Jordan's King Abdullah arrived in Ramallah Monday for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas aimed at deepening ties and discussing "current developments in the Palestinian territories" in the wake of last month's crisis over the al-Aksa mosque compound.
After flying by military helicopter to Abbas's muqata presidential compound and being greeted by Abbas, the king reviewed an honor guard and the Jordanian and Palestinian national anthems were played before the two headed into talks.
After flying by military helicopter to Abbas's muqata presidential compound and being greeted by Abbas, the king reviewed an honor guard and the Jordanian and Palestinian national anthems were played before the two headed into talks.
It is King Abdullah's first visit to Ramallah in five years and comes at a time when the peace process is at a standstill and Israeli-Jordanian relations are tense over a shooting incident at the Israeli embassy in Amman last month.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the two leaders would discuss "recent Israeli steps at blessed al-Aksa mosque and what happened in Jerusalem as a result of the tensions [they caused]." Jordan, which is custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem, was in discussions with the United States in order to help resolve the crisis over Israel's installation of metal detectors at entrances to the Temple Mount/al-Aksa mosque compound. The detectors were installed after a deadly July 14 attack at the site by three Israeli Arabs. Israel said this was to prevent further attacks, but the Palestinians viewed it as a step to taking over the mosque.
Under diplomatic pressure and faced with Palestinian protests, Israel ended a two week standoff by withdrawing the detectors and all other newly installed equipment.
Under diplomatic pressure and faced with Palestinian protests, Israel ended a two week standoff by withdrawing the detectors and all other newly installed equipment.
Wafa reported that the two leaders would also discuss "the efforts to push forward the peace process, Palestinian-Jordanian coordination and the joint efforts to face all the challenges on the political track."
Jordan's ad-Dustour newspaper on Monday quoted the Palestinian ambassador in Amman, Atallah Kheiry as terming the visit "historic."
"It will open new horizons between the leaderships in all realms." The two leaders will discuss how the peace process can be moved forward and Palestinian steps to counter Israeli settlement building in the West Bank, he added.
Jordan's ad-Dustour newspaper on Monday quoted the Palestinian ambassador in Amman, Atallah Kheiry as terming the visit "historic."
"It will open new horizons between the leaderships in all realms." The two leaders will discuss how the peace process can be moved forward and Palestinian steps to counter Israeli settlement building in the West Bank, he added.
China is preparing to initiate a ‘limited war’ to push the Indian soldiers out of the disputed Doklam area, an article published in China’s state newspaper Global Times has claimed.
The tension between China and India started in June when Indian soldiers entered Doklam area situated between Bhutan and China and they stopped Chinese soldiers from building a road there.
Both, China and Bhutan lay claim to the area. Indian army entered the area on the request of Bhutan and a standoff between the two armies has been continuing since.
Global Times article, quoting a researcher Hu Xi Yong from Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that the standoff between the forces of the two countries would not last long as China’s limited military action could start within two weeks.
Yong said Chinese government would inform the Indian foreign ministry before taking the army action.
This article is published at a time when India’s External Affairs Minister Shushma Suwraj told parliament that the clash between the two countries would not solve the problem and dialogue was the only way. She said China was playing an important role in the economic development of her country.
Global Times said India has challenged a country much more powerful than her. “Perhaps India is blinded by her regional hegemony and comments of the Western media, and has started believing that it can behave with a country like China in a way she is dealing with countries in South Asia.”
The paper said the People’s Liberation Army had been moving for the last one month. “We hope that the Chinese army has done its preparation for a military clash.”
It said the Modi government was violating international laws and was putting India’s national honour and peaceful continuation of progress in jeopardy.
“He [Modi] should be aware of the great might of the Chines army and its arms and ammunition. Indian army has no comparison as long as the Chinese army is concerned.”
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