Islamic group demands Jordan scrap ties with "Israel"

Source: Compiled by Daily Star staff
Jordan`s Islamic opposition urged the government on Tuesday to scrap the 13-year-old peace treaty with "Israel" and to boycott the US-sponsored Middle East meeting. The Islamic Action Front (IAF) also dismissed five of its members for running in next month`s parliamentary elections as independents without the permission of their party.
"Since the signing of the peace treaty with `Israel`, freedoms and the rights of citizens have retreated in an unprecedented way. Political and economic reforms have stopped," the influential IAF said.
Jordan, a key US ally, signed the treaty on October 26, 1994, becoming only the second Arab state after Egypt to make (so-called) `peace` with "Israel".
The IAF, the political arm of the tolerated Muslim Brotherhood, also urged a boycott of the Middle East international peace meeting slated for later this year.
"We call on Jordan and other Arab and Muslim countries to boycott the autumn meeting, and not be involved in a conspiracy of normalization [with "Israel"]," a statement said.
The United States has called the meeting, expected to take place in Annapolis, Maryland, in an effort to jumpstart "Israeli"-Palestinian peace talks following the June takeover of Gaza by the Islamic group Hamas.
Jordan has repeatedly called for a clear agenda for the meeting embracing core issues including `Jerusalem` (al-Quds) and Palestinian refugees.
Last month, the IAF, announced that 22 members would run as Front candidates in the 100-seat Parliament elections to be held next month.
Zaki Bani Ersheid told The Associated Press that following an emergency meeting Monday, the front decided to dismiss the men.
"The five members have violated the regulations of the party and refused to withdraw their candidacy from the elections," Ersheid said in a telephone interview.