Lower House endorses reply to King's speech, approves results of committee elections

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday endorsed the reply to the Speech from the Throne, which His Majesty King Abdullah delivered at the opening of the 18th Parliament’s first ordinary session on November 7.

Both Chambers of Parliament on Sunday are scheduled to present their replies to the Speech from the Throne, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

At an evening session on Sunday, lawmakers will start discussing the government's policy statement, which Prime Minister Hani Mulki delivered on Wednesday. 

The Lower House decided to allocate 15 minutes to each deputy and 30 minutes to each bloc to take the podium.

Also on Wednesday, the Chamber approved the results of electing its committees' chairpersons, deputy chairs and rapporteurs, Petra added.

Meanwhile, the Lower House condemned Israeli authorities' intention to “lower the volume of” the call to prayer in Jerusalem and at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, through a draft law in the Knesset.

In a statement carried by Petra, the House voiced its "utmost rejection" of any Israeli decision to ban the call to prayer, which violates all international laws and Abrahamic faiths and explicitly defies Islam's sanctity, as well as the fact that it violates the Hashemite custodianship on Islamic sites in Jerusalem.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said the government refuses such decisions and does not allow any assaults on religious sites in Jerusalem.

Also on Wednesday, the House said that it was closely following up on the US Congress decision to reject President Barack Obama's veto on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which may affect international relations in the future.

This law endangers US relations with countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia, and constitutes a source of concern to the international community and international relations that are based on equality and sovereignty, the House added.

The Chamber expressed its hope that the US administration and Congress take the necessary measures to avoid the negative consequences of JASTA.