Jordan News UpdatesHis Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Tuesday joined the 40th King Hussein bin Talal Royal Armoured Brigade personnel for iftar.
Crown Prince Al Hussein and the attendees performed the maghreb prayer.
His Royal Highness serves as assistant tank company commander on the brigade’s Second Royal Armoured Battalion.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Jordan on Monday celebrated the conclusion of the Sustainable Urbanization and Resource Efficiency Project (SURE), which was conducted over the past five years at a total cost of $22 million.
The project was executed in close collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality and in partnership with various governmental and private institutions. Funding for the project was provided by the Green Environment Facility (GEF).
During the closing ceremony, Project Manager Dana Al-Louzi presented an overview of the project’s achievements, highlighting its collaboration with stakeholders to establish standardized tools for measuring and reporting on urban development in Amman. She emphasized the project’s significant contribution to advancing the UNDP’s commitment to sustainable development and addressing the challenges of climate change.
The project implemented a range of measures aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and promoting strategic intervention
s aligned with Jordan’s national climate change policy. Notably, it supported Jordan’s vision for a low-carbon future and its efforts to fulfill its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Key outcomes of the project included the launch of the Urban Observatory platform for Amman City data, developed in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality, in collaboration with the UN Human Settlements Program, and under the supervision of the C40 Network. This platform will play a crucial role in shaping urban development policies, enhancing municipal services, and formulating the city’s climate action plan.
Furthermore, the project established guidelines for licensing individuals involved in providing energy efficiency services, in collaboration with relevant regulatory bodies and government agencies. It also implemented energy efficiency measures in government buildings, resulting in significant reductions in carbon emissions.
Director of the Environment Program at the UN
DP in Jordan, Nidal Al-Ouran, commended the project’s contribution to the country’s economic modernization efforts. He emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives in achieving sustainable development goals.
Source: Jordan News Agency
His Majesty King Abdullah II reiterated Jordan’s unwavering support for Palestinians’ steadfastness on their homeland and in their homes and holy sites, as well as in defending Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Speaking at a meeting with Jerusalem Islamic awqaf representatives and church leaders, as well as Jerusalemite figures at Al Husseiniya Palace, His Majesty reaffirmed Jordan’s rejection of any attempts to displace the Palestinians.
The King stressed the need to stop continuous Israeli violations in the West Bank, especially in Jerusalem and its holy sites, warning that settler violence and escalation will lead the entire region into the abyss.
His Majesty said an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza is a top priority in light of the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip, noting that Israel has to allow the immediate delivery of adequate aid to all parts of Gaza.
The King reiterated that Jordan in making every effort to support Gazans through all possible means, and to end the war, w
hose unjust, brutal, and destructive reality has become more evident to the international community, as the global stance towards the measures taken by Israel is starting to change.
His Majesty underscored the need to reach a political settlement to achieve peace on the basis of the two-state solution.
During the meeting, Jerusalem Awqaf Department Director Mohammad Azzam Al Khatib thanked the King for his efforts and unwavering position in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, stressing the important role of the Hashemite Custodianship.
He pointed to the current siege on Al Aqsa Mosque’s gates to limit worshippers’ access and measures that threaten the historical status quo.
Tamimi also commended Jordan’s efforts to support Gazans through field hospitals and aid delivery.
For his part, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III commended His Majesty’s historic role as Custodian of Christian and Muslim holy sites, expressing gratitude for the King’s “unwavering support and
tireless work for peace, reconciliation, and humanitarian action”.
He commended Jordan’s efforts in making humanitarian aid drops over Gaza, thanking His Majesty for supporting Jerusalem’s churches in the face of major challenges.
Patriarch Theophilos III said the moral imperative to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless is common to the monotheistic traditions, and “we cannot abandon this fundamental commitment”.
He warned of the misuse of moral values as well as Biblical verses and teachings to justify sacrilege against holy places and violence against human beings, adding that the heads of the churches stand against such manipulation of religion for political agendas.
Meanwhile, Jerusalem Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Hussein expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s stance in defence of Al Aqsa Mosque and his support for Jerusalemites.
He warned of Israeli measures in the holy city, especially at Al Aqsa Mosque to set up checkpoints that limit worshippers’ access.
Latin Patriarch
of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said celebrations of Palm Sunday this week were incomplete “because our relatives, families, and parishioners were not able to come as has been the case every year”.
“We all support the efforts undertaken by Your Majesty the King to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Christians in Gaza highly extend to Your Majesty greetings, appreciation, thanks, and gratitude for all the assistance that Jordan has provided, continues to do so, and will continue to do so in support of the brothers and sisters in Gaza,” he added.
The cardinal said Christians in Jerusalem, despite their dwindling number, live in historical brotherhood with their Muslim brethren, and yearn for a final solution that brings to reality the two-state solution.
Expressing best wishes to His Majesty on the Silver Jubilee, Cardinal Pizzaballa thanked the King for his continuous efforts to care for and protect Christian and Muslim holy sites.
For his part, Mustafa Abu Sway, a member of the Jerusalem Awq
af Council and a Professor of Ghazali Chair, noted Jordan’s efforts in support of Gazans, adding that Tuesday’s meeting embodies coexistence by bringing together Muslim and Christian figures from Jordan and Jerusalem.
He warned of the consequences of extremists’ exploitation of religion and their selective interpretation of the Holy Book to turn Al Aqsa Mosque into the temple, calling for concerted efforts to counter extremism.
Chairman of the Higher Presidential Committee of Church Affairs in Palestine Ramzi Khoury expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s support for Palestinians’ rights, highlighting the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship in countering attempts to change the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.
Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Awqaf Minister Mohammad Khalaileh, and a number of officials attended the meeting.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Jordan’s import bill for crude oil, derivatives, and mineral oils saw a notable decline in January this year, according to data released by the Department of Statistics on Tuesday.
The figures revealed a decrease in the value of oil imports to the Kingdom, totaling JD256 million for January, compared to JD303 million for the same period last year. This represents a significant drop of 15.5%.
This decrease in the oil bill has had a positive impact on Jordan’s trade balance, with the overall value of imports declining by 19.7% in January compared to the previous year. This reduction contributed to a 33.7% decrease in the trade deficit for the country.
Fuel and mineral oils were the primary imports for the period, with a total value of JD83 million. Crude oil, often termed “petroleum,” followed closely behind at JD81 million. Additionally, the Kingdom imported gasoline worth around JD39 million, and diesel valued at approximately JD48 million. Lubricants and gas contributed smaller amounts to the import bill.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, held talks with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, on Tuesday, focusing on establishing a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and enhancing mechanisms for delivering humanitarian aid throughout the coastal enclave.
In a phone conversation with Baerbock, Safadi emphasized the urgency of halting the Israeli aggression and addressing the humanitarian crisis affecting over two million Palestinians in Gaza.
He highlighted the necessity of enforcing Security Council Resolution No. 2728, which was ratified yesterday and called for a ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan.
Safadi, who also Deputy Prime Minister, thanked Germany for its recent allocation of 45 million euros to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Furthermore, Safadi held talks with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, focusing on rallying international support to cease the aggression and mitigate the humanit
arian disaster, which placed over a million Gazans in the face of famine.
He underscored the critical need for comprehensive aid delivery in Gaza, calling for the opening of all land crossings to fulfill the humanitarian needs of the Gaza Strip.
Both Safadi and Sejourne agreed to continue their collaboration in facilitating aid delivery to Gaza, employing both airdrops and land crossings.
The ministers reiterated the significance of enforcing Security Council Resolution No. 2728.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Jordan News Agency, Petra, starts its daily news bulletin from Amman for Tuesday, March 26, 2024, corresponding to Ramadan 15, 1445 Hijri.
Source: Jordan News Agency
The Gaza Health Ministry said Tuesday that Israeli occupation forces tightened a siege of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, detaining staff and patients inside the human resources building and preventing them from leaving it.
The Ministry said in a statement that the beleaguered medical teams and patients appealed to UN institutions and the international community to intervene urgently to save their lives.
Source: Jordan News Agency
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, confirmed that the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which must be implemented.
“The Security Council finally adopted a resolution demanding a ceasefire and an end of the Israeli starvation of 2.3 million Palestinians,” Safadi said Monday evening in post on his official X account
“Reaction by Israeli government reflects the disdain with which it holds international law,” Safadi added
“Resolution must be implemented. Israel can’t continue to violate international law with impunity,” the foreign minister concluded.
Source: Jordan News Agency
US Minister Plenipotentiary for Media and Cultural Affairs at the US Embassy in Cairo Robin Haroutunian said that Egypt and the US are working together to achieve peace and stability in the region.
This came during a Sohour banquet organized by the US diplomat and his spouse for Egyptian journalists Monday night.
Haroutunian hailed the strategic partnership and cooperation between Egypt and the US in several fields, particularly at the cultural level.
He praised efforts of Egyptian journalists in covering events and developments of cooperation relations between Egypt and the US, especially in the domains of education, training and honing skills.
Source: State Information Service Egypt
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Samah Shoukry received on Tuesday a delegation from Fatah Movement, headed by Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Aloul. The meeting discussed the humanitarian and security situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza Strip,the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The talks also addressed the necessary measures to halt the Israeli aggression against Gaza, as well as the escalation of Israeli violations and settler violence against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank, in violation of international law and humanitarian law.
Minister Shoukry stressed the urgent need to put an end to the humanitarian catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza, halt Israeli violations, and end collective punishment practices against Palestinians, including indiscriminate targeting, siege, hunger, and complete destruction of infrastructure. He underscored the importance of the immediate implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2728 and building upon it to achieve a permanent ceasef
ire beyond Ramadan.
The Egyptian top diplomat highlighted the legal and humanitarian responsibility of international community to ensure full and sustainable delivery of aid to Gaza, warning against the humanitarian risks posed by deliberate attempts to target the work of UNRWA. He emphasised the importance of refraining from politicising the agency’s work, resuming its funding, and enabling it to carry out its vital services across all areas of the Gaza Strip, including in northern Gaza.
Furthermore, Minister Shoukry listened to a detailed explanation from the Palestinian delegation about the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the unprecedented Israeli restrictions and assaults against Palestinians in Jerusalem and worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, indicating that there is a potential escalation of the situation beyond control in all occupied Palestinian territories.
The delegation expressed gratitude of the Palestinian leadership and people for Egypt’s honorabl
e stance in supporting the Palestinian cause, resolving the Gaza crisis, and working towards a complete ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
Minister Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s steadfast commitment to the Palestinian cause, providing all necessary support to the Palestinian brothers and their legitimate rights, condemning the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, including the recent approval of seizing 8,000 dunams in the occupied West Bank. Egypt also rejects all attempts and plans to displace Palestinians from their lands to liquidate the Palestinian cause and undermine the foundations of future peace and peaceful coexistence in the region.
He also emphasised Egypt’s continued efforts to intensify contacts with external parties to underline the importance of resolving this crisis at its roots, ending the long-term Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, through a two-state solution based on internationally recognised legitimacy. He stressed the need for
international action towards recognising the Palestinian state and granting it full membership within the United Nations.
Source: State Information Service Egypt