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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, during a meeting with Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on Saturday, reiterated the importance of the strategic partnership between Jordan and Japan.

At a meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, the King expressed Jordan’s keenness to continue expanding its partnership with Japan in various fields, especially in economic areas, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty highlighted Jordan’s economic modernisation efforts, as well as the challenges the Kingdom faces as a result of regional conditions.

For his part, the Japanese prime minister said Jordan is one of Japan’s most important partners in the region, and plays a pivotal role, stressing the importance of the partnership between the two countries, and the need to enhance it through economic and political cooperation.

He also expressed Japan’s keenness to maintain coordination with Jordan as a key partner in the region, and to continue economic support for the Kingdom due to its reform efforts and humanitarian role, the statement said.

Turning to the situation in Gaza, the two sides agreed on the need to work towards a permanent ceasefire, and to maximise and sustain the volume of humanitarian aid to the Strip, while ensuring its direct and uninterrupted delivery.

The King reaffirmed Jordan’s rejection of attempts to displace the Palestinians in Gaza, or any attempts to separate the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, stressing the need to stop settler violence against the Palestinians in the West Bank.

The two sides called for protecting civilians and respecting the relevant international laws, highlighting the two-state solution as the only way to reach peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the statement said. 

His Majesty reiterated that the two-state solution is pivotal to reach peace in the region and a requirement for regional security, noting that the continuation of the current war and its catastrophic repercussions are unacceptable

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan attended the meeting.

AMMAN — Over 800,000 vehicles underwent inspections as part of the Central Traffic Department’s yearly winter campaign to check on automobiles in the Kingdom.

The yearly campaign, which began on November 2, aims to ensure that vehicles are prepared and equipped with the essential components needed for the winter season, to reduce road accidents.

 “Ninety per cent of the 805,000 vehicles; successfully passed the inspection campaign,” according to a Public Security Directorate (PSD) statement. 

The remaining 10 per cent were issued notices to fix the problems in their vehicle within one week, according to the PSD statement.

“The vehicles that did not pass the inspection tests will be followed up by the Central Traffic Department until their technical problems are fixed,” the PSD statement added.

The campaign is being implemented by the Civil Defence Department, the relevant traffic directorates, and the Mass Media and Community Policing Directorate.

The inspection entities will also include the Royal Department for Environment Protection and traffic technical and maintenance experts.

The law-enforcement officers inspected tyres, windshield wipers and their water tanks, seatbelts, lights and heating systems as well as external bodywork.

Stickers were issued to vehicles that passed the inspections so that traffic officers do not stop the driver again for random inspection.

If the driver fails to fix his/her vehicle, a ticket will be issued, the PSD statement added.

According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department, the total registered vehicles in the Kingdom in 2022 were approximately 2.1 million, which the department said was an increase of 3.94 from the year 2021.

The PSD used social media outlets to raise motorists’ awareness regarding the proper maintenance of their vehicles ahead of the winter season.

AMMAN — Jordan experienced a stark contrast this year as some trade sector representatives reported weak sales on Black Friday, according to trade sector representatives. 

The relentless aggression on Gaza has cast a dark shadow over the Jordanian market, with consumers opting to abstain from shopping. Despite the hesitancy among retailers to embrace the term "Black Friday”, the economic conditions fuelled by the ongoing conflict have left businesses grappling with unprecedented challenges.

In the face of prevailing political challenges, retailers had hoped that the allure of Black Friday discounts would stimulate consumer interest. However, a significant number of establishments continued to resist labelling the sales as "Black Friday". This symbolic resistance stemmed from a belief that participating in an event linked to consumerism contradicted the need to raise awareness about the ongoing strife in Gaza.

Rebhi Allan, jewelry shops owners' association president, expressed deep concern over the “weak” sales during what is traditionally a bustling retail season, particularly for diamonds and precious metals. 

"The continuous turmoil in Gaza has undoubtedly affected consumer confidence, leading to a significant decline in jewelry sales,” Allan told The Jordan Times. 

Allan added that people are hesitant to indulge in luxury purchases when the region is grappling with such distressing events.

“Black Friday coincided with the first day of the truce, and sales were very close to last year’s,” Sharaf Hayajneh, furniture sector representative at the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) told The Jordan Times.

"The furniture sector experienced a notable upturn last weekend; people were excited over the truce and discount sales,” said Hayajneh. 

The uncertainty surrounding the war on Gaza and its implications on the overall economy have led consumers to postpone big-ticket purchases. The timing of the truce served the commerce sector “big time”, said Hayajneh. 

Economist Khaled Salameh told The Jordan Times that the web of challenges faced by the retail sector in Jordan underscores the broader impact of geopolitical events on local economies. 

The cumulative effect of diminished consumer confidence, economic uncertainty, and a conscious effort to avoid the term "Black Friday" resulted in a subdued shopping atmosphere throughout the country, said Salameh. 

AMMAN — The Anti-Narcotics Department announced on Saturday the seizure of 47 kilogrammes of cocaine in attempted trafficking by international networks in cooperation with three suspected accomplices in the Kingdom, all of whom were arrested. 

Public Security Directorate spokesperson said that anti narcotics personnel have foiled an international plot to traffic 47 kilogrammes of cocaine with the aid of three suspected individuals in the Kingdom. A case which is the biggest this year, he added, as reported by the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

A team has been investigating and following up on information concerning the international criminal network’s plot to smuggle large quantities of drugs into the Kingdom, the spokesperson said. 

Investigation revealed that drugs will arrive to Jordan in a postal parcel from a country in South America along with prohibited materials; consequently, once the package arrives the accomplices will pick it up from the airport.

After close monitoring and in-depth investigation, security forces were able to identify and seize the package. After examination it was revealed that it contained 47 kilogrammes of coffee and cocoa beans which were sent to the laboratory for tests, the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson added that lab tests indicated that the entire quantity was coated with cocaine and shaped to resemble cocoa and coffee beans. 

The three suspects were raided and arrested after seizing firearms in their possession. The suspects were referred to the State Security Court's general prosecutor, the spokesperson added. 

He noted that coordination and correspondence with international law enforcement agencies is underway to prosecute the members of the international criminal network. 

AMMAN — The ongoing war on Gaza has demonstrated the urgency to re-humanise people and the need to find means to safeguard humanity’s common future that is currently riddled with double standards, Mohamed Hadid, president of the Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRCS), said on Saturday.

Addressing a workshop organised by the JRCS titled "International Humanitarian Law Amidst Current Conditions in Gaza", Hadid called on the signatories to the Geneva Conventions to hold any state that violates international humanitarian law accountable.

“Now our role is not limited to providing humanitarian assistance... we seek to give a voice to victims of war,” Hadid said.

Briefing the audience on a recap of international humanitarian law rules governing war and armed conflicts, Hadid pointed out that the provision of humanitarian assistance should be based on impartiality and respect for human dignity.

Emphasising the readiness of the Jordanian Red Crescent hospital to receive and treat the wounded from Gaza, he called for international pressure to facilitate the evacuation of the injured for treatment in neighbouring countries. He stressed that aid alone is insufficient to resolve the situation and called for a political solution to address the ongoing crisis.

Hadid explained that double standards over the Gaza war are a serious setback amid a lack of criticism and condemnation of Israel’s atrocities, demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

“The most basic humanitarian principles are not being applied either in the besieged strip or in the West Bank,” he noted.

The current war has, unsurprisingly, highlighted the imbalance of power between Israel and the people living under blockade, Hadid added.

Hadid said that war should be viewed through the lens of people’s common humanity; such a notion guarantees that no person is treated as more worthy than another.

A number of slogans such as “We Are not Leaving Anyone Behind” have been launched by humanitarian organisations, however, their voices that called for abiding by principles of humanity remained “faint and almost inaudible”, Hadid noted.

He reiterated that “humanity is dying… and the international humanitarian law should be revived in order to preserve a measure of humanity amidst war and armed conflicts”.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Saturday commended the Jordanian-Egyptian relations, highlighting the significant level of coordination and consultation between the two nations in multiple fields and during times of crises.

 During a discussion with Khaled Al Eisawi, Middle East News Agency (MENA) bureau chief, in Amman, Safadi highlighted the historical alignment of positions and mutual perspectives on several Arab and international issues between Cairo and Amman.

Affirming continuous and unwavering nature of consultation, coordination and communication between Egypt and Jordan, he highlighted the heightened level of coordination since the outbreak of recent developments in Gaza, stressing that joint efforts commenced from the very beginning of the war on the Strip to halt attacks on civilians in Gaza.

Cairo and Amman have a crucial role in ending the war and restoring dialogue for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 4, June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said.

Emphasising the continuous communication with all relevant parties, including international partners to stop the war, Safadi highlighted Israel's persistence in pursuing the destruction of Gaza and its disregard for calls for reason and wisdom.

Safadi stressed Jordan's firm rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinians or resolve the Palestinian cause at the expense of Jordan or Egypt. 

Highlighting the common stance of the two countries, Safadi quoted His Majesty King Abdullah's statement on X (formerly Twitter): "We stand alongside Egypt in one trench. The stance expressed today [Thursday] by my brother, President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, affirming Egypt's rejection of displacing Palestinians from their land as a red line, embodies our shared position and will be etched in history within Egypt's Arab stances."

He also drew attention to the close cooperation and coordination between Jordan and Egypt in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which was facilitated through El Arish airport, to be transferred to Gaza via Rafah crossing.

Commenting on the ceasefire brokered by Egypt and Qatar in coordination with the US, which was violated by Israel, Safadi said that Egypt, along with its Qatari counterparts, had made significant efforts to secure this humanitarian truce. 

He praised Egypt's pivotal role in achieving this humanitarian pause and the ongoing consultations to extend it, with the aim of ending the escalating Israeli war on the Strip and establishing a lasting ceasefire.

Condemning Israel's aggressive resumption of hostilities, Safadi called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility and intervene to prevent Israel from committing further crimes against civilians.

On the Royal efforts, Safadi said that since the outbreak of the war, King Abdullah has made several foreign and European visits to warn about the repercussions of the conflict.

These visits and meetings had an important role in clarifying the reality of the Israeli war on Gaza and its dangers, which lead to a partial shift in the stances of countries that had previously supported misleading Israeli narrative, he said, adding that “looking at international positions, the voices are now growing louder, and there is a noticeable shift towards calls for a permanent ceasefire and a return to negotiations”.

Safadi stressed the importance of the international community to focus on the attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, indicating that Israelis’ attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have not received the same level of international attention as to those in Gaza.

He said that 2023 is the bloodiest year for the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank in over a decade, warning of the consequences on global peace and security if such aggression persists.

"Israel cannot be above international law," he said, highlighting Israel's targeting of any side that disagrees with its policies or calls for an end to the war. 

"Israel has failed to comply with previous United Nations Security Council resolutions, and if it continues to disregard them in the future, the international community will have to face this significant challenge to its credibility," he added, warning against the continuation of violence in the region and stressing its global and international implications.

Safadi highlighted the growing global conviction that the only way to end the violence in the region is through the establishment of a Palestinian state that embraces the two-state solution, and called for seizing the current international momentum to address the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories by implementing the two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state that can live in security and peace alongside Israel. 

He also reiterated Jordan's commitment to its unalienable principles regarding the Palestinian cause, stressing the preservation of the rights of the Palestinians to establish their independent state. 

Jordan would not deviate from these principles, regardless of the sacrifices, he said.

Safadi noted that despite repeated Israeli violations, the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem will remain under the Hashemite Custodianship due to their vital importance. 

Talking about Jordan's foreign policy, Safadi said that Jordan has always carried the banner of peace.

He also highlighted the historical principles of Jordan's foreign policy, which are guided by respect for and non-interference in the internal affairs of any state, coupled with the prevention of any state from interfering in Jordan's internal affairs.

Safadi also commended the tripartite economic cooperation between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, as well as the quadrilateral economic partnership between Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

AMMAN — The Jordan Field Hospital Special /2, in Khan Yunis, received 190 cases in its emergency department in the past 48 hours, the hospital's commander, Col. Mohammad Al Daajah said on Friday, noting "12 major operations and 20 minor operations were carried out during that period". He added that the hospital's staff in southern Gaza on Friday morning received cases referred from the Nasser Medical Complex following Israeli air strikes in Khan Yunis, they promptly delivered emergency care, performed major surgeries and admitted several cases to the intensive care unit. Moreover, the hospital provided care for premature infants affected by the renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza. The Jordan Field Hospital Special /2, sent as per Royal directives, comprise a medical staff with the mission of addressing the challenges faced by the people of Gaza amidst these difficult times and providing medical support. 

AMMAN — The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), following Royal directives, on Friday evacuated a Jordanian woman and her Palestinian daughter, both wounded by Israeli sniper fire, as well as a child who suffered the loss of all four limbs in the intense Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.  The three injured patients had received medical treatment at the Jordan Field Hospital Special /2 in southern Gaza, before being transferred to the Al Hussein Medical City, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Friday. The evacuation was facilitated by a Royal Jordanian Air Force military aircraft, which transported them from El Arish International Airport to Marka Military Airport. The families of the injured expressed their appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah for this Royal gesture, and also praised the medical and humanitarian efforts of the armed forces in the Gaza Strip, acknowledging the ongoing support provided to the people of Gaza over the years.

AMMAN — Jordan on Friday condemned resumption of Israel's "aggressive" war on the Gaza Strip, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. Sufyan Qudah, the ministry's spokesperson, expressed the Kingdom's firm rejection and condemnation of the renewed Israeli aggression against Gaza, calling on the international community to fulfill its responsibility by preventing Israel from perpetrating additional crimes against civilians and urged an immediate cessation of the “senseless war” on Gaza. Qudah stressed the need to uphold international and humanitarian laws and called for international protection for Palestinians. He emphasised the need for concerted efforts to bring an immediate end to the war on Gaza.  The resumption of Israeli air strikes is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, he said, calling for an immediate halt to this aggression, which had claimed the lives of thousands of people, particularly women and children.  He reiterated calls on the international community to urging swift intervention to enforce a ceasefire.

AMMAN — Thousands of Jordanians on Friday took to the streets across the country in solidarity with Palestinians, condemning the resumption of Israel's aggression against Gaza.  Waving Jordanian and Palestinian flags, participants reiterated the Kingdom's firm stance on the Palestinian cause and expressed solidarity with the resilience of the people of Gaza. The protesters urged the international community to fulfill its responsibility and prevent Israel from committing additional crimes against armless civilians in Gaza, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Other demonstrations took place in different governorates, including Aqaba, Irbid, Jerash and Tafileh.