Jordanians, Palestinians voice rejection of Kerry’s peace plans

AMMAN — Jordanians and Palestinians from different walks of life took part in a forum on Saturday to voice their rejection of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s proposed “framework” for a final peace deal between Palestine and Israel.

Several intellectuals and representatives of the Kingdom’s political parties took part in the event, which was held on an empty plot of land near one of the capital’s hotels.

Zaki Bani Rsheid, deputy overall leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, said Kerry did not come to the region for tourism purposes, charging that he has a dangerous political agenda that will harm the Palestinian cause and threaten Jordan. 

“He [Kerry] wants to find what he says is a solution to the Arab-Zionist conflict at the expense of Palestinians’ right of return by resorting to the alternative homeland project,” Bani Rsheid told The Jordan Times during the forum.

He stressed that if past deals like the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty passed unnoticed, no new compromise would be accepted by the public.

Saturday’s meeting might lead to an ongoing programme of events to voice rejection of Kerry’s plans.

Ziad Masri, one of the participants, noted that Palestinians are fully aware of the conspiracy against them.  

“It is pretty obvious that the main aim behind these schemes is to further emphasise the presence of Israelis in Palestine,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Masri said such events are important because they raise public awareness and send a message to the whole world that Jordanians are aware of all these schemes. 

Saeed Jameel, another participant, said there should be no compromises on the right of return.

“If these speculations that media outlets published are true, both Palestinians and Jordanians will lose their rights,” he said.

Dalal Ashour said she will not accept the solution of creating an alternative homeland for the Palestinians in Jordan, stressing the importance of Palestinians’ right to return to their country.     

She noted that people have to learn from the past. 

“Some people say these media leaks are only speculation. In the past, we used to hear the same claims, but then all the reports came true,” Ashour added.