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AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of State Musa Maaytah on Thursday participated in the 10th Bali Democracy Forum in Indonesia which will last for two days, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In his speech, Maaytah noted that the democratic reform approach in Jordan has been implemented gradually, safely and collectively. Despite the circumstances that prevailed in the region and what took place during the so called "Arab Spring", Jordan is one of the countries that maintained its stability and its democratic development process.

In his speech, Maaytah attributed the success of the political reform process to the principles and foundations of the government's vision, noting that Jordan's democratic reform process has been carried out in a way that ensures the stability of the state, its institutions, its national security and society. 

AMMAN — Social Development Minister Hala Lattouf and Saudi Prince Turki Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the Mentor Foundation, on Thursday visited Um Al Summaq Al Shamali girls school where they had a firsthand look at fawasel activities implemented under the Royal Health Awareness Society's Tahseen initiative.

Haneen Odeh, the society's director general, reviewed the institution's role in implementing Tahseen initiative which includes programmes aimed at raising the awareness of children and young people on dangers of smoking and alcohol, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Thurayya Ismail, CEO of Mentor Foundation Arabia, outlined the cooperation between the society and the foundation and their achievements since the launch of fawasel in Jordan in 2016, noting that the programme is implemented in 22 countries.  

BRUSSELS — NATO has approved a new defence capacity building package for Jordan, Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the 29-nation alliance, said on Wednesday.

A number of NATO allies will contribute to the new Crisis Management Centre in Jordan as part of NATO’s new capacity building package for the Kingdom, Stoltenberg told reporters at the conclusion of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting, where they discussed ways to increase NATO’s role in projecting stability and fighting terrorism,  and other issues and challenges.

"Jordan is a highly valued partner and Jordan is an island of stability in the Middle East and NATO has been working with Jordan for many, many years," said the NATO chief.

"And part of the defence capacity package that we just agreed on, allies will contribute to the centre to use [it] as a tool in helping and supporting Jordan," he said.

NATO has different training activities at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre as part of the capacity building with Jordan, he said. Jordan helped NATO in providing support to Iraq and Iraqi officers were also trained at the centre.

“We are also working with Jordan when it comes to women, peace and security to make sure that we recognise that women have a role to play in the armed forces of Jordan,” said the NATO chief, adding that there are different fields of cooperation such as training and capacity building and currently direct support to the crisis management centre.

Welcoming the contributions that partners, like Serbia and Jordan, are making to efforts to train Iraqi forces, he indicated that NATO started training local forces inside Iraq in areas such as countering improvised explosive devices, military medicine, equipment maintenance and reform of the country’s security institutions, he said.

The ministers, he added, also looked to the future of the NATO training activity in Iraq and expressed their full commitment to it.

“Because instability abroad threatens us at home. From the Balkans to Afghanistan, NATO has great experience in training local forces and building the capacity of local institutions. These are the best tools to make our partners better able to defend themselves and to combat international terrorism,” he said in the presser.

Discussions also covered means to engage further with NATO partners, to the south and to the east and the Brussels summit in July.

“We need to devote sufficient resources to these efforts, to make the best of the skills and capabilities we have,” the NATO chief said.

“We know that projecting stability and fighting terrorism are generational challenges. There are no quick fixes. No overnight solutions. We have made progress and we are determined to do more,” he added.

The ministers also looked into NATO’s open door policy.

AMMAN — The government on Wednesday stressed that the US decision, which recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel entailing relocating its embassy to the city, is a violation of international legitimacy and the UN Charter that confirms the status of Jerusalem that is decided by negotiation.

Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani said that the Kingdom rejects the decision, which would lead to “increased tensions” and further supports the Israeli occupation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The decision pre-empts the outcomes of the final status negotiations and would increase anger and provoke the feelings of Muslims and Christians in the Arab and Islamic worlds, added Momani, who is also the government spokesman.

He reiterated that Jerusalem is a key final-status issue that has to be solved as part of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The minister stressed that the recognition by any country of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will not have any legal impact on the status of the city as an occupied territory, as stipulated in relevant resolutions by UN General Assembly, Security Council and the International Court of Justice.

This recognition is legally null and void because it supports the Israeli occupation of the eastern part of Jerusalem in June 1967, said Momani.

He cited UN Security Council Resolution 478, which stipulates that “all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular the recent “basic law” on Jerusalem, are null and void and must be rescinded forthwith. 

In the statement, the spokesperson said that the Kingdom urges the US to exercise its role as a neutral mediator to solve the conflict and achieve peace according to the two-state solution as the entire world agreed on the fact that it is the only feasible solution to solve the Mideast conflict and achieve sustainable peace. 

Jordan, he stressed, will continue exerting efforts and utilising all available steps, in cooperation with the international community, to achieve the two-state solution and meet the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

AMMAN — As Jordan making contacts to summon an emergency Arab League Council meeting, Turkey will next week host an Islamic gathering to respond to the decision by the US to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and, subsequently, move its embassy to the city.

Trump officially announced the decision later in the day (Click to see separate story). 

During talks in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, His Majesty said in a press statement that followed expanded talks between the two sides that current regional developments require close coordination and consultations. He thanked President Erdogan for supporting Jordan on Jerusalem and for working closely to overcome the challenges facing the Muslim nation and the region.

The King had a day earlier received a phone call from US President Donald Trump informing him of his intention to relocate the embassy.

“As we both agree, the Palestinian cause continues to be the region’s central issue. There is no alternative to the two-state solution, and Jerusalem is key to any peace agreement. And it is key to the stability of the entire region,” His Majesty said.

He added: “I did re-emphasise to the US president yesterday our concerns on the decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Therefore, it is imperative now to work fast to reach a final status solution and a peace agreement between Palestinians and Israelis. And this must allow Palestinians to establish their independent state, side by side with Israel and its capital in East Jerusalem,” the King noted.

“Ignoring the Palestinian, Muslim and Christian rights in Jerusalem will only fuel further extremism, and undermine the war against terrorism,” His Majesty warned.

 “We in Jordan, as the Custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites, we will persist in undertaking our religious and historical responsibilities towards Al Aqsa Mosque and Al Haram Al Sharif, and uphold our role in protecting Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem,” the King affirmed.

 “As [President Erdogan] has mentioned, we are both in full agreement on the need for holding an OIC summit on Jerusalem next week that will bring together Arabs and Muslim leaders,” His Majesty added.

His Majesty noted that Jordan and Turkey “stand shoulder to shoulder to face the challenges that lie ahead”.

On bilateral ties , His Majesty noted the visit to Ankara follows President Erdogan’s successful visit to Jordan earlier this year “and comes at a very timely moment”.

Affirming the deep-rooted ties that the two countries share, as they mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, the King said Jordan and Turkey look forward to expanding their ongoing political, economic and security cooperation.

There is vast potential to increase trade and investment levels, His Majesty added, voicing hope that ministers on both sides will take Jordanian-Turkish ties into a new phase.

Turning to Syria, the King said: “Efforts at this stage should be directed to building on the Astana talks to realise a political solution according to the Geneva process, and ensuring Syria’s unity, stability and safety for its people.”

In his remarks to the press, Erdogan said that Turkey and Jordan share the same sentiments and are determined to safeguard the sanctity and status quo of the city, praising the Kingdom’s role as a the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the most important city for Muslims across the world, the president stressed, stressing that any attempt or intention that ignores this fact would fail.

As president of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), he called for an extraordinary summit meeting on December 13 in Istanbul, where foreign ministers will convene one day before the leaders’ meeting to discuss and agree on decisions to be taken in the summit and deliver a message to the entire world.

The status quo of Jerusalem is based on several UN resolutions, and should not be touched or altered, Erdogan said, adding that no one has the right to manipulate the fate of billions to achieve personal gains.

On bilateral ties, Erdogan noted that trade exchange between Jordan and Turkey has reached some $1 billion, expecting the figure to increase with more investments and mega projects.

He added that the trade agreement, investment promotion, the agreement on investment protection and visa exemptions that went into effect some five to six years ago, all contributed to boosting ties between the two countries. 

The president announced that his country would receive 50 Jordanian students to pursue their higher studies in Turkey.

The expanded talks, attended by HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s special adviser for religious and cultural affairs and the personal envoy of His Majesty, addressed means to improve trade terms between Jordan and Turkey and increase Jordanian exports to Turkey.

The Turkish side voiced its interest in benefiting from Aqaba as a logistic and tourist centre and increasing the number of Turkish tourists to the Kingdom.

The discussions also reviewed partnership projects between both countries’ private and public sectors, especially in the infrastructure and transport fields.

Erdogan underlined his country’s plan to support Jordan’s vocational education through establishing a vocational school and expanding cooperation in the higher education field.

The president and his spouse hosted a lunch banquet in honour of King Abdullah and Her Majesty Queen Rania.

Later in the day, His Majesty returned to the Kingdom.

AMMAN — Political parties and civil society organisations on Wednesday warned against the consequences of President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Occupied Jerusalem as scores of Jordanians protested the move in front of the US embassy in Abdoun around midnight, according to local reports.

 The protesters chanted anti-Trump slogans and praised the struggle of the Palestinian people. 

With their warnings made earlier Wednesday before Trump made his announcement on recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, political parties and NGOs said that any change to Jerusalem's long-lasting status quo would ignite regional unrest and upheaval and the anger of Arabs, Muslims and Christians and would pose risky threats to the already-troubled peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs stressed that the idea of moving the embassy is a "waste of time" and will obstruct efforts aimed at finding a solution to the long-running Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The committee said that the step would have a serious negative impact on the Arab and Islamic relations with Washington.

"The US will lose its credibility and will no longer be an acceptable side as a peace supporter between the Palestinians and the Israelis, because it will violate the international law that considers Jerusalem as occupied territories," the committee added. 

Also on Wednesday, the Jordan Social Democratic Party looked at the decision as a shift of the US's stance from being a supporter, ally and protector to Israel to being part of the occupation.

In a statement to The Jordan Times, the party said that the decision was "a declaration of war on Palestine and Jordan", especially that the Kingdom is custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city.

The civil society coordinating coalition in Jordan, HIMAM, described the move as a clear violation against Palestinian rights, and a provocative challenge to the feelings of Arabs, Muslims and Christians, according to a statement from the coalition.

The Islamic Brotherhood Association denounced Trump's decision, saying it would only increase Muslims' firmness on their rights in Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem which  is a "highly valued symbol for all Muslims in the world", Petra reported.

For the Jerusalem Cultural Forum, Trump's decision was "anti-Jordanian",

The forum said in a statement to The Jordan Times that Trump, since his inauguration, "has been trying to blackmail Arabs by threatening to relocate the embassy".

"Such a decision will not change the reality that Palestine including East and West Jerusalem are Arab lands," the forum added.

The Jordan Islamic Scholars League denounced the president's intention to relocate the US embassy to occupied Jerusalem.

The league stressed that the existence of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Occupied Jerusalem makes its transformation into a Jewish city or a political capital for the Jews "just realistically impossible".

The league said that such a decision was an irreverence of the international laws and conventions and the regional agreements under which Jerusalem is an occupied city.

Also on Wednesday, the Jordan Evangelical Council, which consists of the Assemblies of God Church Jordan, the Jordan Baptist Convention, the C&MA Church of the Nazarene, and the Evangelical Free Church, called upon the US administration to refrain from taking any steps regarding the status of Jerusalem in isolation of comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. 

"Recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would plunge the region into the abyss of uncalculated risks and ignite violence in an already war torn region and may well expose Christians in this region to uncontrollable dangers," the council said in a statement.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron in which they discussed developments in Jerusalem, in the light of the US president’s plan (confirmed later in the day) to transfer the US embassy to Jerusalem, according to a Royal Court statement. 

His Majesty said that this decision would have serious consequences on the security and stability of the region, stressing that the issue of Jerusalem must be settled within the framework of a holistic solution that would establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, that lives in peace and security alongside Israel.

King Abdullah emphasised on supporting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian National Authority to enable them to establish an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution. His Majesty praised France’s position on the Middle East peace.

His Majesty King Abdullah and President Macron agreed to meet in the near future to discuss joint coordination on various issues and current developments.

Later in the day, His Majesty received another phone call from Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, during which the two leaders discussed the same issue, agreeing that it would have grave ramifications on regional security and stability. 

They also agreed on the need to support the Palestinians and their leadership in their quest for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

AMMAN — The Lower House expressed its "absolute outrage" on Wednesday over President Donald Trump's intention (confirmed later in the day) to endorse moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Occupied Jerusalem, saying such move deals a "strong blow" to Palestinians' and Arabs' unalienable rights in the Holy City. 

In a statement it issued following an emergency meeting on Wednesday, the House called on the Arab Parliament, Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union and parliaments of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to hold emergency meetings to collectively forge a stance "obliging the US administration" to reverse its "provocative and risky decision" on Jerusalem.

As a longstanding policy on Jerusalem, the US has always maintained that the status of the holy city would need to be resolved as part of Middle East peace talks.

In its statement, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, the House also warned against the risky consequences of such a move "not only for the region but the entire world", calling for a firm stance to safeguard Jerusalem's "longstanding status" as the capital of all faiths.

The legislature also said that Trump's decision, which he promised during his presidential campaign, would leave a deep impact on the US administration's efforts to revive the peace process.

Meanwhile, Senate President Faisal Fayez sent letters to presidents of international parliaments urging collaborative efforts and unified stance to reject Washington’s move, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During an emergency session on Wednesday, Fayez said that he called on presidents of world parliaments to work with their countries’ governments for implementing international laws and conventions on Jerusalem.

Under international law and UN resolutions, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights are considered occupied territories.

AMMAN —  "In the Arab World, we call the current phase 'the age of youth', and the question is how each one of us is going to harness their energy," said Shamma Al Mazrui, the UAE minister of state for youth affairs on Wednesday.

Her remarks came during a discussion titled "Youth Circles", organised by the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF), in cooperation with the Emirates Youth Council.

Attended by chairman of the Board of Trustees of CPF, Fawwaz Zou'bi, the discussion was moderated by Fuad El Karsheh, a host of local television programme.

With the participation of 30 young people who are beneficiaries of the CPF initiatives, the event discussed "the power of youth".

"Sponsored by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 'Youth Circles' initiative started two years ago, and it aims at 'listening skilfully' to youth, and it is supposed to be 'sustainable', not once in a year or so," Mazrui, who became the youngest minister in the world in 2016, said.

"The Crown Prince has a great vision, and he checks on youth in each sector every week," she added.

The minister said that "Youth Circles" links decision-makers with youth to achieve anything that creates knowledge, exchange of expertise and solutions.

"The idea is that all of us in this circle are different in our personality and life background, but we all agree on solutions that serve us and our country," the minister also said.

She said that 50 "Youth Circles" were held over a period of a year and a half.

"Yesterday we visited the Crown Prince Foundation, and we gladly met with the Crown Prince, and we noticed that all his efforts are focused on youth," she stated.

"We are lucky that our countries believe in us, whether if it was Jordan or the UAE," she said, adding that youth should know how to serve their countries in the best way possible.

For his part, Zou'bi said that the youth constituted the majority of Arab societies, and that they are the ones who are capable of identifying their priorities, issues and solutions.

One of the participants talked about sustainable development, saying that there are "unlimited ways" to achieve this development, adding that every participant has diverse majors, hobbies and interests, and that "from your specialty, you can share your ideas to everyone".

"In Haqiq [a CPF initiative], we switched from volunteering to another field, where we found out that if we want to change something, we have to start from the base: the children of our society," he said.

"We started to think of ways to better raise our children, so when they grow up, we don't have to try to change them again."

He said that they were able to bring change by deciding to get out of the "normal volunteering and move into the sustainable volunteering", where "if you instil values in a child, you will reap the benefits even after a long time".

Another participant said that one of the issues youth volunteers faces is the lack of support, as many parents think that it will affect their studies.

"Volunteering is a priority for us," he stressed.

AMMAN — “Art is not accessible for everyone to enjoy it and I wanted to show that it can and should be,” said Lina Salah, a 22-year-old artist exhibited in a group exhibition held at Gallery 14 in Jabal Amman.

Bothered by the idea that art exhibitions tend to focus on visual stimuli, Salah decided to create art pieces combining the “vision” of blind individuals, the inspiration of music and her own creative methods. 

Asking a group of blind and blind-folded people to draw or paint what they felt while immersed in a creative musical setting, the young artist then used those drawings to create abstract powerful pieces, using etching and silk screens.

“I think it brings a new dimension to art, which is accessible to more,” she told The Jordan Times over the phone, voicing her hope to see galleries based on the touching sense open in the future.

Salah is one of the six young artists whose works are currently on display at the gallery in a group exhibition that gathers the work of local talents all under 25 years of age.

“We realised that galleries in Amman, including ours, tend to showcase renowned artists, leaving youngsters who haven’t achieved fame yet out of the spotlight. This is why we decided to expose those six young talents to show the public that Jordan’s new generation has a lot to offer in terms of art and creativity,” said Hind Nasser, owner of Gallery 14.

Sama Shahrouri’s pieces, displayed in a series titled “Art from an awkward angle”, catch the visitors’ attention with its sketches of headless human figures.

“I chose this title because, on one hand, these figures look so realistic yet they are missing something crucial [the head]. On the other hand, the angles chosen are ones that make the body look very odd and different from a body in a normal position,” she told The Jordan Times.

 “I come from a sculpture background and these sketches were a result of years of studying the human anatomy. I would choose a pose that I like and portray it. The bodies that I depict are not meant to be women as a gender, but to reflect humanity as a whole, without a specific identity,” Shahrouri added.

She noted that, because of the nature of her work, reactions were very diverse. “I was shocked by what people thought of my artwork; they had interpretations I never thought of. But this gave me an insight into what viewers see in my painting and it is really enriching,” the young artist explained. 

For 23-year-old Asil Jabr, painting is “an attempt to give life to everything materialistic with colour and passion”.

She said that art is a constant challenge “to decode behaviours of people, expressions, movement and create a composition referring to internal relations”. 

The young Jordanian artist also works with other media sectors to express herself such as writing, filmmaking, theatrical art and photography.

Bayan Kiwan, Diana Shawabkeh, Lina Salah and Tasnim Ja’abo were the other artists in the group exhibition which will run through December 9.