Will mystery meeting on Allenby bridge calm Israeli-Jordanian ties?
Israeli Knesset member Oren Hazan offended Jordanian parliament member Yahia Saaid who invited him to meet face to face "if he is a man." Hazan accepted saying "I have an offer he can't refuse."
By ARIK BENDER, MAARIV ONLINEUpdated: AUGUST 2, 2017 07:48Oren Hazan(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Jordanian news portal Amman-News reported on Tuesday that Jordanian parliament member Yahia Saaid will wait for Israeli Knesset member Oren Hazan on Wednesday morning on Allenby bridge, connecting the two countries. The Jordanian will be waiting for his Israeli counterpart to arrive after a stormy exchange on social media in which Hazan responded to the Jordanian anti-Israeli demonstrations that took place after an Israeli security guard shot two Jordanians dead during a stabbing attack that took place in the Israeli embassy compound in Amman.Hazan tweeted on July 23 that "our neighbors east to the Jordan" (river) "the same people to whom we provide water and security night and day, need some re-education. It's starting to look like goodbye and good luck. "The enraged Saaid called this statement "reprehensible" and challenged Hazan to meet him on Allenby bridge "if he is truly a man" in the article published in the Jordanian news portal.Hazan accepted the invitation on Tuesday evening, while making clear he will not cross the bridge to the Jordanian side and that the meeting had been arranged with the approval of Israeli security. "I accept the invitation of the Jordanian member of parliament," Hazan tweeted adding that he has "an offer he [Saaid] can't refuse."