Judeh pushes for more pressure on Israel, threatens legal, diplomatic action

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Saturday urged world powers to mount pressure on Israel, vowing legal and diplomatic efforts against its continued violations in Jerusalem. 

Judeh was speaking at an extraordinary meeting in New York for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, held on the sidelines of the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Islamic states held the gathering to discuss the recurrent Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the efforts made in the matter, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Judeh reiterated that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, will uphold its custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, particularly Al Aqsa Mosque, as a diplomatic redline. 

He said that Jordan might be forced to consider legal action to protect Jerusalem and its holy sites, in addition to direct and indirect calls to international powers, world capitals and international organisations, especially the UN, as Jordan has a mandate through its membership on the UN Security Council.

Judeh said King Abdullah has been holding meetings with several regional and international leaders and parties to bring an end to the Israeli violations.

For their part, the ministers attending the meeting commended Jordan’s efforts in facing the Israeli aggressions under the leadership of King Abdullah.

Support for UNRWA

In a separate meeting with stakeholders, Judeh urged the international community to increase its support to UNRWA, to allow it to perform its essential role, sounding alarm over the crisis the UN Palestinian refugee agency at the beginning of the current scholastic year, Petra reported Sunday.

Co-chairing with Sweden, Jordan said UNRWA’s unprecedented $101-million deficit was covered by countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, the US, the UK and Norway. He urged the world not to reduce UNRWA’s services at a time when the needs are increasing.

Jordan hosts 42 per cent of the Palestinian refugees and has 10 UNRWA-run camps across the Kingdom, Judeh noted, adding that Jordan with its limited resources also suffers from the Syrian crisis and its repercussions. Jordan incurred over $1 billion in 2014 over costs for Palestinian refugees, he said.

The UNRWA deficit is expected to reach $136 million in 2016, making it necessary for all stakeholders to enhance the agency’s financial situation, he added. 

Also on Saturday, Judeh took part in the ministerial meeting aiming to enhance understanding and respect among communities, focusing on boosting cross-cultural dialogue, tolerance, acceptance of the other, and relegating extremism.

Judeh said such challenges are unlikely to disappear in the short-term, adding that everybody is aware of the long war to be fought to eliminate these challenges on security and ideological levels. 

Culture under threat

Judeh on Thursday participated in a meeting titled “Culture under Threat: the Fight to Save the Middle East’s Antiquities from Terrorism”, which aimed to discuss cooperation to safeguard antiquities and cultural heritage.

In his speech, the top diplomat said that cultural heritage is an asset for all countries and it cannot be preserved and maintained without the international community’s unified effort and the participation of relevant agencies, NGOs and business communities, Petra reported.