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AMMAN — HRH Princess Dana on Saturday attended a charitable event organised by “Because I Care” foundation to support charitable activities, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the event the princess stressed the importance of the society’s role in preserving heritage to create a generation that is connected to its culture and able to innovate. She underscored the need to raise the awareness of students and enhance the cultural and heritage education.

State Minister for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat and Culture Minister Basmah Nsour attended the event. “Because I care” is a volunteerism non-profit organisation specialised in women issues and networking at the Jordanian level.

AMMAN — The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 1.9 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2018, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Sunday.

The Department of Statistics (DOS) said that most productive sectors achieved positive growth during the first quarter of 2018, compared with the same quarter of 2017.

The social and personal services sector hit the highest growth of 4.1 per cent, followed by the agriculture sector by 3.5 per cent, then finance, insurance and real estate by 3 per cent, in addition to the extractive industries, transport, storage and communications sectors by 2.2 per cent, electricity and water by 2.5 per cent, and finally the wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants sector by 1.6 per cent, DOS data showed.

AMMAN — Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri on Sunday said that the draft law of the union of industry and trade chambers will be halted to relaunch dialogue with both sectors.

During a meeting with representatives of the trade sector, organised by the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC), Hammouri pledged to have effective partnership and dialogue, and not to take any decision before consultations with sector representatives, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister stressed that the commercial sector is an effective partner in the national economy through importing the Kingdom’s needs of various commodities.

JCC President Nael Kabariti highlighted the importance for reconsidering the tax burden on the sector, which is among the biggest taxpayer categories.

AMMAN — Police on Saturday said they are investigating the brutal murder of a married couple in Irbid, whose bodies were found in a valley in Irbid Governorate over the weekend.

The victims, a 39-year-old man and his 32-year-old wife, were found dead in a valley near their home in Taibeh at dawn on Friday with multiple stab wounds to their bodies, a senior official source said.

“We still do not have a motive or any suspects in this brutal slaying of this married couple,” Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The police official added that investigators have collected evidence from the scene and intensified their efforts to solve this murder.

A second source told The Jordan Times that police are currently questioning family members and neighbours.

“Police are focusing their investigations on some very close relatives of the deceased couple,” the second source said.

Meanwhile, an autopsy performed on the victims on Saturday by a team of pathologists headed by Ali Shotar indicated that the husband received a blow to the head and was stabbed five times, a senior medical source said, while the wife was stabbed over 12 times on different parts of her body, the medical source told The Jordan Times

The couple is survived by three daughters, official sources said.

AMMAN — Rawan Abu Al Rob took a two-hour trip to Amman to join a cycling event not only "to have fun", but also because she plans to make cycling her new means of  transportation in her local area.

Residing in Sheikh Hussein area located in northern Ghor, the young Jordanian said she decided to take part in the cycling event that was held inside Sports City, Amman, because she and her fellow friends are in need of bicycles.

“I learned about Cycle Initiative through Masar Al Khair organisation. We are in need of bicycles in my area, because the infrastructure is not suitable for cycling and public transport is difficult to come by,” she told The Jordan Times in an interview at Al Hussein Youth City on June 28.

Abu Al Rob was among several Jordanians who joined the first event of Cycle Initiative, organised by Boost in cooperation with Massar Al Khair, on Thursday with the aim of promoting a culture of cycling.

Batoul Arnaout, founder of Boost, said the ongoing initiative aims at providing Jordanians who cannot afford to buy a bicycle with the opportunity to cycle.

“There are many factors that negatively affect people’s demand for cycling such unsuitable infrastructure, the younger generation's attachment to video games, and the fact that cycling is very expensive,” she told The Jordan Times.

She noted that the initiative is  visiting a specific area every Saturday and allowing people to ride bicycles for free.

“If we receive more bicycles, we will later leave the bicycles at the site to give people a chance to continue cycling in their own time,” she added.

Anwar Jadoa, a 25-year-old Jordanian and another resident of Ghor, commended the initiative.

“Cycling is expensive so we are hoping to receive our own bicycles. It is difficult to commute where we live due to a lack of means of transportation and I am forced most of the time to travel on foot,” she explained.

Mohammad Suwalim , a member of Massar Al Khair initiative, said they are planning to implement this initiative beyond Amman because transportation is even more difficult outside the capital.

Atef Al Ruwaidan, general director of Al Hussein Youth City, said they decided to host such an initiative because they wanted to support the youth and make the city a hub for cyclists.

“There are areas that are designed for cycling inside [Al Hussein Youth City] so we always urge the youth to head to the park to ride bicycles,” he added.

The event was attended by of Youth Minister Makram Qaisi, who joined attendees in the cycling activity and voiced his full support for similar initiatives.

AMMAN — As tens of thousands flee violence and air strikes from Syria’s Daraa to Jordan’s border, experts say the entire international community needs to rise to the challenge and develop solutions that address the situation, but not at Jordan’s expense.

Calls on Jordan, which is home to 1.3 million Syrian refugees, to admit additional refugees coming from Daraa mounted in recent days as the Syrian army and its allies intensify strikes against southern parts of Syria.

Jordan should not be left to handle the situation alone, the experts said.

Jordan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom,  noted Musa Shteiwi, director of the University of Jordan’s (UJ) Centre of Strategic Studies (CSS). 

He said this principle is now considered a customary rule of international law

“In spite of this, Jordan has opened its borders since the start of the crisis in Syria and is home to 1.3 million Syrian refugees… Jordan has done more than enough, and the international community needs to listen this time and take action,” he told The Jordan Times.

The Kingdom has serious “economic and security concerns, and has never given up on its humanitarian role. But this time, Amman is keen on sending a message to the entire world that it cannot tolerate the situation anymore”, he said.

The solution to the current crisis in southern Syria needs to be based on relocating displaced Syrians within Syria, he said.

“The Syrian regime controls the majority of Syrian territories, and the UN and the international powers need to work for a solution to provide Syrians fleeing the violence with some places inside Syria where they can deliver aid to them,” he added.

“The crisis in Syria is an Arab, regional and humanitarian issue, and it is not only Jordan’s job to handle it,” he added.

Jamal Al Shalabi, a professor of political science at the Hashemite University, said the Kingdom’s leadership is keen on delivering a message to the world that it has had enough.

“Jordan feels let down by the Arab and foreign states, as it did not receive all the pledged aid over the past years,” he told The Jordan Times.

“The closure of the borders with Syria is a warning that there is a humanitarian crisis that Jordan cannot handle single-handedly … Jordan has fears of the infiltration of radicals and extremists, and there is also an economic burden on the country,” he added.

He described the decision to keep the borders sealed as a “rational” one in a political, security and sovereignty sense. 

“It is time, maybe, for the opposition in Syria to start talking with the regime and reaching settlements,” Shalabi added.

On social media, Jordanians launched several campaigns calling for the Kingdom’s borders to be opened to Syrians from Daraa. 

“We are all aware of #Jordan’s economic and security situation, but we cannot at this time of humanitarian crises at #Daraa with heavy bombardment to close the borders. At least, let us offer children and the vulnerable a “Safe Passage”!and YES, there are children,” Asma Jahamah (@Asma_Jahama) tweeted on Saturday.

The hashtag “#OpenTheBorders” has been trending in Jordan in recent days, with hundreds voicing support for letting in Syrians coming from Daraa.

Kawthar (@Kawthar_khalil) tweeted: “Opening the borders has other consequences and implications, this is why it is the job of all Arab and Islamic states and the foreign community to help in solving this humanitarian crisis.”

MaisAbdelhaleem (@maisabdelhaleem) agreed.

“#OpenTheBorders is not a call for Jordan but for the international community to ensure refuge for all people fleeing war and conflict! Create safe passage for them to safety! Jordan is the nearest neighbour,” she tweeted.

NisrinAlqatarneh‏ (@Nisreensq_) tweeted: “Proud to be Jordanian, despite the horrible economic situation in my country and our government’s call to close the borders, we Jordanians stand by our vow to welcome anyone in need of refuge and demand to open the borders, and vow to share our food with refugees.”

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat said on Saturday that the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army had begun to send convoys of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people affected by the situation inside Syria, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Ghunaimat explained that this step comes in line with Jordan’s stand to support the Syrian brothers, strengthen their ability to endure difficult humanitarian conditions and enable them to bear the suffering caused by a new military offensive against their territories.

She also stressed the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards the situation in the south of Syria, to scale up its efforts to help the Syrian people and to find a political solution that guarantees the restoration of security and stability in Syria.

She called on international relief organisations and the international community to send humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people inside Syria.

On Friday, Ghunaimat  said that demanding Jordan open its borders to new Syrian refugees is something the Kingdom cannot respond to. She added that Jordan fully understands the difficult humanitarian situation in southern Syria and is aware of the extent of suffering, pain and danger afflicting Syrians.

She said that Jordan welcomes any agreement to bring calm and protect the lives of civilians, especially women and children, pointing out non-stop efforts with all parties to halt military escalation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Ghunaimat reiterated that Jordan welcomes any solution that would stop the bloodshed and displacement of more Syrian civilians.

The minister said that Jordan calls on world powers, the international community and relief organisations to play their role in assisting and to protecting Syrians and to provide a formula that protects both them and the interests of Jordan.

“Jordan hopes that the United Nations will take practical steps to help displaced people and provide them with their living needs, especially in the provision of water, food and medical supplies,” she added.

She emphasised that Jordan’s efforts are ongoing with all parties to call for a cessation of violence in southern Syria, pointing out that the Kingdom is ready to help the Syrian people.

Ghunaimat said she was surprised that some parties blame the human tragedy suffered by the brothers in Syria on the Kingdom, noting that the decision to stop the violence and killing is  necessary and that everyone should be moving in this direction.

The minister added that the Kingdom, with its limited resources and a suffocating economic crisis, cannot withstand the burden of additional Syrian refugees, but said the country is fully prepared to cooperate with the United Nations to play its role without opening the border.

As part of Jordan’s diplomatic efforts to address the situation, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stressed on Friday that Jordan is following up on efforts to achieve a ceasefire in southern Syria, in order to protect the Syrian people and provide them with aid inside their country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During a meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres in New York, Safadi underscored the importance of the international community’s obligation to uphold its humanitarian responsibilities towards the Syrian people.

Safadi noted that Jordan would continue providing “all possible assistance to the brotherly Syrian people”.

Guterres voiced appreciation for Jordan’s humanitarian role towards the Syrian refugees.

The foreign minister and the UN chief also discussed developments related to the Palestinian issue.

The minister reiterated the Kingdom’s “constant stance that the end of Israeli occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital will guarantee a comprehensive and lasting peace”, Petra said. 

Addressing the economic crisis that faces the UNRWA, both officials stressed the need to provide support for the UN relief agency and to ensure it is able to continue performing its duties.

Following the meeting, Safadi told the press that Jordan is a party to the three-way de-escalation zone agreement in southern Syria, which was created following a deal with the US and Russia last year.

“The Kingdom has exerted great efforts to maintain the ceasefire; however, things have developed in an unfavourable way and now we have no choice but to continue working with all parties to break in-fighting, protect civilians and deliver aid to them inside Syria,” the minister said, as quoted by Petra.

Safadi said that Jordanian-Russian communications have not stopped leading up to his meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, slated for July 4. He added that the current objective is to achieve a ceasefire, preserve the coherence of Syria and seek a political solution, since military solutions would never bring about peace. 

On Jordan’s decision to not open the border for refugees, the diplomat said that Jordan already has 1.3 million Syrian refugees and has reached its maximum capacity. He added that the UN is able to work within Syria to help the Syrian people.

Jordan is communicating with all players and will accept any solution to which the Syrians agree, as it is their country and their own issue, he said. 

RAMTHA/AMMAN — Residents of the northern town of Ramtha, some 80km north of Amman, have expressed deep concerns about the large-scale suffering of the Syrian people in Daraa and the possibility of more mortar shells crossing the border. 

For nearly two weeks, the Syrian army, backed by Russian aerial support, has been launching a massive bombardment campaign against the rebel-held towns in Syria’s Daraa province, the birthplace of the 2011 uprising.

Syrian military and strategist expert Alaa Al Asfari was quoted in the Russian Sputnik news agency as saying on Saturday that the Syrian army’s operations were ongoing against the opposition holdouts in the  southern province of Daraa, adding that “each 48 hours, the army gives an 8-hour break for settlement and reconciliation efforts”. 

Claiming that 55 rebel-held villages in Daraa have so far fallen to the Syrian army, Asfari added that the government forces would arrive “in few hours to the Nasib border crossing with Jordan” .

‘Regime will win’

“Whenever there is heavy bombardment on Daraa, it is an indicator that the Syrian regime [of President Bashar Assad] is recovering the rebels’ strongholds in the central, northern and eastern parts of Syria,” Ramtha resident Mohammad Abu Aqoul said.

“We in Ramtha always expect the Syrian army to march southward towards Daraa after winning major war fronts in Damascus, Aleppo, Raqqa and in other cities,” Abu Aqoul said in an interview with The Jordan Times on Friday. 

Similar remarks were echoed by Mohammad Salman, who lives less than a kilometre from the borderline with Syria. “Daraa is seemingly the last major Syrian city outside the regime’s control.”

“Assad’s forces’ attack on Daraa was expected following their offensive on Eastern Ghouta,” Salman said, also expressing concerns over the falling of stray shells from the battlefield into his city and the other border towns. 

Damascus’ suburb of Eastern Ghouta was the focus of heavy bombardment by the regime’s forces in April. 

According to news reports, Daraa is the last major Syrian city not completely under the Syrian army’s control.  Many of the opposition forces have been sent to northwestern Idlib from other cities, including Aleppo and Homs, under deals reached with the regime.

“We hope to see a near-end to this intensive assault on Daraa for there is certainly large-scale suffering for our Syrian brothers behind these roaring sounds of explosions we hear day and night,” Mohammad Smeirat said.

Mortar shells

Residents of Ramtha have also said that a number of stray mortar shells have landed on their border town as a result of intensified fighting in the nearby Daraa.

Local websites reporting news about Ramtha claimed that dozens of mortar shells have lost their way into their area since the beginning of the attack on Daraa almost two weeks ago.

According to the Ramtha’s Ain Al Akhbar news website, nine of these projectiles fell on a farmhouse in Al Turrah village on the border with Syria, causing slight injuries to people there.

Jasser Al Masri, 42, was quoted in the report as saying that a number of people were slightly injured by the flying shrapnel.

AMMAN — “When you live in a refugee camp, it’s difficult to keep good hygiene levels, but it’s even more difficult to fight an illness in the camp, and that’s why I worked with the women to make sure they change this habit — starting with their own children,” says Amina, a Syrian refugee and mother living in Azraq Refugee Camp.

Amina is one of the 720 Syrian refugee women taking part in the Lead Mothers programme at Azraq Refugee Camp, where women are taking the lead in community mobilisation by spreading key hygiene messages and becoming agents for change within their communities. 

Implemented by Action Against Hunger under a partnership agreement with UNICEF, the programme enables Syrian refugee women to raise awareness among their fellows on healthy hygiene and sanitation practices, in addition to empowering them to build their leadership skills and teach their peers about hygiene and water conservation. 

Meeting twice a month, the participants first gather with Action Against Hunger’s team to discuss the challenges faced in the camp, to later share the lessons learned with other refugee mothers in their area.

Implemented within the camp’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, the project contributes to Sustainable Development Goal number 6.2, which aims to “achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, paying special attention the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations”.

“I wanted to become one of the lead mothers because I wanted to help spread solutions on how to be clean and healthy while in the camp,” Amina recalled, elaborating on how she makes sure that “women know exactly what to do and how to keep their children away from diseases to make sure everyone stays healthy in the neighbourhood”.

“I treat these women like my own daughters — which makes me feel good,” she expressed, noting that “being a lead mother allows us women to form strong bonds, share our feelings and give advice to each other”.

Sabah, also a Syrian refugee and programme participant, warned that “health issues are no joke, especially in a camp setting”, highlighting the responsibility she feels for passing knowledge to her neighbours.

The project has now been ongoing at the camp for two years, and its benefits have been recognised by both the camp community and humanitarian actors.

Majd, a care group facilitator for Action Against Hunger, recalled the “concerning hygiene and sanitation situation” the camp was witnessing two years ago, noting the improvement in hygiene levels after two years of work. 

“Perhaps the most defining difference of this concept as opposed to other programmes is that it empowers young females,” WASH Specialist at UNICEF Fiona Ward said, pointing out how “training lead mothers in the various locations in the camp gives them a sense of responsibility, and they take that with them at all times in the camp”. 

AMMAN — The government’s fuel pricing committee on Saturday decided to postpone the announcement of the July oil derivatives prices until the government announces its fuel pricing mechanisms, which it had pledged to share "clearly and transparently" with the public, the Jordan News agency, Petra reported.

Earlier this month, the Fourth Circle in Amman and other locations across the Kingdom witnessed several protests against fuel and electricity price hikes by Hani Mulki’s government as well as an income tax draft law. 

The protesters' calls found support across the country, and were followed by a Royal decree freezing the decision to hike prices.

The government's current decision postponed the pricing of unleaded 95-octane gasoline, unleaded 90-octane gasoline, kerosene, and diesel. 

The government stressed its commitment to an "open" and "transparent" approach under which citizens have the right to access information, and in the coming days will reveal the fuel pricing mechanisms with full details, according to Petra.

The government said that the decision will affect the country's Treasury as the global pricing marked an increase in fuel prices during June compared with April, noting that the current June and July prices are based on the global prices of April, not May.

The government said that in spite of the financial burden of this decision, the government will bear the consequences through austerity measures, adding that the pricing committee will proceed with its work in setting the monthly pricing by the end of July.

At the current rates, the prices of oil derivatives are: JD0.851 per litre for unleaded 90-octane gasoline, JD1.05 per litre for unleaded 95-octane gasoline and JD0.615 per litre for diesel and kerosene, while the gas cylinder price remains at JD7.

Also on Saturday, members of the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission announced an increase of 7 fils per Kilowatt-hour (kWh) to the electricity tariffs, which will be applied as on July 1 for all sectors and segments of the population, excluding households that consume 300 kWh or less per month, according to Petra.