Now justice has to be done

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour’s persuasive speech at the special session of the Lower House of Parliament on the killing of Judge Raed Zuaiter must have swayed many deputies from among those who had threatened to cast a vote of no-confidence in his government if their demands for a series of diplomatic and punitive measures against Israel were not adopted.

In his address to the MPs, the prime minister outlined several developments preceding the casting of the vote.

The “deep regret” expressed by Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the killing set in motion a series of positive developments, including Israel’s consent to take part in a joint investigation, with Jordan, into the murder case.

Among the MPs’ demands were also the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to the Kingdom, recalling the Jordanian ambassador from Tel Aviv and rescinding the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel.

Ensour responded by saying that such moves would give the Israelis a pretext to cancel the joint investigation, encourage them to expedite unilateral actions targeting Islamic and Christian shrines in Jerusalem and hinder efforts to help Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The reasoning must have been enough to convince parliamentarians; 81 changed course and voted in favour of the government; 29 voted against and 20 abstained.

The outcome of the vote is a victory for Ensour but also for common sense.

As long as Israel goes along with investigating the killing of the judge in good faith, it is hoped that the perpetrator/s, if found guilty, will be held accountable commensurately.

A no confidence vote would have derailed the government efforts to get to the bottom of things. It would have been counterproductive at several levels and would have served only some Israelis.

Now the government can carry out the investigation that should render justice to the victim and his family, and use its mandate to follow up on all the issues mentioned as reasons for not severing ties with Israel.