Jordan MPs demand scrapping of peace treaty with Israel

Jordan's King Abdullah II was taking part in the summit along with the Israeli, Palestinian, US and Egyptian leaders October 16, 2000, 10:46 AM AMMAN (AFP English) - Opposition MPs have filed a draft motion in parliament calling for the scrapping of Jordan's October 1994 peace treaty with Israel, one of the deputies told AFP on Monday. Salameh Hiyari said the draft was presented Sunday by 12 deputies to the president of the 80-member lower chamber of deputies, on the eve of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt aimed at ending Israeli-Palestinian clashes.

Jordan's King Abdullah II was taking part in the summit along with the Israeli, Palestinian, US and Egyptian leaders.

The move in parliament was the lastest in a series of appeals by opposition leaders for Jordan to take punitive measures against Israel over its military operations against the Palestinian people.

Massive street protests over the past two weeks have repeatedly urged the government to cut links with Israel by closing its embassy in Amman and expelling the ambassador.

Hiyari said he hoped the draft would be debated once parliament reconvenes in November from a summer recess.

The MPs based their request on article 95 of the Jordanian constitution which stipulates that 10 deputies or more are allowed to propose an amendment or change of legislation, Hiyari said.

Jordan has strongly protested over Israel's use of force against the Palestinians and has indefinitely delayed sending a new ambassador to Tel Aviv.

The families of Israeli diplomats posted in Amman, meanwhile, have stayed behind in Israel after last week's Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and do not plan to return until the regional tension eases, an Israeli embassy source said Sunday.

http://nav.arabia.com/article/0,1690,News|31276,00.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), October 16, 2000