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AMMAN — The Jordanian popular committee to defend Al Aqsa Mosque and sacred sites met on Monday and decided to organise a march this Friday that starts at the Professional Associations Complex after Friday prayer and continues towards the Prime Ministry, a Jordan Engineers Association said on Tuesday.

The meeting, attended by representatives and deputies of professional associations and Jordanian political parties, discussed the recent Israeli violations at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and stressed the importance of grass-roots, unionist and political party action for the sake of Al Aqsa. 

AMMAN — The House Legal Committee will start holding meetings to listen to the views and feedback of stakeholders on the draft elections law, according to MP Mustafa Amawi, who heads the panel.

The committee will meet with former prime ministers, senators and MPs, representatives of different political parties, NGOs and women’s organisations, as well as with media representatives, Amawi said.

Meetings will commence on Sunday, he announced, adding that the draft law has been posted the House website  for review and feedback.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour has announced the development of a guidebook on risk management prepared by the Public Sector Development Ministry for ministries, institutions and government departments, a ministry statement said on Tuesday.

The guidebook will help decision makers draft sounder policies in their respective fields, the ministry said.

Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh stressed the importance of having plans to manage risks in order to achieve the desired results and increase the efficiency of strategic planning, and limiting external and internal factors affecting the work of government departments.

AMMAN — Jordan has suspended its imports of live cattle from Hungary, in light of the outbreak of the Bluetongue virus there, Ministry of Agriculture Spokesperson Nimer Haddadin said on Tuesday.

The decision has been taken to ensure the safety of livestock in Jordan, according to the official.

AMMAN — The Senate on Tuesday discussed the issue of removing nuclear weapons in synchronicity with International Day to Rid the World of Nuclear Weapons marked on Saturday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Senate President Abdur-Ra’uf S. Rawabdeh talked about the absence of true awareness of the danger of nuclear weapons and noted decades-long calls for abolishing all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

Rawabdeh also noted Israeli’s insistence on possessing nuclear weapons, leading the region to a race of obtaining rather than abolishing them.

He highlighted the importance of unifying MPs’ efforts in cooperation with the UN to achieve international peace and security by getting rid of nuclear weapons, and noted that countries around the world spend $100 billion annually on the weapons.

AMMAN — In the last 24 hours Jordanian Border Guards received 76 Syrian refugees and transferred them to shelters and camps set up for this purpose, an army source said Tuesday.

Royal Medical Services cadres provided essential healthcare services and medications to the sick and injured, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — Two people died and three were injured when a vehicle overturned in Aqaba, the Civil Defence Department (CDD) said on Tuesday.

Aqaba CDD cadres administered first aid to the injured and rushed them to Al Safi Public Hospital where they were reported in fair condition, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. A 25-year-old died and another was injured in another accident when a vehicle overturned in Mafraq.

CDD cadres administered first aid to the injured and took him to Mafraq Public Hospital where he was in fair condition. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah focused on the Syrian refugee crisis and Israeli violations in Jerusalem during a series of meetings held in New York on the sidelines of his participation in the 70th Plenary Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

King Abdullah on Monday met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and discussed with him the importance of international support to provide for the basic needs of the Syrian refugees and enable  countries hosting them to bear the accumulating burden.

The meeting, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, covered efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region and the world, and stressed the importance of reviving the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations on the basis of the two-state solution.

According to a UN statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, the secretary general thanked Jordan for so generously hosting Syrian refugees and stressed the importance of ensuring that border crossings remain open for all refugees. 

The secretary general expressed deep concern about the security threats posed by extremist elements from Syria and Iraq. 

On the Middle East peace process, the secretary general stressed the importance of a return to negotiations for a two-state solution. He thanked Jordan for its important role as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Finally the secretary general referred to the 70th General Assembly general debate’s focus on the Sustainable Development Goals, and asked for Jordan’s support in translating these goals into action and national programmes. 

Also on Monday, His Majesty met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi over the recent and recurrent Israeli violations at Al Haram Al Sharif in Jerusalem and their dangerous repercussions on stability and security in the region.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Crown Prince Hussein, the two leaders discussed reviving peace negotiations between the Palestinian-Israeli sides on the basis of the two-state solution, which will lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Sisi commended King Abdullah’s efforts to preserve the Islamic and Christian sanctuaries in the holy city.

The two leaders stressed the importance of continued coordination of positions on regional developments, especially regarding terrorism and the repercussions of the Syrian crisis.

They also renewed their stance that calls for a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the country’s territorial integrity and the unity of its people. 

Sisi highlighted the importance of having the international community support Jordan, which hosts “the largest” number of Syrian refugees in the region. 

The meeting was also attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and Jordan’s permanent representative at the United Nations Dina Kawar. 

King Abdullah also met with Senegalese President Macky Sall, with whom he agreed that the international community should increase effort and coordination to combat terrorism.

The talks covered cooperation between Jordan and Senegal, especially in the economic and trade fields.

In this context, the two sides announced that a Jordanian embassy would be opened soon in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, to showcase the depth of the special bilateral relations.

For his part, Sall commended His Majesty’s efforts to enhance peace and security in the Middle East.

At another meeting, King Abdullah discussed with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ways to counter terrorism in the Middle East and the world. 

Both meetings with the African leaders were attended by Crown Prince Hussein.

King Abdullah also met separately over bilateral ties, and regional and international issues of mutual concern with President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

At a Sunday meeting attended by the Crown Prince, His Majesty discussed with US Secretary of State John Kerry the continued Israeli violations at Al Haram Al Sharif in Jerusalem.

The Monarch also stressed that Jordan continues to seek a political solution to the crisis in Syria, one which safeguards Syria’s unity.

He discussed the burdens borne by Jordan as a result of hosting a large number of Syrian refugees, stressing that the international community needs to shoulder its responsibilities to enable the Kingdom to carry out its humanitarian responsibilities. 

Kerry briefed King Abdullah on US efforts aimed at resuming peace negotiations in the Middle East and confronting terrorism and radicalism, highlighting the importance of Jordan’s role in combating terror groups. 

The US official expressed his appreciation of Jordan’s role, led by King Abdullah, in supporting peace efforts in the region.    

The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, King’s Office Director Jafar Hassan, King’s Adviser and Rapporteur of the National Policies Council Abdullah Wreikat, Jordan’s Ambassador to the US Alia Bouran, and Jordan’s permanent representative at the United Nations Dina Kawar.

Aid programmes in Jordan

King Abdullah met with British Prime Minister David Cameron and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim in a trilateral meeting on Sunday that focused on expanding Jordan’s aid programmes to support continued sheltering of Syrian refugees. 

According to a Royal Court statement, the meeting, also attended by Crown Prince Hussein, addressed the repercussions of the Syrian refugee influx on the Kingdom, ways to provide grants and soft financial tools to Jordan, and intensifying international efforts to help it fulfil the basic needs of Syrian refugees.

The meeting also featured discussions on means to upgrade the infrastructure of development zones in the Kingdom, as well as enhance and attract investments to these facilities.

The King also stressed the need to support the resilience of Jordan’s host communities by facilitating the flow of exports, especially to Europe, and providing jobs for residents of governorates hosting the largest numbers of refugees. 

The meeting was attended by Hassan and Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury. 

Clinton Global Initiative

During a meeting on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual summit in New York, former US president Bill Clinton said Jordan is shouldering a great burden on behalf of the international community and called for greater assistance to the Kingdom to ensure that Jordanian host communities are not negatively impacted by the influx of Syrian refugees, according to a Royal Court statement. 

At the meeting, King Abdullah highlighted the repercussions of the Syrian refugee influx on host communities, especially the mounting pressure on  the education, health, water, infrastructure, municipal services and energy sectors in Jordan.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, which is in its fifth year, Jordan has absorbed more than 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

Addressing the attendees, King Abdullah underscored the importance of drawing investments to the country to help it deal with economic challenges and to ease the various burdens emerging as a result the refugee influx, the statement said.   

Launched in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative seeks to join world leaders, politicians, economists, academics, Nobel laureates and representatives of civil society organisations and media outlets to come up with and implement solutions for global challenges.  

Also on Sunday, His Majesty discussed efforts against terrorism, which threatens regional and global security, with Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga.

At the meeting, which was also attended by Crown Prince Hussein, the King called for coordinating anti-terrorism efforts and disseminating the values of Islam, namely tolerance and moderation. 

Talks also addressed regional developments and international efforts to arrive at a political solution for the crisis in Syria. 

In this regard, King Abdullah reiterated that international organisations and donors should further support Jordan to help it pursue its humanitarian mission. 

Kosovo’s president expressed her appreciation of the efforts led by His Majesty to boost regional peace and commended Jordan’s humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees. 

During a meeting with Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on Sunday, King Abdullah stressed the importance of drawing up a strategy to confront the global danger of terrorism. 

The meeting addressed ways to coordinate regional and global efforts to combat terrorism. 

UNITED NATIONS — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday proposed seven steps to promote values of tolerance and coexistence in the face of extremism.

Meanwhile, he said nothing can be more important and can have more impact in regarding coexistence than Jerusalem. 

In an address at the UN General Assembly’s 70th session, the King said these efforts must be implemented universally on all fronts, warning that hopes for a compassionate and peaceful world are threatened by “khawarej”, the outlaws of Islam that now “operate globally”.

“I’ve called this crisis a third world war and I believe we must respond with equal intensity,” he noted.

“But make no mistake; the more important war is the one we wage on the battlegrounds of the heart, soul and mind. And in this fight, all countries, all people, must come together.”

Highlighting Jordan-led initiatives such as the Amman Message, A Common Word and the UN Global Interfaith Harmony Week, the King said these efforts must continue, with the United Nations playing a central role.

“First, let’s get back to basics, to the essence and shared spirit of our respective faiths and creeds,” His Majesty noted.

“What separates humanity is miniscule compared to what we hold in common: deep values of love, peace, justice and compassion,” he added.

The second step, His Majesty continued, is to “change our tone”.

He stressed the need to put a stop to the spread of hate speech and fear mongering, wondering: “When and how did fear and intimidation creep so insidiously into our conversations, when there is so much more to be said about the love of God?”

As a third step, the King called for acting “upon our beliefs” beyond the main rituals of worship such as praying or fasting.

He stressed the need to integrate “our values” into every part of daily life.

“By loving our neighbour, showing respect to those different from us, being kind to our own children, each one of us can do something to reflect the spirit of our creator.”

The next step, according to the King, is to amplify the voice of moderation by utilising modern communication tools such as social media and counter their monopolisation by extremists.

“We too must populate our media, and more important, the minds of our young people, with the purity and power of moderation.”

The fifth step is to recognise deceit, His Majesty noted, stressing that the khawarej merely use religion “as a mask” to satisfy their hunger for power and control.

“In the global Muslim community 1.7 billion good men and women, one quarter of humanity — today’s outlaw gangs are nothing but a drop in the ocean. But a drop of venom can poison a well. We must protect the purity of our faith from worldly contamination. As Muslims, this is our fight, and our duty.”

For the sixth step, the King called for not tolerating intolerance, noting that “moderation does not mean accepting those who trample on others and reject all who differ.”

“Today’s global fight is not between peoples, communities or religions. It is between all moderates, of all faiths, against all extremists, in all religions. Leaders of every country, every belief, every neighbourhood, need to take a clear and public stand against intolerance of any kind,” His Majesty added.

He said this entails respecting all places where God is worshipped.

“Nothing can be more important and can have more impact in framing this respect and coexistence than Jerusalem. The Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites is a sacred duty, and we join Muslims and Christians everywhere in rejecting threats to the holy places and the Arab character of this holy city.”

The last step, the King added, is “hyper-connectivity”.

“Only a few years ago we had the Internet of Computers; now we talk about the Internet of Things. But above them all must be the Internet of Humanity – a hyper-connection, bringing us together in collective consciousness and common cause,” he said.

“This great General Assembly must address urgent world issues: sustainable, inclusive development that can deliver more opportunity, especially to young people and peaceful political solutions to regional crises,” His Majesty said, calling for joint international action to find solutions and provide relief for “millions of refugees in my region”.

He highlighted the Syrian refugee burden Jordan is shouldering, with Syrians now constituting 20 per cent of the population.

“It is high time that the international community acts collectively in facing this unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and support countries like Jordan and Lebanon which have been carrying the brunt of this burden over the past four years,” the King said.

“The values we share — equality, compassion and hope — need to be connected to everything we do. And we must keep ourselves connected to each other, for the good of all … Here, together, we can and must create the future our people need: a safer, stronger world of coexistence, inclusion, shared prosperity and peace.” 

On Jerusalem, the King said: “Nothing can be more important and can have more impact in framing this respect and coexistence than Jerusalem. The Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites is a sacred duty, and we join Muslims and Christians everywhere in rejecting threats to the holy places and the Arab character of this holy city.”

AMMAN – The Public Security Department (PSD) on Monday said that rumours and inaccurate information circulated by some media outlets and the public have hampered the investigation process to arrest the killer of police officer Khaled Bani Mfarrej.

Bani Mfarrej, a warrant officer from the Criminal Investigation Department, was shot and killed in Jabal Amman when his patrol responded to sightings of a person “acting suspiciously” in the area.

The patrol tried to stop the man to check his identification card, at which point he suddenly started shooting at the policemen.

The warrant officer died instantly, while his partner, who is a second lieutenant, was injured and he was reported in fair condition. 

The PSD media office issued a statement Monday urging media outlets and the public to stop circulating any news related to the crime, adding that the PSD would inform the public on any developments it deems necessary, while maintaining the right to keep certain aspects of the probe confidential. 

The statement said that the information recently circulated by some electronic websites and the public on social media networks caused confusion among Jordanians and pushed the killer to take extra precautions. 

The leaks on investigations that were published have harmed the efforts of police officers who are working to identify the perpetrator, said the statement. 

On Sunday, some media outlets published news claiming police were surrounding the area between Amman’s 3rd and 4th circles while searching for the man who shot Bani Mfarrej. 

Some electronic websites and social media users also circulated a photo of a man whom they said looked identical to the killer.