Senate president condemns Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza, West Bank

AMMAN — Senate President Faisal Fayez on Tuesday denounced Israeli attempts to forcefully displace Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, describing the move as a "declaration of war for Jordan". 

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Fayez underlined the deep-rooted Jordanian-Palestinian ties, explaining that Israel will not enjoy peace without a just resolution of the Palestinian question, inclusive of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders and full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. 

Fayez said that the deals Jordan had signed with Israel need to be "carefully" examined before any decision, especially the gas deal, referring to the endeavour currently undertaken by the Lower House's Legal Committee to review all Jordanian-Israeli agreements.  

Fayez, former prime minister and veteran statesman, said that the 2016 gas deal with Israel needs to be thoroughly examined as "it imposes significant financial penalties on any party that breaches the terms of the agreement".

He also explained that there are two perspectives engulfing discussion on the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel — the first suggests that any cancellation of the agreement could enable Israel to accelerate Judaisation of Jerusalem and annex the West Bank while the second sees in the deal as a "bargaining chip" to preserve Jerusalem's Arab identity.

Fayez also explained that there is a clause in the peace treaty that prevents forced displacement of West Bank residents to Jordan.

He also said that the "massacre" in Gaza is supported by several international parties, adding that the Israeli aggression on Gaza aims at "terminating the Palestinian cause".