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AMMAN — US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Jordan next week as part of a Middle East tour, the Royal Court and the White House announced Wednesday.

Biden's trip will start on Saturday, beginning in the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the West Bank and finally in Jordan. 

Biden will also meet His Majesty King Abdullah to discuss the fight against Daesh terror group and the Syrian conflict, along with military ties between the two countries, the Royal Court said.

During the trip, Biden will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in occupied Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, according to a White House statement.

King Abdullah recently returned from a trip to the US where he, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, met with President Obama. 

During the meeting, both leaders stressed their dedication to maintaining coordination and consultation as they deal with crises in the region as well as ways to enhance bilateral relations.

They also discussed strategic relations, regional and international efforts to combat terrorism, action to resolve the Syrian conflict through political solution and methods to revive Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations. 

IRBID — Life was back to normal in Irbid on Wednesday after the northern city witnessed a raid by Jordanian security forces that resulted in the killing of seven outlaws. 

All stores in downtown Irbid were open and pedestrians were seen around the streets. 

In the northern neighbourhood where the security forces conducted the raid against the "outlaws", whom authorities said were affiliated with Daesh, some stores were closed as a precautionary measure while others were open on Wednesday. 

Public Security Department personnel blocked some streets that lead to the building where the incident, which led to the death of Jordanian security officer Rashed Zyoud, took place to ensure the safety of the residents. 

Many Irbid residents gathered at a circle near the incident, which started at night on Tuesday and continued until the early hours of Wednesday, trying to get the latest updates, while many others were giving interviews to journalists who thronged the area.

Residents interviewed by The Jordan Times commended the efforts exerted by security forces to ensure the safety of their city and arrest the outlaws. 

Raed Ababneh, a Jordanian who owns a cafe, said he was sitting in his house, which he claimed is close to the raid’s location, when he heard heavy gunfire. 

“We went immediately to the street to see what was happening. Many residents fled after hearing the shots. The power was also cut during the operation,” he told The Jordan Times outside his cafe. 

Mustafa Khalili, whose house is around 100m away from the raid’s location, said life is back to normal in the neighbourhood and many motorists were seen driving nearby. 

“My children went to university and everyone was out to shop for what they need,” he added. 

Commending the efforts of security forces to protect the Kingdom, Khalili said he paid condolences to the family of Zyoud and condemned the criminal act of the outlaws. 

“I also condemn anyone who is plotting against Jordanians,” he added.  

Raed Hammouri said although the residents mostly cooperated with security forces, he urged people to avoid crowding areas to ensure that security forces’ work is unhindered and to protect themselves from being caught in the cross fire.

Four members of the security unit and two civilians were injured in the raid in Irbid, some 80km north of Amman.

AMMAN — Jordanians on Wednesday said there is no place for terrorists in the country, as security and stability are its biggest assets. 

In remarks to The Jordan Times and in statements posted on social media networks to comment on hours-long clashes between security forces and a Daesh-affiliated armed group in Irbid on Tuesday, Jordanians defied terror with strong messages. 

Jordanians said they will not be afraid because of their faith in vigilant security agencies, which they said will not allow terrorists to disturb public order. 

Ahmad Bani Hani, from Irbid, said hard times always unite Jordanians, and terrorists have no place in a secure Jordan. 

"Our army and security agencies will keep us secure and we have  a lot of faith in them, so we are not afraid of terrorists," Karak resident Rami Jawazneh said. 

Sixty-year-old Fatima Zghoul, from Ajloun, said she is proud to have her two sons in the army, adding that all Jordanians are ready to sacrifice their lives to keep terrorists away from the Kingdom. 

"Jordan is strong and will always remain strong," Majd Qudah wrote on her Facebook page, stressing that security is Jordan's biggest asset. 

Janet Rousan wrote: "God keep Jordan safe from all danger..."

On her Twitter account, Ola Al Fares (‏@OlaAlfares) expressed gratitude to the armed forces, who, she said, "sacrifice their lives to [help] us sleep in peace and security".

Doaa Al Khazaleh‏ (@khazaleh_doaa) said Jordanians will crush terrorists. 

"The war against terrorism is our war," she tweeted. 

Expressions of gratitude to the army and security agencies came from various institutions, associations, religious leaders and political parties. 

Senate President Faisal Fayez offered condolences to the family of Captain Rashed Zyoud, who was killed during the raid, and conveyed the Senate's appreciation to the efforts of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security apparatuses. 

The Lower House also issued a statement denouncing any attempt to disturb the security of the Kingdom. 

Several political parties and professional associations also expressed their support to the army and called on Jordanians to strengthen their internal front to face dangers brought on by regional instability.

AMMAN — With social media users and even news websites circulating rumours during the security operation against terrorists in Irbid, experts on Wednesday said media outlets and the public should be educated on how to act during times of crisis.

As the security operation was ongoing in Irbid, some 80km north of Amman on Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday, many citizens flocked to nearby streets, taking videos, pictures and posting them on social media, a practice that media experts warned could jeopardise security operations.

“When citizens, whether unintentionally or unwittingly, take pictures and videos of ongoing security raids, they may jeopardise the whole operation. They actually turn into tools in the hands of terrorists and indirectly spread the message of terrorists," Basim Tweissi, dean of the Jordan Media Institute, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

"They may cause panic or reveal what should not be revealed to the terrorists, who might be monitoring media and social media outlets,” Tweissi warned. 

Security forces and government entities need to have quick response strategies at times of crisis, for in the absence of information, rumours and speculations prevail, he noted.

Media outlets in Jordan also need proper training on how to exercise their jobs at times of crisis, Tweissi added.

“Media outlets keep repeating the same mistakes unfortunately at times of crisis. The major mistake is focusing on speed at the expense of accuracy and not relying on authorised sources to obtain information, which opens the door for speculations and the spread of rumours.”

During the security operation, some local websites and social media users published news with the full name of an officer from Karak indicating that he was killed during the operation. But a few hours afterwards, it turned out that the news was false, as another officer had been killed.

“This is unbelievable and media outlets that published the news should be held accountable, for causing panic for the entire family of the officer who turned out to be alive,” Nabil Ghishan, a media expert and political analyst, told The Jordan Times.

"Many social media users posted pictures and videos of the operations and of the security personnel. People were watching as if it were their job to report from the field, which is unacceptable," Ghishan added. 

"These posts could benefit terrorists and alert them to the size of the security force or other details of the operation,” he noted, adding that the presence of civilians near an ongoing security operation also jeopardises their lives.

According to Tweissi, enhancing media literacy at schools and universities plays an important role in educating the public on how to behave at times of crisis.

“Citizens can mistakenly become a tool for spreading terrorist propaganda through social media at a time when social networks are faster and sometimes more influential than mainstream media,” said Ghishan.

AMMAN — Foiling the terror plot by Daesh in the Kingdom's northern region sends a strong message to terrorist groups seeking to undermine the country’s stability, but Jordan needs to remain vigilant, military experts and commentators said on Wednesday.

The killing of seven terrorists linked to Daesh and the arrest of 13 others is a “pre-emptive strike” to terrorist groups, which are harmed by the truce in Syria and seek to spread chaos in neighbouring countries, analysts interviewed by The Jordan Times said.

“The successful security operation is testimony to Jordan’s immunity against any attempts by radical groups to breach the country’s security and stability,” Maj. Gen. Mohammad Farghal, director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, said.

“This is a message to all terrorist groups and their supporters that Jordan stands firm in the face of any attempt to harm its security,” Farghal said.

The senior officer said Jordan has been through “tougher” times throughout its history.

The foiled plot comes at a time when world powers are working to hold a truce in Syria, the success of which is not in terrorists' interest, as they “thrive on destruction, chaos and terrorising nations”, said the expert.

“This pre-emptive strike indicates that they [the outlaws] have been under monitoring by the security authorities for several months, and forces raided them at the right time,” retired major general and strategic analyst Adeeb Sarayreh told The Jordan Times.

“The security operation was successful although Jordan lost an officer and some were injured…The message to all terrorists today is that they will not be able to penetrate Jordan as its citizens and security apparatuses are united behind one goal — preserving the country’s security ,” Sarayreh said.

Jamal Al Shalabi, a professor of political science at the Hashemite University, said what happened is proof of Jordan’s capability to preserve its security.

“This success sends a message to the world that Jordan is one of the few countries that enjoy such security amidst a turbulent region," he said, stressing that the quick and effective response of security forces is something to take pride in.

Sarayreh noted that despite some breaches of the truce in Syria, Russia, the US and key players are pushing towards its success to pave the way for the desired political solution in Syria.

“The success of a truce weakens those terrorists, who — by targeting Jordan — seek to spread destruction and chaos,” he added.

Jordan has been greatly successful at preventing any infiltration attempts by terrorist groups in the country; however, it needs to remain vigilant and pay attention to any possible sleeper cells, the experts said.

“Security forces and the intelligence department need to be more vigilant as more Jordanians who were fighting alongside Daesh and [the Al Qaeda-affiliated] Al Nusra Front in Syria are returning to the country,” Fayez Dweiri, a retired major general and a military analyst, said

“Some of those who have returned may not be seeking repentance; they may be seeking to activate those sleeper cells and here we need to be more attentive,” Dweiri said.

Foiling the terror plot boosts Jordanians' confidence in the capabilities of their security forces, political analyst Nabil Ghishan said, calling for more efforts to combat terrorist ideologies.

“Those killed are Jordanians; thus, helping those brainwashed by terror groups is key in the fight against terrorism," said Ghishan.

Commenting on the foiled terror plot, the Muslim Brotherhood group stressed its rejection and condemnation of using weapons against the state, while calling for united efforts to preserve the country’s stability and security.

The group, which paid tribute to the officer who was killed during the operation, underlined the necessity of a unified internal front to face the dangers and challenges against the country, according to a statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

AMMAN — The Muslim Brotherhood group on Wednesday condemned the use of arms against the state, stressing the need for national unity amidst regional unrest.

In a statement issued commenting on the security operation against outlaws in Irbid, in which one Jordanian officer was killed and four were injured, the Islamist group expressed its rejection of any attempt to undermine the Kingdom's security.

The opposition group mourned the death of the officer, Captain Rashed Zyoud, and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The Brotherhood also stressed that it will be among the first to defend the country. Seven "outlaws affiliated with Daesh" were killed in the Irbid raid, official sources said on Wednesday.

AMMAN —A Public Sector Development Ministry team has conducted an unannounced visit to a healthcare centre in Jiza, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

The team’s report, a copy of which was sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and the Health Ministry, included several observations by the inspecting team.

Before conducting the visit, the team browsed the centre’s website and called it by phone for three consecutive days, and the response to inquiries was “excellent and quick”.

There were signs leading to the centre’s location, parking was available and there were special spots for people with disabilities, the monitors said.

The waiting room is proportionate to the number of patients, but their privacy was not respected since the door would stay open and others could see the patient being treated, the ministry statement said.

The employees, however, treated the patients properly and were available to serve them.

AMMAN — Spanish Cooperation and the EU on Wednesday launched a new programme in Jordan that seeks to build the capacities of Syrians to enable them to actively contribute to the governance of their country during the post-conflict scenario.

The programme, "Tahdir-Masar" (preparation), launched in Amman will entail training 1,200 Syrians on issues that include rights, gender and social change communications.

“This programme is based on confidence [in] the Syrian people,” Spanish Ambassador to Jordan Santiago Cabanas Ansorena said. 

“I am confident that by sharing the experiences with their Jordanian and Spanish colleagues, they will acquire the tools necessary to... rebuild their country during the transition process,” the ambassador added.

At a meeting with Jordanian partner institutions, Cabanas Ansorena noted that Spain “works according to the priorities of the Jordanian government and what came in [the] Jordan Response Plan”.

“Nothing will be done if we are not working within these priorities,” he stressed.

The programme, according to a statement issued by Spanish Cooperation, will be implemented in cooperation with the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies, the Jordanian National Forum for Women and the Arab Women Media Centre.

The programme is part of on an instrument for stability and peace of the EU, whose objective is to prepare the transition in Syria after the conflict. 

Spanish Cooperation, through the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID), will work to achieve this objective by focusing in Tahdir-Masar on civil society, especially women and their role in building peace, and the training of media in the planned period of two years and a half.

The programme will provide training and resources to Syrian citizens to strengthen social cohesion in order to achieve a peaceful, democratic and inclusive society in the country’s future.

AECID will contribute 1.5 million euros to the programme, which is funded by the EU with a similar amount. The project's expenditures are expected to reach 4 million euros.

AMMAN — A debate held earlier this week examined the impact of foreign investments on Jordan's economy, and whether they do more harm than good.

In the debate, organised by Diwanieh and held at Haya Cultural Centre, senators Taher Kanaan and Mohammad Halaiqa argued for and against the statement "foreign investments do not serve Jordan's economy".

Halaiqa, a former trade minister, argued that foreign investments are very important to the growth of Jordan's economy and can create job opportunities for Jordanians "despite the fact that 60 per cent of jobs in the country come from local companies".

"If Jordan doesn't take advantage of its security and political stability, we will be missing out on great opportunities," he added. 

Kanaan, a several-time minister, argued that the reason why foreign investments are opening in Jordan is not to target the local market but the region in general, since Jordan is a small market compared to countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. 

"Foreign investors and companies are taking Jordan as a hub to export to the rest of the region; this is why we need to take care of the quality of investments we are receiving," he said.

The former planning minister also said that what makes a country attractive for foreign investors is the "cost of doing business".

Saturday's debate also included polling the audience about whether they agree or disagree with the statement before and after the debate. 

Prior to the debate, 19 per cent of the audience voted as being with the statement, 25 per cent voted against and 56 per cent were neutral.

“All the governments in the world encourage and compete for foreign investments but without allowing local ones to fail or go under,” Halaiqa said. 

After the debate, 25 per cent voted with the statement, 33 per cent against it and 45 per cent were neutral. 

Sami Hourani, director and founder of Diwanieh, told The Jordan Times that the issue is important because of the government’s interest in attracting foreign investments "without supporting local ones". 

“The urgency of the topic due to this growing trend is what pushed us to debate it,” Hourani said. 

AMMAN — The Palestinian government on Wednesday denounced the terrorist plot that Daesh attempted to carry out against Jordan. Palestinian government spokesperson Yousef Mahmoud told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, correspondent in Ramallah that all Palestinians are standing by Jordan in confronting terrorist groups.

In Beirut, the Lebanese foreign ministry condemned attempts to undermine Jordan’s security. In a statement carried by Petra, the ministry expressed Lebanon’s solidarity with Jordan in defending the values of freedom and plurality in the Middle East, which is threatened by terrorist ideologies.