Hopes For Peace Rekindled as Israel and PA Reps Agree To Meet In Jordan

Israel, PA Reps to meet again in Amman

Jerusalem Post 

01/09/2012 02:45 

Palestinians have been downplaying significance of second round of direct talks since Jordanians renewed channel last week; officials in Ramallah say they don't expect current talks to achieve a breakthrough.

Israeli and Palestinian officials are scheduled to meet in Amman on Monday for the second time in a week, though Palestinian officials say the gap between the two sides on security and border issues remains as wide as ever.

Unlike the meeting last Tuesday, this time representatives of the Quartet – the US, EU, Russia and UN – will not be in attendance. Jordan will host the talks at the Foreign Ministry in Amman.

Caveat Emptor!

Israeli Settlers Invade Sacred Mosque in Nablus

... or just maybe ... 
Jews went to Pray at Ancient Site of Jewish Patriarch's Tomb

"1500 Jewish settlers break into Joseph's tomb in Nablus"

Jordan Directions

Ramallah, Nov. 24 (Petra) -- Jewish settlers on Thursday broke into the West Bank town of Nablus under the protection of Israeli occupation soldiers, sources said.

According to Palestinian sources, around 1500 Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai of Shas, illegally stormed what they claim to be "Joseph Tomb" east of the city and performed religious rituals.

"Clashes erupted between Palestinian youths and the Jewish settlers and soldiers, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets," the sources added.

Settlers storm the shrine on weekly basis since 2000 after the withdrawal of the occupation forces following bloody clashes with Palestinian activists.

Joseph’s Tomb is a holy place for Muslims, Christians and Jews located in Nablus. According to an agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis, Jewish worshipers are allowed to visit the site only with previous coordination between Palestinian and Israeli authorities. In recent years, however, Israeli settlers started entering this holy site illegally, without Palestinian coordination and permission.

//Petra// SK / A SH
24/11/2011 - 12:05:57 PM

Jordan king pardons terror convicts

Google News

AMMAN — Jordan's King Abdullah II has pardoned 12 Jordanians described by local press on Friday as Salafists, at least six of whom were convicted on terrorism charges in 2006.

The king issued a decree on Thursday giving the 12 a special pardon, state-run Petra news agency reported without elaborating.

Independent daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm said Friday the men are Salafists, who espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam that seeks a return to practices that were common in the early days of the faith.

Of the group, Osama Abu Hazim, Hatem Nsur, Mohammad Arabiat, Yazan Hleiq, Muath Breizat and Feisal Rueidan were sentenced to 10 years for plotting to attack foreign tourists, hotels, intelligence officers and US military instructors in Jordan.

They have been also charged with having connections to Al-Qaeda.