Category: General

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi Saturday received a phone call from his Norwegian counterpart Anniken Scharning Huitfeldt and discussed efforts to restore calm in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

They also talked about steps needed to stop the escalation and prompt Israel to respect the legal and historical status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque/ Al-Haram Al-Sharif and ensure freedom of worship without restrictions.

Safadi said Israel should halt all measures that undermine the historical and legal status quo at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including incursions by extremists, noting that a ban on the entry of non-Muslims to the compound during the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan is “a step in the right direction towards respecting the existing historical status quo, which will help to defuse tension.”

Safadi and Huitfeldt also agreed that work is needed to find a “real political horizon” to return to serious and effective negotiations to resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution and the international law.

He warned against the consequences of the continued absence of a horizon to relaunch a real effort to solve the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, stressing that an international effort should not be restricted to ending the current escalation, but should evolve into a sustainable effort to address the root causes of the conflict, which could further explode unless hope in a meaningful peace process is restored.

Safadi lauded the position of Norway, currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, in supporting the two-state solution and its efforts to breathe new life into the peace process, as well as its role as chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), the body that coordinates the delivery of international aid to Palestinians.

The ministers agreed to continue coordination and consultation to end the cycle of violence and tension and look for practical steps to create a real political horizon to resume serious and effective negotiations to achieve the two-state solution.

Source: Jordan News Agency

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel to Kyiv on Sunday and hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian leader said on Saturday.

He told a news conference in Kyiv that he would discuss the kinds of weapons that Ukraine needs to battle Russia’s invasion, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Public Security Department (PSD) on Saturday evening urged citizens to practice utmost caution due to the heavy dust expected to prevail in the Kingdom, especially in the eastern and southern areas.

The PSD said that all roads in the Kingdom are passable, except for Al-Omari Road, southern Jordan, which was hit by heavy sandstorm, while the rest of the roads in those areas need to be used with extreme caution.

The PSD called for complying with the orders and instructions of the its personnel deployed on those roads in order to preserve their safety and to ensure their safe arrival to their destinations.

Source: Jordan News Agency

A boat sank in Lebanese Tripoli port on Saturday with about 60 people on board, Al-Jadeed TV reported citing the Lebanese Red Crescent.

The broadcaster said that ambulances went to the place of the incident but with no other details, Reuters reported Saturday.

Source: Jordan News Agency

His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday received members of the Arab League’s ministerial committee tasked with galvanising international action to counter illegal Israeli measures in Jerusalem.

During a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, King Abdullah stressed the need to unify, coordinate, and step up Arab efforts to halt escalations in Jerusalem, reiterating the need for Israel to respect the historical and legal status quo in Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, and safeguard the rights of Muslim worshippers.

His Majesty reaffirmed that Jordan continues all efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, under the Hashemite Custodianship.

The King expressed appreciation for Arab leaders’ stances in calling for calm in the Palestinian Territories, and in supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, as well as the Hashemite Custodianship.

His Majesty urged further efforts to prevent the recurrence of any form of escalation.

The King was briefed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on the committee’s emergency meeting held in Amman to discuss means to counter the Israeli escalation at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, and galvanise joint action to halt Israeli violations at holy sites, end the violence, and restore calm.

The committee is chaired by Jordan and includes Tunisia, the president of the Arab League’s current cycle, in addition to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, and Morocco.

The meeting, convened by Jordan and held with the participation of the Arab League’s secretary general, also included the attendance of the United Arab Emirates, as the Arab country which is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Source: Jordan News Agency

lower House Speaker Abdulkarim Dughmi on Thursday discussed with Arab Parliament Speaker Adel al-Assoumi consequences of violations at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif.

During a phone call, the two lawmakers agreed on discussing the latest developments in Palestine at the Secretariat General of the Arab League, based in Cairo, next Saturday.

The two sides stressed the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian sites and its role in safeguarding the identity of the holy city of Jerusalem.

Dughmi reiterated Jordan’s unwavering stance towards the Palestinian cause, pointing to His Majesty King Abdullah II’s efforts in supporting the cause and his contributions that restored regional and international momentum to its favor.

He also reiterated the Lower House’s condemnation of the Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and a blatant provocation to the feelings of Muslims everywhere.

The two sides confirmed the outcomes of the emergency meeting of the Arab League’s ministerial committee tasked with galvanizing international action to counter illegal Israeli measures in Jerusalem, which was held today, headed by Jordan, to discuss the dangerous Israeli escalation at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The United Nations welcomed the announcement of Yemen’s national airline that flights to and from the Jordanian capital Amman will start at Sanaa International Airport on April 24.

These will be the first commercial flights from the Yemeni capital in six years, due to the crisis there.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the resumption of commercial flights to Sanaa was among the gains of the truce.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Twelve local companies specializing in food on Wednesday kicked off their participation in the 17th edition of the SIAL Canada 2022, the largest food innovation trade show in North America.

The Jordanian participation in the three-day exhibition is facilitated by the Jordanian Exporters Association (JEA), with the support of the Ministry of Investment. Companies are categorized as those specialized in food, sweets, chocolate, coffee and healthy food products.

In a statement, JEA President Ahmad Khudari said that the event represents an opportunity for Jordanian companies to promote their products and meet new trading partners, especially after two years of absence of participation in such exhibitions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Canadian market is full of promising opportunities for Jordanian products, thanks to the high quality of these products and the Canada–Jordan Free Trade Agreement (CJFTA) which has been in force since October 2012,” he added, calling on the participating companies to take advantage of the available opportunities.

Khudari noted that during the two days preceding the start of the fair, the JEA organized an integrated marketing program for the participating Jordanian companies on the Canadian market and their trade opportunities, in cooperation with the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada.

“The program also focused on promoting Jordanian companies and their products to Canadian importers at the TFO’s social media platforms, conducting separate talks for each company with Canadian importers, and organizing tours to learn more about the Canadian market,” he added.

SIAL Canada is an international trade fair for food, and an entryway to the US, Canadian and international markets. It brings together more than 1,200 international exhibitors from 50 countries, offering a complete range of food and beverage products.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Pleasant spring weather conditions are forecast to prevail countrywide on Thursday despite a slight rise in mercury levels, with northwesterly moderate winds, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said in its daily update.

Another rise in temperatures is expected on Friday and Saturday, becoming 4-6 degrees above annual average. Therefore, the weather during the weekend will be dry and hot in most regions, with high-altitude clouds and southeasterly moderate to brisk winds.

Mercury in Amman today will range between a high of 23 degrees Celsius and a low of 10C at night, while the port city of Aqaba will see a high of 30C, sliding to 19C at night.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Saudi- Jordanian Investment Fund (SJIF) on Thursday held its 5th annual General Assembly meeting, remotely.

According to a SJIF statement, the meeting, which was chaired by the SJIF’s Chairman, Hisham Attar, and stakeholders, reviewed development of the company’s business and its 2022 plans, which will sees announcement of investment projects and exploration of more investment opportunities in various “vital and strategic” sectors.

Addressing the meeting, Attar stressed the SJIF’s commitment to “actively” contribute to supporting Jordanian economy’s growth by launching long-term investment projects in strategic sectors that have a sustainable economic and development impact.

Attar also stressed that this pledge reflects insight of the two countries’ leaderships and embodies Saudi Arabia 2030’s vision and the SJIF’s strategy to enhance joint economic and investment cooperation.

In addition, Attar pointed to SJIF’s investment mid last year in OpenSooq, a leading mobile classifieds marketplace in the region, as the investment aimed at supporting OpenSooq’s plans for expansion in the regional market.

Attar indicated that SJIF is currently in the final stages of signing agreements with the Jordanian government and international partners, to implement its USD 400 million healthcare project, which will consist of a general academic hospital that includes 300 beds.

The agreements will also launch a medical university with a total capacity of 600 students, and a projected annual student intake of 100 students, Attar announced.

On future plans, he noted the company is looking at a number of projects and investment opportunities in vital sectors, including infrastructure, tourism, education, and energy, among others.

Source: Jordan News Agency