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AMMAN — British Ambassador to Jordan Edward Oakden hosted a reception to inaugurate the partnership between the New English School (NES) in Amman and Repton School, in Derbyshire in the UK, an embassy statement said.

Speaking at the reception, Ambassador Oakden, himself an old Reptonian, said: “I am delighted at the establishment of this partnership between two such leading providers of secondary education in our two countries…. Education is a key area in building the futures of our two nations and I am pleased that the partnership between the UK and Jordan is growing to include some of our finest schools.” The partnership, the statement said, “is an acknowledgement of the achievements of NES and its aspirations to further develop via the exchange of experiences and the development of staff and curricula”.

AMMAN — Arab and international law and human rights   advocates and activists on Wednesday gathered in Amman to address the suffering of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, and ways to stop these practices in accordance with international and human rights laws.

A conference dubbed “Protection of Prisoners and Detainees: An International Responsibility and Obligation” is being held in Jordan on Wednesday and Thursday to highlight detention circumstances in Israeli prisons from legal, social and political aspects, according to organisers.

Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said in his remarks at the conference that the issue of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israel and the entire Palestinian issue cannot be separated, noting that the prisoners’ issue necessitates speeding up efforts to reach a just peace, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Hassan Ori, legal adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, delivered a speech on behalf of Abbas in which he stressed the need to stop Israeli crimes that can be seen through the practices on prisoners, expressing his appreciation for the Kingdom’s stances in supporting the Palestinian cause.

Time has come to stop Israel and hold it accountable for the organised terrorism against the Palestinian people, Ori said, underlining the importance of obliging Israel to abide by relevant international laws and conventions and applying them on more than 6,000 Palestinian and Arab prisoners, Petra added.

Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe said that the occupation force does not differentiate between men, women, children and sick people, which shows that Israel blatantly challenges human rights, and international and humanitarian laws.

The commission, in a statement distributed to attendees, said estimations point out that there have been around 900,000 detentions by occupation forces against Palestinians since 1967.

There are currently around 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, 84.8 per cent of whom are from the West Bank, 9.5 per cent from Jerusalem alone, while Gazans constitute 5.7 per cent of detainees. 

Among the 6,000, there are some 410 administrative detainees who were not charged for anything and did not sit for trials, the statement added.

Jihan Sultan, head of the Prisoners Department at the Arab League, delivered a speech on behalf of Arab League Secretary General Nabil El Arabi and noted that the league had established an Arab fund to empower prisoners, with Iraq donating $2 million.

“We recommend sending international committees to inspect Israeli prisons, shedding light on Israel’s laws to reveal their falsehood, releasing administrative detainees immediately and supporting freed prisoners and their families,” she told attendees.

William A. Schabas, a professor of International Law at Middlesex University in London, noted that both Israel and Palestine are parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

“Unlike Palestine, which accepts the full amplifications and ratifications of ICCPR, Israel goes to the Human Rights Committee, which is charged with implementing ICCPR, and insists the covenant doesn’t apply outside its territories,” Schabas explained.

Christina Papadopoulou, senior adviser for the Middle East and North Africa region at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, presented a paper in which the Amman-based expert referred to the Istanbul Protocol on Medico-Legal Reports which contains internationally recognised standards on how to document symptoms of torture to be used as evidence in the court.

“The Knesset in June endorsed a law exempting detectives from documenting investigations, providing them with the chance to practise all types of torture against prisoners,” Lawyer Noor Imam said, noting that there are 24 Jordanians imprisoned in Israel.

UNITED NATIONS — The “serious provocations” around the holy sites of Jerusalem can potentially ignite violence “well beyond” the old city, a UN official warned on Tuesday.

In a briefing to the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, as clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces continued for the third day, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said all sides have a responsibility to refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric.

“It is imperative that the historic status quo is preserved, in line with the agreements between Israel and His Majesty the King of Jordan, as custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem,” Mladenov told the Security Council, according to a UN statement.

Calling for policy shifts in Israel and serious commitment by the Palestinians to achieving unity, the UN coordinator urged Tel Aviv to recognise the potential of the Arab Peace Initiative for creating a “shared security architecture in a region that is in turmoil”.

“I think what the secretary general would like to see is a real renewed push for the peace process,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, told reporters in a briefing.

In his remarks via video conference to the Security Council, Mladenov said Ban will chair a meeting of the Middle East Peace Quartet on September 3 to discuss “how to link regional and international efforts to create conditions on the ground for a return to meaningful negotiations”.

Asked whether discussions at the meeting will address the possibility of expanding the membership of the Quartet, Dujarric said “that issue may be part of the discussions within the Quartet”, but stopped short of commenting further on the matter.

Young demonstrators gathered around Al Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday and threw stones at Israeli security forces who had entered the compound in large numbers and responded with stun grenades, Agence France-Presse reported.

The protesters fear Israel is seeking to change rules governing the site which allow Jews to visit but not pray, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the status quo will be preserved, according to AFP.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday embarked on a series of contacts with key international players to drum up support for Jordan’s position in defence of Jerusalem and its holy sites.

His Majesty on Tuesday discussed separately the recent Israeli violations against Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem with US Vice President Joe Biden and President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz.

Meanwhile, Palestinian, Egyptian and Qatari leaders have voiced support for Jordan’s stance in defending Jerusalem while rallies were staged in several cities against Israeli violations in the holy city, a Royal Court statement released Tuesday said.

The Arab Thought Forum issued a statement in defence of Jerusalem’s identity and Jordan’s role as the custodian of the city’s holy sites.

Also on Tuesday, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani said Israeli forces’ recurrent attacks and raids on Al Aqsa Mosque compound and the worshippers are denounced in the international law and are against humanity and religious principles.

In a phone call with Biden, the two leaders discussed the recent Israeli assaults on Al Aqsa Mosque, and King Abdullah said the US has to take a firm stance against these violations. Discussions also covered the situation in the region, especially in Syria and Iraq. 

His Majesty and Schulz discussed, in a phone call, the situation in Jerusalem, with the King stressing that Europe and the international community should take decisive positions  and work to bring an end to the Israeli acts of aggression against Al Aqsa. 

The King received a telephone call from Palestinian President Mohammad Abbas, during which they discussed the Israeli recent violations in Jerusalem, particularly at Al Aqsa Mosque.

Abbas commended Jordan’s intensive efforts, led by King Abdullah, in defending Jerusalem and its sacred shrines.

The Palestinian president highlighted Jordan’s constant stances, reflected in His Majesty’s statements during the meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron a day earlier.

In those statements, the King voiced the concern and anger in Jordan because of the recent Israeli provocations in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa, which His Majesty said would affect the Jordanian-Israeli relations.

The Monarch also received a call from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, during which the two leaders discussed the recent Israeli violations in the holy city and their repercussions.

They agreed on the importance of intensified coordination to stop the violations and Sisi voiced his support and appreciation of His Majesty’s efforts and the Kingdom’s in protecting Islamic and Christian sanctuaries in Jerusalem.

In another phone call, the Monarch and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque and the Kingdom’s efforts to end them.

Both leaders expressed their condemnation of the acts, calling the international community to pressure Israel to halt its violations against Jerusalem and the mosque

Momani, who is also government spokesperson, stressed that the international and humanitarian laws condemn such Israeli crimes which contradict religious principles, adding that these act would not earn Israel, as an occupation force, peace and stability.

He also called on the Israeli government to immediately stop its raids and provocations against Al Aqsa Mosque, to halt its attacks on holy sites and to respect its commitments as stipulated in the peace treaty, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister also said Jordan will exert all efforts to combat Israeli assaults on Islamic and Christian holy sites, and added that all diplomatic and legal options are being thoroughly studied to achieve the goal of protecting the violated sanctuaries.

In denunciation of the Israeli acts of aggression, the Islamic Action Front (IAF) organised on Sunday a demonstration in front of its headquarters and the Islamic movement organised on Sunday and Monday rallies in Irbid and Zarqa in front of mosques, according to a statement the party released Monday. 

The IAF statement also announced more marches to take place in Amman, Irbid and Zarqa.

In Amman, the Islamic movement will organise a march and a number of activities on Friday, starting the march from Al Husseini Mosque, whereas the IAF will hold on Wednesday at 5pm a meeting in its headquarters on the issue.

In Irbid, a march will be staged on Friday, starting from several mosques, whereas in Zarqa, the Islamic movement will organise a rally that will commence in front of Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in the city’s downtown, according to the statement.

Also on Tuesday, the Jordan Press Association (JPA) denounced the Israeli raids on Al Aqsa Mosque and attacking worshippers, according to a statement it issued, Petra reported. 

The association called on the international community, gearing up for a UN meeting this month in New York, to reject the Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque which provoke the feelings of Muslims and Christians and bring more violence and religious radicalism to the region.

The Arab Thought Forum is closely following the events unfolding in Jerusalem, where Israeli occupation forces are continuously desecrating the “Noble Sanctuary” not to mention repeated attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic religious and holy places, a forum statement said Tuesday.

The Israeli occupation forces are also resorting to excessive use of force against defenceless worshippers and the guards of the mosque, expelling them and closing the area.

In the statement, the forum said it salutes the steadfastness of the Arab Jerusalemites and their resistance and called for practical measures to bolster the survival of the Jerusalemites on their land through all available means, and to express a categorical rejection of Israeli aggression on Jerusalem, its sanctuaries and religious endowments.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said he has been following up on attempts to sow sedition in the Jordanian community, accusing certain parties of taking advantage of his presence abroad to target the social fabric. 

At a meeting with dignitaries from Irbid Governorate, held at the Royal Court, the King noted such practices date back to the days of His Majesty the late King Hussein, saying that the people in question have historically taken advantage of the head of the state’s absence to play their game. 

"Our fathers and grandfathers raised us to safeguard our national unity. Wherever we go in the world, we hear about Jordanians' generosity and that they open their hearts to all," His Majesty added, according to a Royal Court statement.

Khawarej (renegades of Islam) and terrorists are close to our borders waiting for any opportunity to weaken the national unity and cause harm to the country, he said, adding that Jordanians will not allow this because the strength of  Jordanian national unity is what makes Jordan different from others.

“I am Hussein’s father and Hussein’s son, and it is my duty to protect all Jordanians, Muslims and Christians, and the country’s guests, regardless their origins; and I know you will support me with this mission,” the Monarch told the attendees. 

On the Syrian crisis, King Abdullah said he will contact European leaders, and pay a visit to the UN headquarters next week to tell the world that thanking Jordan for hosting Syrian refugees for three to four years is not enough.

The King said he will also ask the world to help the Kingdom, which hosts around 1.4 million Syrian refugees, constituting around 20 per cent of Jordan’s population, adding that the country is hosting the biggest share of refugees on behalf of the international community.

On Europe’s recent moves to address the refugee crisis, King Abdullah said the biggest European country will host refugees with a percentage that does not exceed 1 per cent of its population.

His Majesty noted that the refugee burden has affected the Kingdom’s economic situation, which is the most important challenge for Jordanians, who have been already struggling with poverty and unemployment.

King Abdullah said that Jordanian institutions will speak loudly about the country’s needs, not only in the name of refugees, but also of Jordanians, noting that last year’s international assistance covered only 24 per cent of the Kingdom’s needs to deal with the refugees.

So far this year, Jordan has received around 35 per cent of its needs to address the problem, the King said, while the government covers the rest of the cost.

The Monarch also underlined the Israeli violations in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque, saying: “We are closely following up on the issue with the government, and my stance stated Monday during the meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron was very clear.”

“We will continue following up on the case during the next few days and we will consider our options and take necessary measures as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” King Abdullah added.

Regarding the political situations, His Majesty stressed that the Kingdom’s stance is very strong on the international level, and the Jordanian people enjoy respect everywhere in the world.

He also said that his visits to China and South Korea opened new scopes, expressing optimism that economic cooperation with these countries will provide many jobs for Jordanians across the country.

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarwaneh told the gathering that King Abdullah has directed officials at the Royal Court to implement a number of initiatives to be in line with government measures in the sectors of industry, education, youth and public services. 

The initiatives include setting two projects in the Northrern Mazar and Bani Kinanah districts to employ 300 youths through productivity projects carried out by the Labour Ministry in cooperation with private sector investors. He added that the Royal initiatives also included establishing a vocational training centre to serve Taybah and Wistiyah districts, along with seven football pitches across the governorate. 

Demands by residents included upgrading infrastructure and services in the sectors of health, education and agriculture. 

Irbid Mayor Hussein Bani Hani said that municipalities in Irbid suffer from the additional burden caused by hosting tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, calling for more support to the municipalities. 

Other demands included placing the historical city of Um Qais on the national tourism map, in addition to empowering youths and women in economic participation through development projects targeting them. 

Speakers also called for removing obstacles facing investors in the governorate, to enhance public-private partnerships and to expand industrial estates to fit more investments. 

Representatives of the northern governorate also highlighted the importance of supporting the agriculture sector and farmers, in addition to increasing the capacity of schools and health centres in some areas. 

Speakers praised the efforts of King Abdullah in protecting holy sites in Jerusalem.

AMMAN — Tweeps on Tuesday slammed Arabs’ and Muslims’ inaction in the face of Israel’s escalation at Al Aqsa Mosque, which led to clashes with worshippers at the compound, saying Israel will continue its aggression if it is not held accountable for its behaviour.

Stressing that it is the duty of all Muslims to protect Islam’s third holiest site, tweeps said Arabs states that have ties with Israel should immediately sever them and expel Israeli ambassadors from their countries to place pressure on the “Zionist entity” to stop its violations against worshippers and escalation at the mosque.

“Why does not Jordan expel the Israeli ambassador in response to Israel’s aggressions against Al Aqsa Mosque?” Sultan Gouaan
(@Sultan Alqoiaan) tweeted on Tuesday.

In 1994, Jordan signed a peace deal with Israel, the second Arab state to have done so, after Egypt.

Tweeps said Arabs and Muslims should shoulder their responsibility and support the Palestinians and their steadfastness in the face of Israeli violations.

“It is not the duty of Palestinians only to defend Al Aqsa Mosque. It is not the duty of Arabs only. This is the duty of all Muslims,” Mahmoud Hamedi
(@MhmodA79) tweeted Tuesday.

Dozens of Israeli forces on Tuesday stormed occupied East Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque compound and attacked Muslim worshipers for the third day in a row, it was reported.

Amin Salame
(@Amin_14558) said Israel is taking advantage of the chaos and state of instability across  Arab states to execute their designs in the occupied territories.

“Muslims should be united. Defending Al Aqsa Mosque should be on top of their priorities. What are they waiting for? They should resort to all means to put an end to the Israeli aggressions,” Salame tweeted.

Images of Israeli forces clashing with Palestinian worshippers at the mosque’s compound dominated Twitter under several hash tags.

“It is painful to see the images of Zionist soldiers assaulting Palestinian women and men. Silence and condemnations are not enough,” Salwa Tamer (@Slwajhk1245) tweeted Tuesday.

Political analyst Nabil Sharif, former media minister, tweeted: “Israel will continue its criminal aggressions against Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem if it does not see consequences for its actions.”

Another Twitter user, Salem Kamel
(@Skamel12_54), said: “It is shameful that the Muslim Ummah with over 1.5 billion Muslims is not doing anything in this regard.”

On Monday, His Majesty King Abdullah said Jordanian-Israel cannot expect to get away unscathed; however, if it continues its provocations at Al Aqsa Mosque.

AMMAN – Inspectors from the Public Sector Development Ministry recently carried out an unannounced visit to the section in charge of facilitating real estate investment at the Department of Land and Survey to check on the quality of services offered to investors.

A report prepared by the inspectors following the visit, which was made available to The Jordan Times Tuesday, found that investors have to wait for a “long time” to be served as there is only one employee receiving applications despite the fact that there are three windows for this purpose. 

“Clients were grumbling because of waiting for a long time to be served,” the report said, quoting the ministry’s inspectors, who have carried a number of unannounced visits to several government departments and ministries over the past few years. 

The report said that the section does not offer any brochures on the services it offers to investors, adding that the hall where investors apply for services is “too small” to fit the large number of clients. 

The sector also lacked a special box for complaints and suggestions. 

However, inspectors said that the way the employees served investors was “good”. 

The ministry’s report recommended increasing the number of employees at the sector in order to offer better and faster services to real estate investors. 

Over the past three years, teams from the Public Sector Development Ministry have carried out unannounced visits to various government agencies to monitor their performance and submit reports to the prime minister and concerned ministers.
The project seeks to improve the quality of services offered to the public.

AMMAN – For the second consecutive year, educators from the region will be introduced to best pedagogies during the Teachers Skills Forum that will be hosted by Amman.

Organised by the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA), the three-day forum will provide the “perfect venue for teachers to improve their skills and discover new teaching methods”, according to Haif Bannayan, the academy’s CEO. 

With preparations going on in “full swing”, he expressed confidence in the ability of organisers to increase the number of participants in this year’s forum to 1,000, up from the 700 who took part last year.

“This year’s forum will not only give teachers new skills, but will also provide them with practical instructions to implement inside the classroom,” said Bannayan, who noted that the conference will be held under Her Majesty Queen Rania’s patronage.

“This year, the question will be more on how we teach rather than what we teach. Teachers are used to theories and lectures, but it is time for them to receive applicable tips on new methods of teaching,” he noted at a press conference on Tuesday.

Bannayan cited the importance of the forum’s “peer-to-peer” approach, which would provide an opportunity for teachers to share their experiences in the field. 

Slated to open on December 4, in cooperation with the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Texas Instruments, the forum will bring together renowned international experts from prominent institutions, including Harvard, Columbia, McGill, Dublin, Fairmont and Connecticut universities among others. 

Experts from Jordan and Lebanon will also take part in the event.

IB representative Mary Tadros said the topics to be focused on during the forum include early learning, concept-based learning, differentiated learning and STEAM learning, which is related to science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.

“There are very rich materials on such subjects in English, but not in Arabic. The forum will acquaint Arabic-speaking educators with all the novel teaching methods,” she said. 

Bannayan and Tadros reiterated that such events are held in Western countries each year, but are new to the region. 

The forum’s sponsors for this year are: Zain Telecom, Microsoft, the Arab Potash Company, King Abdullah II Fund for Development, Ayla, Al Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Pasco, Pearson, Al Etihad Bank, Capital Bank, Bromine Jordan and the Canadian government.

AMMAN — The impact of the depression currently affecting the Kingdom and causing unstable weather conditions, is expected to last until Thursday, a Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) official said Tuesday.

“The weather will be relatively hot and dusty in various parts of the Kingdom, with a chance of rainfall accompanied by thunder,” JMD Director General Mohammad Samawi told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Weather in the capital and hilly areas was relatively hot on Tuesday, while the Jordan Valley and the badia witnessed hot weather, according to a JMD statement.

The department issued several weather-related warnings, cautioning that there would be low visibility in the southern and eastern parts of the Kingdom, water stream formation during the expected rainfall at night in the south, mainly in Aqaba Governorate, as well as the danger of slippery roads due to rainfall. 

  On Wednesday, temperatures in Amman are expected to reach a high of 31-33°C and a low of 20-22°C, while mercury levels in Amman are expected to reach 30-32°C during day and 19-21°C at night on Thursday, with relatively hot and dusty weather.

Meanwhile, fair weather is forecast across the country next week, Samawi noted, expecting “pleasant” temperatures to last during the Eid vacation (September 24-28).

Aqaba witnessed brief rainfall on Monday night, without the formation of water streams, according to the department.

AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania will on Thursday receive the Walther Rathenau Prize at an award ceremony to be hosted by Germany for her humanitarian work and efforts to promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will present Her Majesty with the award during a ceremony to be held at World Hall-Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, Her Majesty’s office said in a statement. 

The Walther Rathenau Prize has been awarded annually since 2008, acknowledging outstanding work in foreign policy and bridging gaps between peoples and cultures.

Meanwhile, Queen Rania has called on European leaders to agree on a “holistic and cohesive” policy for tackling the refugee crisis.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Her Majesty said the arrival of 1.4 million Syrian refugees into Jordan had caused “immense strain” on the country’s economy.

“This crisis has had an impact on us for coming up to five years now,” she said.

“We have had a wave of refugees coming into Jordan. To date we have 1.4 million Syrians in Jordan — 630,000 of them are registered refugees.”

“That’s 20 per cent of our population. To put that into context for you, it’s the equivalent of 12 million people coming to the UK, or 16 million going to Germany,” she told the channel. 

“It has really been an immense strain on our economy, on our public services, on our infrastructure, and it has really overwhelmed our capacity to cope with the issue.”

Queen Rania said Europe must form a “consensus” on how to cope with the refugee crisis.

“What would be ideal is to seek a consensus in Europe — a holistic and cohesive policy towards dealing with the refugees,” she said.

“That will encourage other nations in the world to also be part of the solution, and not to be silent bystanders to what is unfolding.”