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AMMAN — The Northern Badia project to generate electricity from solar power has been linked to the grid and is now operational, Irbid District Electricity Company announced Thursday.

The Badia Power Company (BPC) said that the 10-megawatt photovoltaic plant has begun operating on a commercial basis at a total cost of JD22 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The BPC, owned by Philadelphia Solar, is the first firm in the Kingdom to operate a commercial project to generate electricity from solar power, according to Petra.

Farouq Hiyari, president and chief commissioner of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission , said that the project was implemented in Manarah village in the Northern Badia region under a 20-year licence and will provide the grid with 22 gigawatts of electricity per year, Petra said. 

Philadelphia Solar introduces itself as the only Middle East Africa-based company established to  manufacture, develop, design, construct, own and operate solar plants. 

Established in 2007, the company exports its products to over 35 countries, with its biggest customers located in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany.

AMMAN — Jordan has carefully examined the legal option for dealing with Israeli violations and will forge ahead with it to protect Al Haram Al Sharif/Al Aqsa Mosque, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Thursday.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, Judeh said the past two months saw another extremely dangerous escalation in attacks by the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank.

There have been acts of aggression and attacks against Al Haram Al Sharif/Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli occupation forces or under their protection, he noted, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported from New York.

The minister said all measures by the Israeli occupation in East Jerusalem are in violation of the UN Security Council's decisions stipulating that East Jerusalem, in its entirety, including Al Haram Al Sharif/Al Aqsa Mosque are within the territories that have fallen under the Israeli military occupation in 1967. 

Judeh added that these Israeli acts of aggression have exacerbated the situation in the region, in a way that could lead to a religious war that will be beyond control; especially since Al Haram Al Sharif is a place for Muslim worshippers, exclusively. 

This is not to mention the devastating impact of these acts of aggression on chances to resume negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, he added. 

Judeh reaffirmed Jordan's position in support of the two-state solution, ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

He also reiterated calls to resolve all key issues — such as Jerusalem, refugees, security, borders and water — in a manner that safeguards Jordan's higher interests. 

Judeh warned that the Israeli violations have sparked tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories that could lead to a volatile situation that could explode beyond the control of any party and extend beyond the Palestinian territories, threatening international peace and security. 

He stressed Jordan’s constant position in denouncing the targeting of civilians, regardless of the motives or reasons for it.

The deputy premier said Israel should free itself of the shackles of internal coalition tactics and pretexts, which can no longer be taken for granted.

The Israeli acts contradict Tel Aviv’s commitments, in accordance with Article 9 of the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty, and are not in line with Israeli’s legal obligations, as the occupying power, in accordance with international law, he stressed. 

Judeh urged the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities in this regard to record these attacks and prevent their recurrence, after the historic status quo is restored and not the status quo that Israel creates every day at Islamic and Christian sites. 

He highlighted Jordan’s efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem, which are under Hashemite custodianship.

Refugee crisis and anti-terrorism

The impact of the crisis in Syria has extended beyond its borders and neighbours into the international community, Judeh said, citing the increasing influx of refugees. 

Criminal and terrorist gangs are controlling large swathes of Syria, he added, threatening its people.

A comprehensive political solution, on the basis of the Geneva I conference, is the sole solution for the crisis, the minister stressed. 

Judeh reaffirmed Jordan’s support for anti-terrorism operations in Iraq, stressing the importance of unified efforts and coordination to combat terrorism in the entire region.

With regards to the conditions in Yemen, he said Jordan is part of the Arab coalition that is working to restore the legitimate authority in the unrest-ridden state, in the response to the call made by its legitimate government.

Judeh also stressed Jordan’s support for the efforts exerted in Libya to restore stability, urging the different Libyan parties to sign the recently reached UN-brokered peace agreement to safeguard their country. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday received an invitation from Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to attend the fourth Summit of South American and Arab Countries, which will be hosted by Riyadh between November 10 and 11. 

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh had received Saudi Chargé d’Affaires in Amman Tareq Rashwan, who conveyed the invitation, according to a Royal Court statement.  

The summit, better known by its Portuguese and Spanish acronym ASPA, is expected to be attended by several world leaders and presidents. It seeks to maintain cooperation and coordination among Arab League member states and South American countries in various fields.   

AMMAN — Jordan and Turkey on Thursday signed a cooperation agreement under which the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) will open a representative office within the Turkish embassy premises in Amman.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury and TIKA Vice President Ali Maskan signed the agreement on behalf of both countries’ governments to benefit from the agency’s experience in several vital sectors it acquired during its work in Central Asia and North Africa, according to a ministry statement.

The office will follow up on the implementation of Turkish technical aid and grant programmes in Jordan’s health, tourism, agricultural, transportation, water and wastewater, sectors included in the technical agreement the two countries signed in February 2014.

The 2014 agreement also includes supporting small- and medium-sized projects, training and scientific research, in addition to humanitarian assistance during emergencies, the statement added.

Fakhoury voiced Jordan’s appreciation of the Turkish initiative, commending the role Ankara plays in supporting developing countries.

He also praised the “distinguished” relations between Jordan and Turkey, referring to the government’s keenness to further enhance ties.

Future cooperation includes Turkey’s support for the implementation of some projects in Jordan, such as establishing a museum for the Jordan Hijaz Railway Corporation, renovation of the corporation’s Amman station buildings and maintenance of train carriages, in addition to cooperation in the educational sector, the minister said.

For his part, Maskan stressed his government’s commitment to providing financial and technical support to projects in Jordan in a way that contributes to boosting bilateral relations, according to the statement.

Turkish Ambassador to Jordan Sedat Onal and Maskan’s accompanying delegation attended the signing ceremony.

AMMAN — The government said Thursday it plans to launch a strategy that will function as a roadmap to make Jordan a regional ICT hub in 2016.

“The strategy, which is reinitiating the REACH initiative that Jordan first launched in 1999, will detail action plans, projects and measures required to genuinely turn the Kingdom into an ICT hub in the region,” ICT Minister Majd Shweikeh told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of a national workshop on the ICT sector.

“We are all here today to draft the strategy that will extend from 2016 until 2025. All ICT stakeholders are taking part in the formulation of this strategy with the direct support of the Royal Court,” said the minister.

The 2016-2025 REACH initiative will work on finding practical solutions to challenges facing the ICT sector. 

It will also engage all stakeholders in implementation and set targets for Jordan to lead the region in the ICT field, which already contributes about 12 per cent to the Kingdom’s GDP, said the minister.

The strategy, Shweikeh added, will focus on the development of human resources, facilitating access to finance and enhancing infrastructure to create jobs.

At the workshop, attended by scores of representatives and experts in the ICT sector, Bashar Hawamdeh, chairman of the ICT Association of Jordan (int@j), said it is crucial for the new strategy to focus on easing ICT companies’ access to finance and credit, as this is one of the major obstacles they face.

“The new strategy should also focus on having stable legislation as repeated change and fluctuation in laws turns investors away,” said Hawamdeh.

He also called for granting a set of incentives and tax exemptions to companies working in the field, stressing the importance of registering intellectual property for Jordanian IT products and software. 

“Intellectual property will help IT companies grow and penetrate new markets.” 

Experts at the workshop stressed that access to finance remains a critical barrier to the success of entrepreneurial businesses in Jordan.

They also focused on the need to increase Jordan’s IT exports, which are steadily growing, stressing the need to remove obstacles that local IT companies face as competition from regional and international businesses is increasing and threatening the traditional markets for Jordanian companies.

AMMAN – The Ministry of Education on Thursday called on parents to make sure that the school they choose for their children is licensed.

Qasem Khateeb, director of the ministry’s private education department, said several private schools are operating without having finished the legal procedures required to obtain a licence. 

“We know of around five schools in Jordan that have not finished their procedures and the total number might be higher,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

He noted that some school owners rent a small house or a building and start appointing teachers without cooperating with the ministry. 

Asked whether the certificates students receive from these schools will be recognised by the ministry, Khateeb said: “All measures we take in response to this issue will not harm the students.” 

However, a ministry statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, earlier this week said certificates from unlicensed schools will not be accredited.

The ministry also said it will close violating schools.

There are 614 licensed private schools operating in the capital, while 561 schools are located in the Kingdom’s governorates, according to Khateeb. 

Private School Owners Association President Munther Sourani said some school owners accept students and start operations before they receive all their official papers. 

“Some procedures take time, so the schools start operating before they receive the licence, but the ministry does not approve certificates until a licence is obtained,” he told The Jordan Times.  

AMMAN — The Court of First Instance has scheduled a first hearing next Thursday for the case of Deputy Raed Hijazin, who is accused of inciting sectarianism in a post on his Facebook account in September.

“The court set October 29 as the date to start trying Deputy Hijazin over the case I filed against him,” lawyer Abdul Jabar Abu Qulah said Thursday.

Hijazin, a Christian, reportedly published a copied statement on his personal Facebook account in early September, which was deemed offensive to one of Prophet Mohammad’s companions, Khalid Bin Waleed.

Hijazin said he deleted the post 10 minutes later. 

“I did not mean to offend anyone and the post was only meant as a joke.  These were not my words.  I copied and pasted the statement from a public website,” Hijazin, who heads the Lower House Health and Environment Committee, told The Jordan Times.

The deputy and the Hijazin tribe in Karak issued an official apology shortly after the incident.

If convicted of the charge, according to Abu Quleh, the deputy could face a minimum of two years in prison.

“I want the deputy to pay for his mistake and for this incident to be a lesson to others not to make fun of our Islamic heritage,” Abu Quleh added. 

AMMAN — Students at the University of Jordan (UJ) on Thursday decried a new system introduced this academic semester that requires them to use their ID card to enter the university premises and to wait 15 minutes between exiting and re-entering.

In the third week of the university semester, students said the new card policy, as well as technical difficulties with the card reading machines, make it difficult for them to arrive at their lectures on time.

“This just doesn’t work… some of us arrive at the main gate at 7:30am and are delayed until after 8am, causing us to miss our morning lectures,” student Samah Mahasneh told The Jordan Times.

More than 70 students line up at the main gate of the university each day and are kept waiting for over an hour, stated Ahmad Khatib, a fourth-year student.

Azmi Mahafzah, UJ vice president for scientific faculty affairs, told The Jordan Times that UJ devised the new entrance method and many students now regard the campus as “safer”.

“The card is only used to enter the university, not to exit, so we can control who gets in,” he said.

Many students also criticised the 15-minute waiting time imposed on each student’s card between exit and re-entry.

“This whole system of waiting 15 minutes to re-enter is inappropriate. I have to get a few books or notebooks for my classes from a nearby bookshop and afterwards the security guards do not allow me in,” said student Haya Naber.

“We cannot miss any lectures as some of us are graduating next semester. We have to attend all classes and whenever we’re 15 minutes late, we are either not allowed in or we do not understand the given material,” complained Hazem Abandah, an engineering student.

Mahafzah explained that the 15-minute delay policy aims to better monitor entrances and to prevent one card being used for more than one student at the same time. 

“This new regulation has made the entrance method better organised and decreased the traffic jam around the university gates,” he added.

According to official figures, there are around 50,000 students at the university.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Thursday urged the Awqaf Ministry to boost its economic, development, and social role, to help in providing jobs and combating poverty, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During a visit to the ministry, the premier called for safeguarding and maximising the economic and social benefits of awqaf funds, especially in light of the slowdown in economic growth rates over the past few years.

Ensour stressed that waqf money (religious endowments) is among the most important financial tools in Islamic economy that can be used to deal with socio-economic issues such as poverty and unemployment.  

In line with Royal directives on eliminating obstacles facing investors, the prime minister highlighted the importance of checking on the various investment tools, to develop their work and ensure maximum benefits. 

During the visit, Ensour met with Awqaf Minister Hayel Dawood and senior ministry officials, in the presence of Finance Minister Umayya Toukan, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani and Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji.

The premier highlighted the ministry’s role in shedding light on the true teachings of Islam and strengthening the Muslim nation during these challenging times. 

Recently, Ensour directed the Economic and Social Council to prepare a detailed study on the role of the Islamic waqf in the Kingdom and to arrive at recommendations to ensure the best outcome.

The ministry’s secretary general, Abdul Munem Hiyari, highlighted the ministry’s expenditures and its fund management plans.

Hiyari said the main obstacle facing waqf investment is the lack of sufficient awareness on the financial tool and a focus on building mosques rather than other charity projects.

AMMAN — Interior Minister Salameh Hammad on Thursday met with leaders from Al Masaeed tribe to discuss the circumstances surrounding the death of one of its members during a police pursuit earlier this month.

Enad Al Masaeed, who was suspected of killing Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) Corporal Mohammad Atta Salaymeh last month in Maan’s Rashadiyeh area, died late last week in a security operation.

The Public Security Department (PSD) quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying that Masaeed was shot during a pursuit that led to a heavy exchange of gunfire.

Masaeed had served a seven-year prison term on charges related to illicit trafficking, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In 2012, he was sentenced to a 15-year imprisonment in absentia along with others on charges related to importing narcotics.

During his meeting with tribe representatives, Hammad stressed the government’s keenness on enforcing the law, saying that the security operation was in line with that endeavour, according to Petra.

He also said that many citizens complained about the presence of a group of outlaws committing various crimes, and wanted in over 135 security cases, including murder, embezzlement and illicit trafficking.

The tribal leaders commended the efforts of the ministry and security forces, adding that they will help authorities by having wanted suspects turn themselves in, Petra reported.

Salaymeh, of AND, died of wounds he sustained in a shoot-out with suspected drug dealers while on duty in an area some 220km south of Amman on September 19.

After Masaeed was killed in last Friday’s police pursuit, residents of Rashadiyeh set tyres on fire and blocked the Amman-Aqaba highway to protest his death.

Fourteen people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the riots, which left one person dead and closed the road for over five hours over the weekend.

A 35-year-old man had died of a gunshot wound to the head during the riots, according to the PSD.