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AMMAN — The fourth regional conference of the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), which met at Aqaba, concluded with special recommendations made on refugee health, supporting research in epidemiology and public health, and cooperating to achieve health security in line with international health regulations, a press release said.

More training was also suggested in regard to eradication of polio, overcoming health emergencies, and cradle-to-grave security of laboratory samples. The conference was deemed a success and is to become an annual occurrence.

AMMAN — Jordan on Thursday condemned the continued closure of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem by the Israeli forces and its detaining of worshippers.

Government Spokesperson and Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said the Jordanian government is “angered” by the Israeli violations and this unprecedented aggression motivated by the Jewish holidays.

Momani said Jordan rejects both the geographical and time-based divisions of Al Aqsa.

The Israeli forces on Thursday resumed their military-imposed closure of Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, allowing Jewish settlers to tour Al Haram Al Sharif compound.

The Israeli forces restricted entry for Muslim men and women under 50, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Momani warned Israel of the consequences of such an unprecedented threat that cannot be accepted by any Muslim.

He said this breach comes in violation of international laws and conventions that compel an occupier to maintain the status quo in an occupied territory.

Momani warned that these escalations by Israel push the region towards “ominous confrontations” and create a fertile ground for radical forces.

He pointed that Jordan can and will exert all diplomatic and legal efforts to make Israel stop its flagrant violations.

The Israeli forces chased women and dragged them away from the mosque’s gates towards Damascus Gate, one of the oldest gates in Jerusalem, threatening to arrest and banish them from the holy city, a statement from the Awqaf Ministry in Jerusalem said.

During the Jewish celebration of Sukkot festivities, the Israeli forces imposed a firm closure of the mosque and allowed only those who are over 50 years old to enter during the settlers’ raiding period which lasts every day until noon prayer. 

Tens of Jerusalemite worshippers had to perform dawn prayer on the streets and roads near barricades placed by the Israelis near Al Aqsa Mosque’s gates.

Moreover, the occupation forces set up more barricades and spread patrols around the city as well as a huge number of special units, known as border guards.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah returned home on Thursday after a visit to New York, where he addressed the 70th Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and met with a number of world leaders.

While in New York, the King also participated in a counter-terrorism summit held by US President Barack Obama. 

In his UN address, the King proposed seven steps the world should take to succeed in its fight against extremists and terrorists.

In his speech to the coalition summit, His Majesty stated that violent extremism is "the greatest collective threat of our time". He also celebrated the success of the international campaign to counter Daesh's momentum while simultaneously focusing on the need for the international community to work together more effectively. 

His Majesty also stressed the need for a more holistic approach to fighting the terror group, focusing on supply chains, the flow of foreign fighters, cyber-space, and the ideological basis for the conflict. 

He affirmed that the threat of terrorism is global, not regional, and includes groups such as Boko Haram, Al Shabab and others fighting in Libya, Yemen, Mali, Afghanistan and elsewhere in Asia and Africa. 

The King concluded by stressing the importance of addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to the battle against terror and extremism, stating that the world cannot remain silent on Israeli violations of the sanctity of Al Haram Al Sharif in Jerusalem.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings, His Majesty, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands to discuss ways to confront terrorism and radicalism, the Syrian refugee crisis and the need for international support for host countries of refugees, such as Jordan. 

A meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi focused on Israeli violations in Jerusalem and on economic cooperation between the two countries through the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

At meetings with Bosnian President Dragan Covic and Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga, talks concentrated on the international threat of terrorism and extremism and the need for a coordinated response, and called for the dissemination of Islamic values of tolerance and moderation.

The King also met with a number of African leaders, including Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Ugandan President Yoweri Musuveni and Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. He discussed with them regional and international cooperation on combating terrorism and extremism, as well as ways to ensure closer cooperation between Jordan and African partners.

During these meetings, it was announced that Jordanian embassies will be opened in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to boost bilateral relations with both countries.

At a meeting between His Majesty and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, both leaders stressed the importance of a political solution to the Syrian crisis. They also discussed the need for a revival of Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations and the current Israeli violations at Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. 

The King affirmed his continued support for Iraq and efforts to advance the cause of peace in the country in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi. 

At a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Crown Prince Hussein, His Majesty called for attention to the continued Israeli violations in Jerusalem. He also discussed the significance of international support to assist host countries to shoulder the burden of Syrian refugees. 

The King affirmed the importance of this assistance at a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, where former US president Bill Clinton agreed that Jordan is shouldering this refugee burden on behalf of the international community and called for greater support for the Kingdom to ensure that Jordanian host communities are not negatively impacted by the influx of Syrian refugees.

While in the US, King Abdullah also visited the US-based West-Ward Plant in New Jersey, US, a subsidiary of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC and its agent in the US. The visit included a meeting with the company’s Vice Chairman Mazen Darwazeh and board members, and discussed ways to enhance Jordan’s pharmaceutical industry and the country’s potential as a destination for investments in this field.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister Nasser Judeh on Wednesday said the conflict in the region, known as the Arab Spring, is the result of "the accumulated deprivation in many of the region's countries".

The foreign minister made his remarks during a UN Security Council session on resolving conflict and combating terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The recurrent Israeli violations, especially at Al Aqsa Mosque,  “carries the threat of igniting a religious war”, the deputy prime minister said, urging Israel to stop its aggression immediately and respect the holy sites that are under the custodianship of His Majesty King Abdullah.

The first seed of privation was depriving the Palestinian people, over seven decades, of their right to achieve their national and historic ambition of establishing an independent state on their national soil, Judeh said.

Judeh added that the only way to resolve the matter is through a two-state solution, establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the June 4, 1967 borders.

Restoring regional security and stability and resolving conflicts require comprehensive political solutions that address the root causes of these conflicts, Judeh said, stressing that the absence of a political solution to the six-year Syrian crisis contributes to fuelling  instability and extremism.

During the session, he pointed out that the lack of inclusive policies in Iraq helped the terrorist group Daesh spread.

On Libya, Judeh said the transition into a modern state is being threatened by Daesh and extremists, while regarding Yemen, he stressed the need to resort to the political solutions the Yemeni rivals have previously agreed to.

Judeh said Jordan utterly rejects the discourse that promotes sectarian, chiefly Sunni-Shiite, strife, Petra reported.

With the influx of Syrian refugees to neighbouring countries and outside the region, the humanitarian consequences of this crisis cannot be contained within the region, Judeh said, reasserting that a political solution is needed to end the crisis in Syria.

AMMAN – Jordan expects to be invited to attend an international contact group on the Syrian crisis set to be held in Moscow this month, an official source said Thursday.

On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, that a contact group that includes Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt may meet in Moscow this month to discuss the Syrian crisis, adding that other regional players may also be invited. 

The Russian official said the level of participation in the meeting has not yet been determined. 

Commenting on the remarks of Bogdanov, the official source told The Jordan Times Thursday that Jordan is an essential party to any discussions related to Syria, indicating that Moscow is expected to invite the Kingdom to take part in the conference. 

“We enjoy good ties with the Russians, who realise that Jordan is a voice of reason in the debate over Syria,” said the official, who preferred to remain unnamed. 

Officials at the Russian embassy in Amman could not be reached to comment on the issue despite several attempts by The Jordan Times. 

AMMAN – Jordan's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2.4 per cent at fixed market prices in the second quarter of this year, compared to the same period of 2014, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS).

The official data released Thursday said that most sectors recorded growth in the April-June period, with the extractive industries sector achieving the highest growth rate of 23 per cent.

The private services sector came second in terms of highest growing sectors as it recorded a 6.3 per cent expansion rate, followed by the water and electricity sector at 4.4 per cent, the financial, insurance, real estate and business services sector (4.2 per cent) and the transport, storage and telecommunications sector, which recorded 3.2 per cent.

The government and the International Monetary Fund expects the Kingdom's economy to grow by 3.5 per cent this year, a figure seen by commentators as "difficult" to achieve in light of slow expansion recorded in the first two quarters of 2015. 

The GDP grew by only 2 per cent in the first three months of this year. 

AMMAN – Many residents of the Nayfeh neighbourhood in Amman’s Hashemi Shamali District on Thursday criticised what they described as “the slow working process” of constructing a pedestrian bridge in their area, creating danger for students crossing the street to reach their school.

The area’s residents interviewed by The Jordan Times said they waited for months to have the bridge built in their area, calling on the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) to quickly complete construction to ensure the safety of students heading to Nayfeh School. 

Rimah Qadoumi, the school’s principal, said the situation is dangerous for the school’s 2,400 students, as they have to cross the street to reach their school. 

“Many car accidents have happened in this area, so we hope that the bridge will be finished quickly,” she told The Jordan Times. 

Mohammad Hajjaj, who has seven grandchildren studying at the school, said many people volunteered to help the students cross the street. 

Amjad Attar, director of GAM’s construction department, said there was no delay in the construction process  

“Everything is going according to the plan, though we did face some obstacles such as electricity problems, while the Eid holiday interrupted work. The bridge will be completed by next Friday [October 9],” he told The Jordan Times. 

Mohammad Abbadi, another resident in the area, called on GAM to construct a shelter covering the bridge in order to protect the privacy of many families as the bridge overlooks their houses. 

Attar said the bridge will not be covered, but it will have a 1.8-metre-high railing so that the privacy of the houses below will be maintained. 

Attar also mentioned that this pedestrian bridge will be the last one constructed this year. 

“We have built seven bridges that have cost JD300,000 in total and rehabilitated five bridges at a cost of JD150,000,” he added. 

AMMAN — Students and employees at Al al Bayt University will soon be able to roam around buildings within the campus on bicycles, a university official said Thursday. 

The university has recently received 100 bicycles from the Amsterdam Municipality to spread the culture of bicycling in the country, the University’s Dean of Students Affairs Omar Oteen told The Jordan Times. 

“Dutch Ambassador Paul van den Ijssel will attend a ceremony to be held between October 20 and 30 to launch the initiative at the beginning of the next semester,” Oteen announced.

Early in the year, the city of Amsterdam sent about 1,250 bicycles to Jordan to be distributed in refugee camps and host communities.

The university extends over an area of around 10,000 dunums, making it difficult for students and staff members to move between its facilities, Oteen said, noting that the distance between some educational complexes is about 1.2 kilometres.

“We have guest students from China, Indonesia and Malaysia who are used to cycling, and inspired us to apply the idea,” said the dean, adding there are around 20,000 students at the university, located in Mafraq Governorate, some 80km northeast of Amman.

He highlighted that the university has already established necessary parking lots for the bicycles at the main gates and near main facilities and educational complexes.

The deanship, which manages the initiative, will distribute announcements at the university’s faculties to acquaint students with the plan, he noted.

“The Amsterdam Municipality will present 500 additional bicycles to the university if the initiative succeeds,” Oteen announced, adding that if the initiative succeeds afterwards, the university would adopt the idea and expand it to raise the culture of sports among its students and employees.

There is also an idea to distribute some of the bicycles to guest students to use between their dorms and the university to ban the entrance of public transport means on campus, the dean said.

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania has stressed the importance of hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which she described as “a historic, national achievement and source of pride for all Jordanians”.

Her Majesty made the remarks as the one-year countdown to the event kicked off. Jordan will host the tournament from September 30 until October 21 next year in Amman, Irbid and Zarqa.

In a pre-recorded video message screened during a Wednesday ceremony to mark the occasion, Her Majesty   emphasised “everyone’s collaborative responsibility — whether as individuals or institutions — to launching a global and overall successful tournament that reflects a positive image of a hospitable and multicultural Jordan”.

At the ceremony, the countdown clock was unveiled and started ticking towards what will be the Kingdom’s biggest sporting event in its history and one of the most significant international tournaments to be staged in the region, according to a statement from the Queen’s office.

The event was attended by HRH Prince Ali and key stakeholders, including the Jordan U-17 national team, representatives of governmental entities and major private companies, prominent businesspeople and a host of local media representatives.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2016’s first two ambassadors were revealed, including media figure Mohammed Al Wakeel and Jordan national women’s football team player Yasmeen Khair.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla on Thursday discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation, especially in the field of energy. 

At the meeting, attended by Energy Minister Ibrahim Saif and Egyptian Ambassador to Jordan Khaled Tharwat, Ensour said Jordan stands by Egypt and will keep helping it face the challenges it is going through, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

After discovering the Zohr gas field in Egypt’s regional waters, Jordan hopes to increase cooperation in the field, stressing that the Kingdom has an interest in importing gas from the Arab country, the premier said.

Ensour predicted that there would be “big gas discoveries” in the region, resulting in competition among producers for consumer markets.

Both officials stressed the importance of electrical interconnectivity between the two countries, which is prone to enhance bilateral trade and attract large-scale investments.

Jordan used to rely on Egyptian gas, under a 15-year deal, for its electricity generation. However, a series of terrorist attacks targeting the pipeline in Sinai caused disruption in supplies and forced Jordan to rely on the costly heavy fuel and diesel. 

They also highlighted the importance of the Iraqi oil pipeline, planned to be built between Basra in south Iraq and Aqaba, and said a Jordanian-Egyptian delegation is due to visit Baghdad to look into progress in the pipeline plans as well as the possibility of extending it to Egypt.

Also on Thursday, Saif and Tharwat met separately and agreed to activate the agreement signed by Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq on the matter, Petra reported.

The two sides also agreed to arrange a trilateral  Jordanian-Egyptian-Iraqi meeting where stakeholders would discuss practical steps to facilitate the implementation of the agreement, which was signed in Amman in 2014. 

Saif underlined the burden Jordan bears in regard to the energy bill and its effect on the state budget, which suffers a widening deficit, outlining plans under way to rely on alternatives and cheaper sources of energy, including gas imports from Egypt.

The Egyptian ambassador voiced his country’s respect to its contractual commitments to Jordan, noting that the development of the Zohr gas field ensures mutual benefits that will be embodied through signed agreements.