AMMAN: Jordan has referred the cases of two former officials accused of taking part in a plot to undermine the kingdom’s security and stability to the state security court.
The court’s public prosecutor “issued an indictment against” Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, Petra News Agency reported on Wednesday.
The government accused them in April of being part of a foreign plot to undermine the stability of Jordan that was linked to King Abdullah II’s half brother Prince Hamzah.
Prince Hamzah, a former crown prince, was placed under house arrest at his palace and was later set free after the matter was resolved through mediation within the royal family.
King Abdullah II later said his half-brother was in his own home under the king’s protection, and all of those arrested were released except for Awadallah and bin Zaid.
Jordan refers 2 former officials to security court over ‘sedition’
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Jordan refers 2 former officials to security court over ‘sedition’
- The government accused them in April of being part of a foreign plot to undermine the stability of Jordan
- Prince Hamzah was placed under house arrest at his palace and was later set free
Qatar, Jordan condemn Israeli bombing of Hamad Hospital in Gaza
- The hospital in northern Gaza was established in 2019 following a directive from Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Jordan says Israeli violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank threaten regional security and stability
LONDON: Qatar and Jordan condemned Israel’s bombing of the Hamad Hospital for Prosthetic Limbs in the Gaza Strip on Monday, labeling it a clear violation of international and humanitarian laws.
The Hamad Hospital for Prosthetic Limbs in northern Gaza was established in 2019 following a directive from Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, father of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim. It is one of the remaining medical facilities functioning in Gaza that offers rehabilitation services for hearing, balance, and prosthetics.
Qatar said that Israel’s bombing of Hamad Hospital and its ongoing targeting of civilians, medical facilities, and shelters for the displaced families in Gaza is “part of the war of genocide against the brotherly Palestinian people.”
Sufian Qudah, spokesperson for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned the Israeli use of starvation and blockade to displace Palestinians. He added that Israeli human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank threaten regional security and stability.
Jordan and Qatar urged the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and immediately help bring an end to the war in Gaza.
On Sunday, Israel launched extensive military operations in the Gaza Strip aimed at occupying the territory. Several hospitals were targeted in the enclave over the past week, including the Indonesian Hospital, one of the largest partially functioning medical facilities in Beit Lahia. In the south, the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis and the Kuwait Specialized Hospital in Rafah were also affected.
Crew killed in Egyptian military training jet crash
CAIRO: An Egyptian military training aircraft crashed during an air force exercise on Monday, killing its crew, the military said.
“A training aircraft crashed in one of the training areas due to a technical malfunction, resulting in the killing of its crew,” military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez said in a statement.
The spokesman did not provide further details about the number of casualties, the location of the incident or the type of aircraft.
The Egyptian air force operates aircraft from various countries, including France, Russia and the United States.
In November last year, two air force officers were killed when a helicopter crashed during a training exercise.
In 2022, the military said a fighter jet had crashed during a military exercise but it reported no casualties.
Jordanian and Welsh business delegations discuss trade and investment cooperation
- Discussions focus on ways to boost commercial exchanges, promote private-sector collaborations, and expand opportunities for joint ventures in key industries
- A Jordanian-Welsh Business Council was established in 2024 to facilitate cooperation between the nations’ business communities
AMMAN: Representatives of the Jordanian Businessmen Association met a senior government delegation from Wales on Monday to explore ways of strengthening trade and investment ties between the countries.
The delegates included the business association’s secretary-general, Abdul Rahim Baqaei, and officials from the Welsh government’s Middle East and North Africa office, including its deputy director, Phil Taylor, and Sarah Taylor, head of its regional office in Dubai.
The discussions focused on ways to boost commercial exchanges, promote private-sector collaborations, and expand opportunities for joint ventures across key industries, the Jordan News Agency reported, and delegates agreed to identify new areas for economic cooperation.
Baqaei said it was important to maintain regular discussions to help identify sectors with high potential and enhance business engagement. He highlighted in particular the role of the Jordanian-Welsh Business Council, established in 2024 in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Wales, in efforts to facilitate cooperation between the nations’ business communities.
He also called for greater collaboration with British universities and companies, stressing the role strategic partnerships can play in accelerating Jordan’s economic development and technological progress. He highlighted recent government incentives designed to attract foreign investment, particularly in the services sector, including tax breaks and streamlined business procedures.
Sarah Taylor reaffirmed the commitment of Welsh authorities to the development of strengthened ties with the private sector in Jordan and increased British investment in the country.
She noted the untapped potential of sectors in which Jordan holds a competitive edge, particularly in the services sector, and said the Welsh government’s regional office stands ready to support bilateral engagement.
Her office will assist the work of the Jordanian Businessmen Association, she added, through the facilitation of direct business-to-business meetings and the provision of market intelligence to help Jordanian companies access opportunities in Wales.
Lebanese and Egyptian presidents discuss regional challenges
- Abdel Fattah El-Sisi underlines Egypt’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability
- Joseph Aoun says Lebanon is dedicated to maintaining peaceful relations with Syria
LONDON: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed regional challenges and the strengthening of ties with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo on Monday.
El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s strong support for Lebanon's sovereignty and stability, condemning ongoing Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon, according to the official National News Agency.
Aoun confirmed Lebanon’s full commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. He urged the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw entirely from Lebanese territory it has controlled since September 2024.
The Lebanese president said that Lebanon is dedicated to maintaining peaceful relations with Syria and supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
El-Sisi emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the delivery of humanitarian aid, while reaffirming Cairo’s opposition to the displacement of Palestinians.
He called for the recognition of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and condemned ongoing Israeli breaches of Syrian sovereignty.
Both presidents agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in various sectors. El-Sisi concluded by affirming Egypt’s commitment to assist Lebanon in its reconstruction and economic revitalization, the NNA added.
Five Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on school shelter in central Gaza
- 28 Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn on Monday
- The school west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has stopped offering full-time education
LONDON: Five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike overnight in a school-turned-humanitarian shelter in the central Gaza Strip after Israel launched an extensive military operation to occupy the coastal enclave.
Medical sources reported that at least five people were killed and several others injured, mostly children, in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Hasayna School, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced families.
The school west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has stopped offering full-time education, and it belongs to the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which was spared from extensive destruction or damage from the war.
According to Wafa news agency, 28 Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn on Monday, including 16 in Khan Yunis.
Since late 2023, the war in Gaza has displaced around 1.9 million Palestinians — about 90 percent of the population — with many facing multiple displacements. According to a UN report, schools have suffered severe damage due to Israeli actions, with 501 out of 564 schools requiring either full reconstruction or significant rehabilitation to be functional again.
In early May, an Israeli airstrike targeted a UN-run school in Al-Bureij, central Gaza, killing at least 30 people who were sheltering there. The facility had accommodated 2,000 displaced individuals.
