Jordanian PM refuses to withdraw ambassador in Israel
Ambassador will stay in Israel so it can continue to serve Jordanians in the West Bank, Israeli Arabs, and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
By ARIEL BEN SOLOMONJordan's King Abdullah (R) welcomes Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Royal Palace in Amman(photo credit: REUTERS)
Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour chaired a cabinet session on Sunday to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, saying that despite calls to withdraw Jordan’s ambassador to Israel, it would keep him in place.Ambassador Walid Obeidat would stay in Israel so he could continue to serve its citizens in the West Bank, Israeli Arabs and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Jordanian Petra News Agency reported.The Jordanian prime minister insisted that his government, under the authority of King Abdullah, would provide support to the Palestinians.He also condemned what he called massacres being committed by Israeli forces and stated Jordan’s stance that calls for an immediate stop to the attacks.Ensour added that the blockade on Gaza should be ended and that a political solution is needed to solve the Palestinian issue.Meanwhile, around 70 people protested outside the US Embassy in Amman on Sunday against American support for Israel in Gaza.Protesters burned US and Israeli flags and waved Jordanian and Palestinian flags, The Jordan Times reported.They held banners denouncing Israeli attacks and one protester, Othman Musa, said: “The US gives Israel the right to bomb civilians and kill children.”“We are seeing people being killed and houses being demolished every day,” said another protester, Sahel al-Majali, according to the report.This was the first protest held outside the US embassy since the war in Gaza began.
