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AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday strongly condemned the Israel's decision to build a new settlement in the occupied East Jerusalem.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News, Petra, the ministry said the decision by Israel, the occupying power,  constitutes "flagrant and serious" violation of the international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, paramount of which the Security Council resolution number 2334, under which all settlement activities are considered illegal across all occupied Palestinian territories. 

The ministry's Spokesperson Sufian Qudah stressed the Kingdom's rejection of Israeli settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

He said that Jordan rejects Israel practices of confiscating Palestinian lands and demolishing homes and other unilateral measures aiming at forced displacement of Palestinians.

The spokesperson said that such practices are flagrant violation of all agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinians contradict international law and international humanitarian law. 

Qudah said that Israeli practices are considered "war crimes" and violation of Israel commitments as the occupying power and undermine efforts to reach peace based on the two-state solution and UN resolutions. 

The ministry's spokesperson called on the international community to immediately intervene to "oblige Israel to respect international law and uphold its responsibilities as the occupying power and stop its illegal unilateral measures that undermine any chance of peace".

He said that such measures, which coincide with the war on Gaza, will lead to more escalation. 

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Tuesday discussed Jordanian-US relations with USAID Administrator Samantha Power and other topics, including war on Gaza and the delivery of relief assistance into the besieged strip. 

The discussions went over the Amman-Washington relations with Khasawneh voicing appreciation for the USAID's support to the Kingdom's development and modernisation programmes, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier also said that Jordan has managed to achieve a set of economic reforms following the completion of the 7th review with the International Monetary Fund and the launch of a new national programme. 

However, Khasawneh explained that the war on Gaza has had its economic impact on Jordan, particularly on the tourism sector.

He also renewed Jordan's call for an end to the Israel aggression on Gaza and for establishing an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the two-state solution. 

Khasawneh underlined His Majesty King Abdullah's efforts to expedite the delivery of urgent relief aid into Gaza. 

Hailing Jordan as a strategic partner, Power emphasised the Kingdom's role in enhancing regional security and stability, voicing gratitude for Jordan's hospitality to refugees.

Power also reaffirmed the agency's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

AMMAN — Head of the Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee MP Khaldoun Hina on Tuesday met with Spanish Ambassador Miguel de Lucas where discussions focused on bilateral relations and strategies to bolster cooperation across various domains.

During the meeting, MP Hina said, "Jordan values Spain's political stances in support of our positions on the Palestinian issue, showcasing your humanitarian approach when such voices are rare globally."

He stressed that His Majesty King Abdullah has always cautioned about the urgency of a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, underlining the danger of denying Palestinian rights.

Jordan stands unwaveringly by the Palestinians until they achieve their rightful claims on their national territory, particularly the establishment of an independent state, the MP said. 

He highlighted the longstanding ties between Jordan and Spain, dating back to the founding kings, underscoring the need to fortify these relations across all sectors.

Spain's historical stances on Arab affairs, have consistently earned respect, explaining that Spain has been one of the nations earnestly seeking a just solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, he noted. 

Hina also highlighted Jordan's backing for Spain's endeavours to facilitate tangible progress in Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, aiming for a just solution that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The ambassador referred to the Jordanian-Spanish relations as “historic” and emphasised Spain's commitment to strengthening economic ties.

He commended Jordan's role, led by King Abdullah, in fostering regional security and stability, as well as advocating for peaceful solutions to multiple crises.

Regarding regional developments, the ambassador reiterated Spain's support for a just resolution to the Palestinian issue, aligning its political stance with that of Jordan.

AMMAN — Jordan Medical Association (JMA) said it is working with stakeholders on establishing a third field hospital in the Gaza Strip, staffed with Jordanian volunteers to provide “critical” healthcare services in the besieged enclave.

The second Jordanian field hospital commenced receiving patients in southern Gaza Strip last week, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In remarks to The Jordan Times, JMA board member Maha Fakhoury said that the association is receiving cash and in-kind donations, including medical supplies, to be delivered to Gaza through the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation. 

She noted that establishing a third field hospital is linked to enforcing a ceasefire, safe passageways, and security approvals for volunteers and medical staff to be able to enter Gaza. 

The hospital is expected to include 40 beds as well as operating rooms and intensive care units. It will be funded by charity organisations and individual donors, according to Fakhoury. 

A conference will be held in February by health unions and societies in Jordan to unify efforts towards the “reconstruction” of the medical sector in Gaza, she said. 

Fakhoury also pointed out that, since the beginning of the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza, 800 doctors in Jordan have signed up as volunteers to provide “critical” healthcare services for people in Gaza. 

However, their entry to the besieged strip has not yet been facilitated due to hindrances by the Israeli side, she said. 

She also said that the JMA is in constant contact with medical humanitarian organisations to enable the entry of these volunteers to Gaza, including with Doctors Without Borders, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Fakhoury explained that entering Gaza has always been difficult even before the war due to the Israeli restrictions. 

“We are doing what we can to help the people in Gaza, but it is not enough. Our hands are tied and our hearts burn for the tragedies we see unfolding there."

The health ministry in Gaza said in a statement on Monday that 20 hospitals and 46 health centres are out of service as a result of Israeli air strikes and the depletion of fuel and medical resources.

The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has so far killed 283 medical workers and destroyed 56 ambulances, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

It also said that the Israeli occupation forces currently detain 35 medical staff from Gaza, including the director of Al Shifa Hospital Mohammad Abu Salmiya. 

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez on Tuesday denounced Israeli attempts to forcefully displace Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, describing the move as a "declaration of war for Jordan". 

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Fayez underlined the deep-rooted Jordanian-Palestinian ties, explaining that Israel will not enjoy peace without a just resolution of the Palestinian question, inclusive of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders and full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. 

Fayez said that the deals Jordan had signed with Israel need to be "carefully" examined before any decision, especially the gas deal, referring to the endeavour currently undertaken by the Lower House's Legal Committee to review all Jordanian-Israeli agreements.  

Fayez, former prime minister and veteran statesman, said that the 2016 gas deal with Israel needs to be thoroughly examined as "it imposes significant financial penalties on any party that breaches the terms of the agreement".

He also explained that there are two perspectives engulfing discussion on the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel — the first suggests that any cancellation of the agreement could enable Israel to accelerate Judaisation of Jerusalem and annex the West Bank while the second sees in the deal as a "bargaining chip" to preserve Jerusalem's Arab identity.

Fayez also explained that there is a clause in the peace treaty that prevents forced displacement of West Bank residents to Jordan.

He also said that the "massacre" in Gaza is supported by several international parties, adding that the Israeli aggression on Gaza aims at "terminating the Palestinian cause".

AMMAN — The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and the Korean Hydro and Nuclear Power Company (KHNP) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct a comprehensive technical and economic feasibility study for an Innovative Small Modular Reactor.

Designed by the Korean giant, the reactor boasts a 170-megawatt capacity per unit, employing pressurised water reactor technology, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

During the signing ceremony, JAEC Khaled Toukan emphasised that Jordan is moving ahead with plans to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, citing global momentum regarding nuclear energy’s pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions.

CEO of the KHNP, Whang Joo-ho highlighted the role of the memorandum in advancing cooperation towards a strategic partnership, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Khaled Khasawneh, Commissioner for Nuclear Reactors at JAEC, stressed that the agreement supports the commission's exploration of the incorporation of small modular reactors in the national energy mix post-2030.

Khasawneh also said that a feasibility study has been conducted to integrate small modular reactors into the National Carrier Project. 

KHNP, which operates 25 nuclear power plants in South Korea, holds the third rank globally in terms of nuclear power generation capacity. 

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was actively monitoring the murder of a Jordanian citizen in Chicago, Illinois, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. Sufyan Qudah, director of Operations and Consular Affairs Directorate, said that the Jordanian Embassy in Washington is collaborating with the relevant US authorities to thoroughly investigate the crime and apprehend the perpetrator, who is still at large. Qudah extended condolences to the family of the deceased, emphasising that the embassy has initiated measures to promptly repatriate the victim's body to the Kingdom.

AMMAN — HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali, chairperson of the board of trustees of the Hashemite Fund for the Development of the Jordan Badia, on Tuesday attended the opening of the winter bazaar in Irbid, organised by the Women's Empowerment Unit in the Municipality of Eil. The bazaar featured 27 associations from the southern Badia, showcased art works created by women-owned businesses, including handicrafts, embroidery, ceramics, natural soaps and aromatic plants, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. Princess Basma honoured a number of Eil Municipality employees in recognition of their contributions to community service.

AMMAN — The Ministry of Youth, in cooperation with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO), on Tuesday organised a volunteer campaign to show solidarity with Gaza. Commemorating the International Volunteer Day, the initiative witnessed the participation of young volunteers from various centres and the JHCO's volunteer team "Saned", the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Minister of Youth Mohammed Al Nabulsi highlighted the ministry's commitment to fostering the spirit of volunteerism among the youth through a range of programmes, camps and activities across the Kingdom. The volunteers sorted and packed food, medical and clothing parcels at the organisation's warehouses in the Ghabawi region.

AMMAN — The Jordan Bar Association (JBA) on Tuesday announced the donation of JD100,000 out of the Bar's Solidarity Fund as winterisation aid to Gaza. In a board meeting, headed by JBA President Yahya Abu Abboud, it was decided to donate JD1,000 for the families of Gaza lawyers martyred by the Israeli aggression, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. JBA board also decided to correspond with the Arab Lawyers Association to set a date for a sit in at the courts in Arab countries in solidarity with the Palestinians and condemnation of the Israeli aggression. JBA had donated JD200,000 since the Israeli aggression on Gaza began.