Israel spoils Jordan peace efforts<\/p>\n
By Jack Redden<\/p>\n
AMMAN (Reuter): Israel's plan to take over land in Arab
\nJerusalem has hit a raw nerve in Jordan, fueling growing doubts
\nabout peace just as King Hussein was pressing ahead to establish
\nfull normal relations.<\/p>\n
Anger at the expropriation of 131 acres (53 hectares) of land
\nin areas captured in 1967 was directed both at Israel and the
\nUnited States, which on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council
\nresolution calling for cancellation of the land seizure.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Abdul-Karim al-Kabariti, terming the U.S.
\nvote \"immoral\" and \"hypocrisy\", said he summoned the U.S.
\nambassador on Thursday to express Jordan's views.<\/p>\n
Few issues are as sensitive in Jordan as Jerusalem. Not only
\nis much of the population composed of refugees from Israeli
\nexpansion but the kingdom is still responsible for Moslem holy
\nplaces in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
\"Israel's action makes a mockery of all efforts to bring about
\npeace and stability in the region,\" the Jordan Times newspaper
\nwrote. \"The U.S. stand cannot be more disappointing to all those
\nwho accepted its role in the peace negotiations.\"<\/p>\n
\"If Israel is not honoring its commitment to the peace
\nprocess, should the Arab parties be expected to do (so)?\" its
\neditorial concluded.<\/p>\n
The editorial was written hours after an informal session of
\nparliament on Wednesday produced angry calls for everything from
\nthe expulsion of Israel's new ambassador to a full severing of
\nthe relations established only last October.<\/p>\n
The formal closing statement from the deputies omitted demands
\nfor Jordanian reprisals, settling for expressing \"rage and
\ncondemnation\" of Israel's action.<\/p>\n
That moderation reflected government intervention rather than
\nthe mood of parliament -- an indication of the awkward position
\nKing Hussein had been placed in by Israel's latest efforts to
\ntighten its grip around the Arab half of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
The king had just ordered parliament, which is officially in
\nrecess, to reconvene in early June for a special session to pass
\nlegislation that would remove existing anti-Israeli laws.<\/p>\n
The changes, required under the peace treaty the countries
\nsigned last October, had been blocked in February when so many
\ndeputies boycotted the final session of parliament that no laws
\ncould be passed.<\/p>\n
Although the countries have signed a peace treaty, relations
\nare far from complete. The two failed to meet the six-month
\ntarget in the treaty for signing accords covering trade -- once
\nseen by Jordanians as a major potential benefit of peace.<\/p>\n
Jordanian doubts about King Hussein's sudden agreement to
\npeace with their long-time foe appear to have grown steadily,
\nwith diplomats noting that even former supporters are distancing
\nthemselves from the treaty.<\/p>\n
Those opposed to normal relations with Israel from the start
\nhave found fresh justification in Israel's expansion of Jewish
\nsettlement in East Jerusalem, a continuation of the policy the
\nJewish state has single-mindedly pursued since 1967.<\/p>\n
The Islamic Action Front, the largest party in parliament with
\n16 of the 80 seats, announced it would hold a long-delayed
\nconference on May 26 to organize resistance to normalization.<\/p>",
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