Amman: Jordan's controversial justice minister has joined protesters demanding the release of a soldier who shot dead seven Israeli schoolgirls in 1997.
It is an unprecedented move by a Cabinet minister in Jordan, which maintains cordial ties with Israel under a peace treaty signed in 1994.
The minister, Hussain Mjali, was the lawyer for soldier Ahmad Daqamseh, who received a life sentence for killing the Israeli schoolgirls during an outing near Jordan's northwestern border with Israel.
Monday's protest in front of Mjali's office was organised by Daqamseh's family. Mjali joined the crowd, saying he was participating in his capacity as the soldier's former lawyer.
He said he joined the new Cabinet to see changes made, especially to freedom of expression.
