Region | Jordan
Hamas talks with Jordan uncovered
After nine years of boycott and tense relations, the Jordanian government and Hamas are re-building their bridges, politicians from both sides on Monday.
- By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
- Published: 23:21 August 18, 2008
Dubai: After nine years of boycott and tense relations, the Jordanian government and Hamas are re-building their bridges, politicians from both sides on Monday.
Behind the scene talks have been going for 18 months, a Hamas official revealed in an exclusive interview to Gulf News.
"It is difficult to specify the beginning point of the meetings," said Sami Abu Zohri, Hamas spokesperson.
"The talks started nearly a year and a half ago and became more intensive recently," he added in an interview from Gaza.
He declined to give further details on when and where the talks were held, or how many sessions were held.
Representing the Jordanian side was Lt. General Mohammad Dahabi, Director of the General Intelligence Department and representing Hamas was Mohammad Nazzal, Abu-Zohri confirmed.
"The atmosphere of the talks was positive and they paved the way for resumption of official relations between the movement and Jordan," Abu Zohri said.
An official source in Amman told Gulf News that he did not have any information on the informal talks.
"It is possibly a dialogue, but not a negotiation," the source added.
Jordanian officials have been tight-lipped over the talks with Hamas and some well-informed analysts in Amman said this was because they did not want to anger Jordan's partners in the peace process, including Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Jordan's relations with Hamas began to deteriorate in 1999, when Amman cracked down on the group and deported four of its leaders.
Balanced relations
The tense relations were further strained in 2006, when the Jordanian government announced the arrest of nearly 20 Hamas members and accused them of smuggling weapons from Syria and planning to attack Jordanian intelligence officials. Hamas leadership denied any involvement in such a plot. Hamas officials said the group wants to have "balanced relations" with all Arab countries for the benefit of the Palestinian cause and people.
"We don't reject talks with any Arab party," Abu Zohri said. The dialogue aims to benefit the Palestinian cause and to guarantee that any peaceful settlement to the problem wouldn't be at the expense of Jordan, Jordanian and Palestinian politicians confirmed.
"Jordan's top interests require dialogue with all segments of the Palestinian people, including Hamas," said Zaki Bani Ershed, secretary general of the Islamic Action Front (IAF) party which is the political arm of the Jordanian Muslim brotherhood and also the government's main opposition party.
"We don't want a deal to solve the Palestinian problem at Jordan's expense," he said.
The deal became a big possibility this year in particularly because it is the last year of office for US President Bush, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Bani Ershed explained.
Bani Ershed was referring to Jordan's fears over the Israeli idea of an "alternative homeland" for Palestinians. The idea was introduced by the Likud party many years back and calls to establish a Palestinian homeland in Jordan.
While IAF has welcomed the talks between Jordan and Hamas they did not play a mediating role in bringing the two sides together, Bani Rsheid told Gulf News.
Arabic press reports have said that Hamas political leader Khalid Mesha'al is expected in Amman in the near future. However, Abu Zahri said that there are no current arrangements for such a visit.
Nearly 50 per cent Palestinians
Nearly half of Jordan's 6 million population are of Palestinian origion. Also, Jordan hosts nearly of the Palestinians registered refugees with the UN.
Jordan also enjoys a "special role" in administering the Muslim holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. The 1994 Jordanian-Israeli agreement pledged that "when negotiations on the permanent status will take place, Israel will give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in holy places."
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