat took to the podium
to read his speech during the Lower House's discussion of the
draft 1998 state budget, breaking House quorum.
The deputies who left the hall said they wanted to protest
against Mr. Ra'afat and fellow Deputy Hamadah Fara'neh, who on
Dec. 18th visited Jerusalem and met with Israeli Knesset Speaker
Dan Tichon.
Acting Lower House Speaker Yousef Sharaideh interrupted Mr.
Ra'afat and asked for a five minute break to restore quorum.
However, the eight deputies did not return until Dr. Sharaideh
skipped Mr. Ra'afat and called on the next deputy, Nayef Moula,
to speak.
When Mr. Moula stepped up to the podium, the deputies who broke
the quorum returned to the hall.
Mr. Ra'afat, angered by the incident, left the House without
delivering his speech.
Queen inaugurates Zaha
Cultural Centre for Children, officially opens Amman City Hall
AMMAN (J.T.) - Her Majesty Queen Noor Wednesday inaugurated the
Zaha Cultural Centre for Children in the Rjoum Khilda district in
western Amman, according to a press release Wednesday.
The centre, which was named after its benefactor Zaha
Jardaneh-Mango, comprises a library, a computer centre, a small
cinema, an outdoor theatre, two tennis courts, children's
playgrounds, and a cafeteria situated within a nine-dunum park
donated by the Greater Amman Municipality.
The Queen expressed her gratitude and appreciation for Mrs.
Jardaneh-Mango's generous donation, which she said
"represents a fine example of cooperation between
individuals and local authorities in establishing projects that
enhance national development and address children's recreational,
artistic, and cultural needs."
In December 1996, Mrs. Zaha Mango donated JD300,000 to the Amman
municipality to finance the construction of a children's park.
The latter developed to include a cultural centre, to which she
donated an additional JD50,000, the announcement read.
According to Mrs. Jardaneh-Mango, children in Amman
"generally play on the street and do not have many places to
go for recreational purposes." When asked about her
donation, she simply said, "I wished to pay tribute to my
country, which has honoured me."
The mayor of Amman, Mamdouh Abbadi, and Mrs. Jardaneh-Mango
attended the opening of the centre with the Queen.
Later, Queen Noor officially opened the Amman City Hall in Ras Al
Ein. The three-story building was designed by two leading
Jordanian architects, Ja'far Toukan and Rassem Badran, who
favoured a contemporary Islamic architectural style, the
statement read.
It includes a complete floor for exhibitions by local and
international artists and is currently hosting three exhibits by
Jordanian artists. The city hall also comprises the headquarters
of the city council, meeting rooms for the various municipal
committees, and the mayor of Amman's office.
Over the past three years, the Municipality of Amman has embarked
upon a master plan to revitalise the old city centre, whose
nucleus is "Sahat Al Muhajireen" in Ras El Ein. The
development plan of the "sahat," which is in the shape
of a crescent measuring around 140 dunums, includes the building
of a city hall, a mosque, a convention centre, a national museum
and library, as well as a public park and gardens, the press
release said.
Dr. Abbadi and municipal officials attended the opening of the
City Hall with the Queen, the release concluded.
Crown Prince highlights importance of technical
cooperation between RSS,
Lloyds Register
AMMAN (Petra) - His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan on
Wednesday highlighted the benefits of technical cooperation
between the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) and Lloyds Register
Quality Assurance Limited, in such areas as quality assurance,
exchange of technical expertise, and environmental protection.
In a meeting with Lloyds President Patrick O'Ferall, attended by
RSS President Sa'id Alloush, Prince Hassan said technical
cooperation with Lloyds Register and other international
institutions constitutes an entry point for Jordanian industries
to assure quality control, protect the environment, and increase
their competitive ability in international markets.
The RSS and Lloyds Register Wednesday signed a memorandum of
understanding, under which the two parties will carry out an
evaluation of environmental management systems and hold joint
symposia and training workshops. Moreover, Lloyds Register will
provide technical support for studies and research designed to
improve quality in Jordanian industries.
In an interview with Jordan Television after his meeting with
Prince Hassan, Mr. O'Ferall said, "We explained the
agreement to the Crown Prince and he was very pleased and
encouraged us to develop it. We'll work together in various
fields, in environmental assurance, inspection, use of
laboratories, and technical seminars."
The memorandum was signed for the RSS by Mr. Alloush and for
Lloyds Register by Mr O'Ferrall.
Two suspects allegedly involved in attack against Iraqi diplomat charged
with attempted murder
By Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN - The Amman Court has ended the interrogation of four
Iraqis allegedly involved in the attack against the Iraqi
commercial attachŽ in Amman and has charged two of them with
attempted murder, a court spokesperson said Wednesday.
Mohammed Harahsheh, a prosecutor at the Amman Court, said the
four were transferred to the High Criminal Court, while a fifth
was interrogated as a witness to the attack against Rahim Taher,
45.
The Iraqi diplomat escaped unharmed after two gunmen approached
him and fired one bullet at his car earlier this month.
"Our interrogations are over. The case's file was
transferred to the criminal court and I think the trial will
begin soon," Mr. Harahsheh said.
Mr. Harahsheh said the diplomat's son, Samir, who enjoys
diplomatic immunity, was involved in the attack against his
father.
The attorney said the criminal court will ask that the diplomatic
immunity of Mr. Taher's son be lifted to allow his interrogation
on his alleged involvement in the attack against his father.
It was unclear if the Iraqi embassy will allow the lifting of
diplomatic immunity of Mr. Taher's son, who still lives in the
Kingdom.
"It is necessary to interrogate Mr. Taher's son, because his
testimony will reveal new elements in the case," Mr.
Harahsheh said.
The prosecutor told the Jordan Times that Mr. Taher's
mother-in-law, Houriyah Abbas Kazim, who lives in Iraq,
masterminded the attack against her son-in-law for "family
and financial reasons."
He said Ms. Houriyah's for trial in Amman is not expected.
Mr. Harahsheh said Qasim Rajihi and Ja'afar No'uman were the two
suspects charged with attempted murder, while Ahmad Muhsin and
Ahmad Tae'i were charged with complicity in the attack.
He added that a fifth Iraqi, who is considered a witness, was
interrogated but not charged.
According to Mr. Harahsheh, Mr. Rajihi and Mr. No'uman carried
out the attack, in which one bullet was shot at Mr. Taher's car
near his residence in the Umm Otheineh area.
Mr. Harahsheh did not rule out summoning Mr. Taher to testify in
the trial "since he is considered the major witness."
The attorney did not confirm reports that Mr. Taher's
mother-in-law planned the attack to avenge the
"mistreatment" of her daughter by the Iraqi official.
On Tuesday, Minister of State for Information Affairs Samir
Mutawi said the suspects used false Iraqi passports.
Dr. Mutawi ruled out any "political motives" behind the
attack, saying that it was carried out solely for "family
and financial reasons."
Following the attack, Iraqi diplomats blamed the attack on Iraqi
opposition and Israeli elements, saying that it was aimed at
"disturbing the relationship between Iraq and Jordan."
Ramadan
campaign committee reviews activities
AMMAN (Petra) - The Higher Committee of the Ramadan Charity
Campaign, sponsored by the Queen Alia Fund for Social Development
(QAF), held a meeting Wednesday to review the campaign's
activities during the first half of the month of Ramadan.
The meeting, which was chaired by Amman Mayor Mamdouh Abbadi,
reviewed the amount of donations collected and those distributed
to the needy, as well as the activities of the committee members
to promote the fundraising campaign.
Following the meeting, the committee issued an appeal to the
public to contribute generously to this humanitarian cause and
voiced appreciation for those individuals and organisations who
have offered cash or in-kind contributions to the committee for
distribution during the month of Ramadan.
The annual campaign is designed to raise funds to help the poor
by providing cash or medical equipment or financing students'
tuition at colleges, among other ways.
The committee said the donations demonstrate real social
solidarity in Jordan.
The committee includes representatives of a number of private and
public organisations.