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AMMAN — Members of the Jordan Evangelical Council general assembly have selected Rev. Habes Nimat as president for a three-year term. 

The council also elected a new administrative committee for the next three years during its session, according to a statement issued by the council on Saturday.

A report of 20 clauses was presented during the council’s session, which shed light on the activities of the five evangelical churches that fall under the council’s jurisdiction.   

The report addressed the council’s administrative role in leading the evangelical councils in both Jordan and Palestine, noting that its president had sent a letter to US President Donald Trump demanding that he abolish plans to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and “heeding His Majesty King Abdullah’s wisdom”. 

President-elect Nimat from the Christian Alliance Church and the founder of the Alliance Academy in Yadouda, outlined his vision for the council to give priority to practical service and to unify the evangelical effort. Nimat expressed support to the cooperation with Palestinian evangelicals describing that as “an honour” for the Jordanian council. 

He also stressed the need to build strong relations with all Christian confessions, noting: “We share a loving relation. We are open to everyone, extend our hand and hope for a positive response.” 

Nimat stressed the importance of “good citizenship” and the need to work with all social and public institutions noting that “we serve God and we obey the authorities as God has commanded us”.

The newly elected administrative committee comprises: Rev. David Rihani as vice president, Rev. Hani Nuqul as treasurer, Daoud Kuttab as secretary, and Rev. Ghaleb Kawar, Rev. Nabeeh Abbassi and Rev. Waleed Madanat as members.

The council honoured the outgoing president Gen. Imad Mayah for his seven years of service.

AMMAN — Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel have recently arrested three suspects for allegedly robbing two houses in Amman and Zarqa along with a person wanted in eight cases, the Public Security Department's (PSD) media centre announced on Friday.

The Public Security Department's spokesperson said that a resident in Zarqa’s Al Ghuwairiya neighbourhood reported a break-in at his home, adding that a special investigation team collected information that led to identifying the suspect, who has a criminal record.

The police arrested the suspect, who was located in Zarqa’s Ruseifeh neighbourhood, in possession of all stolen items, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The source added that the police have reported that a number of home robberies took place in the Abu Nusair area in north Amman, noting that investigations led to arrest of the three suspects involved in the crimes, who were located Irbid.

Authorities apprehended two of the suspects, while the third remains at large, the spokesperson said, highlighting the recovery of part of the stolen jewellery, Petra added.

In another case, a man wanted in eight cases, has been caught in the southern region of the Kingdom, over charges of robbing a shop in Aqaba, some 330km south of Amman.

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an October Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his wife and attempting to murder two of his daughters in April 2017.

The court declared the defendant guilty of stabbing and killing his wife and attempting to murder his two daughters aged 14 and 15 on April 29 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court documents said the couple had been married since 2001 and had four daughters.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the "defendant consumed alcohol and returned home with an alcohol bottle".

"The minute he saw one of his daughters he stabbed her in the arm, then he went to one of the rooms and stabbed his second daughter," court papers said.

 The victim rushed to save her daughters, the court maintained, so the defendant stabbed her in the waist and arm.

"The victim brought bandages and started helping her daughters while she herself was injured," court papers added.

 However, the defendant followed her and stabbed her in the neck and shoulder.

"The defendant started dancing and singing then cursing himself for his actions and decided to rush his wife to the hospital," court documents added.

The defendant did not contest the court ruling.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the ruling since the “punishment was appropriate and the verdict was correct”.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant, and that he deserved the verdict he received. 

The Court of Cassation bench comprises judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Yassin Abdullat, Nayef Samarat and Hammad Ghzawi.

AMMAN — Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang on Thursday held a farewell lunch for Jordanians who won the 2019 Chinese government scholarship at the Fairmont Hotel in Amman. 

In 2019, a total of 84 young Jordanians received Chinese government scholarships to attend degree programmes in China under the Jordan-China government cultural cooperation framework.

Out of the 84 young Jordanians 25 are government officials and business managers from the private sector participating in master's and PhD programmes through China-aid scholarship. 

Reem Shakhanbeh, diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expats, is pursuing her PhD through the scholarship, majoring in theoretical economics, mainly in the field of national development.

“My main goal is helping my own country, Jordan, to rise up and continue its national development socially, economically, culturally, and also in terms of education and health,” she told The Jordan Times.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 42 years ago, bilateral relations have been developing “smoothly and are now in the best period in history”, according to the Chinese ambassador.

Under the “One Belt and One Road” initiative, the Chinese government will continue to deepen the strategic cooperative partnership with Jordan and strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields. 

Weifang also voiced the Chinese government's encouragement of enterprises to “actively explore investment opportunities in Jordan”. 

He said: "At present, Jordan faces great difficulties and challenges in its economic development. As a sincere friend of Jordan, the Chinese government will continue to provide assistance within its capacity to Jordan."

On September 3, Minister of Public Works and Housing Falah Omoush and Chinese officials signed the Salt Road Expansion Project, with China providing $30 million as aid, according to a Chinese embassy statement sent to The Jordan Times on Thursday. 

The statement said that a batch of advanced customs inspection equipment assisted by China will soon arrive in Jordan. 

Over the years, the Chinese government has stepped in to help developing countries in the field of human resources development cooperation, and its cooperation methods are becoming more and more diversified, from practical technical training, to formal schooling education, official seminars and training courses, read the statement.

The Jordanian government also attaches great importance to China-aid training, the statement said, noting that efforts of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and other ministries have sent many Jordanian government officials and technical personnel to China to participate in various multilateral and bilateral training courses. 

At the same time, China has sent experts to Jordan to hold other bilateral training courses, so as to benefit more Jordanians. 

In 2017, 304 Jordanian government officials and technicians went to China for training, 438 in 2018, and 297 so far in 2019, according to the statement.

In order to support global sustainable development, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the UN headquarters on September 26, 2015 that China would set up an academy for south-south cooperation and development.

On April 29, 2016, the national development research institute of Peking University, one of the top institutions of higher learning in China, established the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD), the statement said.

It added that the establishment came with the vision to build "the most attractive national development research institution in the world, the most potential high-end talent training base in developing countries, and the most dynamic platform for global governance, so as to share ideas and experience in economic development and governance with other developing countries and strengthen international cooperation". 

Two Jordanian government officials were admitted to ISSCAD in 2018.  In 2019, three more young Jordanians were admitted to ISSCAD, the statement concluded. 

His Majesty King Abdullah holds talks with Commander of the US Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie and an accompanying delegation on Thursday, over bilateral cooperation in military fields.

The meeting touched on the regional and international efforts in the war on terror within a holistic strategy. The meeting was attended by King’s Adviser for Communication and Coordination Bisher Al Khasawneh, as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti.

AMMAN — A Royal Decree was issued on Thursday, proroguing Parliament's extraordinary session as of September 7, a statement from the Royal Court said.

The two Houses of Parliament convened for the extraordinary session as of July 21, upon another Royal Decree.

On Thursday, a joint assembly for the two chambers of Parliament was held to endorse the Social Security Law, as amended by the Senate.

Also during the extraordinary session, lawmakers endorsed the draft cybersecurity law and amendments to the Standards and Metrology Law.

Bills listed in the Royal Decree that were meant to be endorsed during the extraordinary session included the draft law on cancelling the Utilising IT Resources in Governmental Institutions Law.

Also on the extraordinary session’s agenda were the amended drafts of the social security law, the integrity and anti-corruption law, restructuring governmental institutions and departments law and the bill on cancelling the Crafts and Industries Law.

Parliament was also meant to discuss the amendments to laws of Jordanian universities, higher education and scientific research and civil procedures.

Bills also included the draft mediation for settling civil disputes law and the draft weapons and ammunition law, in addition to amended drafts of the Judicial Independence Law and the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority Law, and a draft law on waste management.

AMMAN — Teachers on Thursday announced a general strike for Sunday that the government dubbed as “illegal”.

Demanding a 50-per cent raise for teachers, the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) had planned for the sit-in to take place in front of the Prime Ministry, near Fourth Circle, midday Thursday during school hours, but authorities said they will only allow the protest near Parliament in Abdali, which the JTA rejected.

Road closures brought traffic to a halt at intersections leading to Fourth Circle and the Interior Ministry Circle, which are major traffic routes in the city’s morning commute, causing unprecedented congestion in much of Amman, according to the Central Traffic Department.

Muhammad Nasser, an employee at an accounting company in Shmeisani, told The Jordan Times that he could not leave his work in the afternoon to pick up his son from school in Dahiyat Al Rashid due to the unprecedented traffic jams.

Both the traffic congestions and the teachers’ protest continued throughout the day, culminating in teachers’ announcement of the strike, after which Minister of Education Walid Maani, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Mubarak Abu Yamin and Minister of State for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat held a press conference to address the issue. 

The government had announced in 2014 that financial demands are “non-negotiable”, Maani said. 

He added that the Ministry of Education and its teachers share a partnership that aims at enhancing the educational process.

The minister explained that the by-law on teaching professions offers a “bundle of performance-based raises” that could amount to up to 250 per cent. 

For his part, Abu Yamin highlighted that Article 6 of the Constitution guarantees students the right to education, adding that the state supports freedom of expression “when it is within legal boundaries”. 

In 2014, the Law Interpretation Bureau deemed it illegal for teachers to strike, Abu Yamin stressed. 

He added that the government is open to dialogue and that any threats to the state will be dealt with in accordance with the law, noting that “the ball is in the JTA’s court”.

He explained that Thursday’s sit-in, which was scheduled for 12 noon and meant that teachers would abandon students on a school day or send them home, went against Article 5 of the JTA’s law, which prohibits tampering with the rights of students to learn. 

In a statement earlier in the day, the government said it is willing to discuss the demands of the teachers, provided that they “consider the national interests and the right of students to education”. 

It noted that it had held several meetings with the JTA council until both sides reached an agreement on endorsing the educational professions by-law that offers a raise track of up to 250 per cent based on performance. 

“The government is keen on improving the educational environment for teachers and students alike and, in return, it will not hesitate in applying the law if the educational process, services and public facilities are harmed,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Amman Governor Saad Shehab blamed the teachers for the traffic jams, saying that the closures of several main roads leading to Fourth Circle were conducted because teachers “insisted on holding their sit-in at that area, which contradicted with the authorities’ decision to hold the protest in Abdali”. 

Thursday’s sit-in was called for by JTA former president Ahmad Hajaya, who died in a road accident last Friday.

“We have been demanding the 50-per cent increase since 2014 or 2015, and the JTA has been contacting the government ever since, but nothing happens, so today we are out here to voice this demand,” Ali Ahmad, one of the teachers at the strike, told The Jordan Times on Thursday. 

He said that many teachers have come to the Fourth Circle from southern governorates and all the protesters were not allowed to reach the agreed upon area by the authorities. 

Mohammad Sandouqa, another teacher present at the strike, said that an agreement was reached at some point to gradually disburse the 50-per cent increase over three years but that also did not happen.

He also highlighted that in the last five months, fromer JTA president Ahmad Hajaya had been voicing the demand but to no avail.

“Therefore, it was agreed upon three weeks ago to stage the sit-in on Thursday in order to make our voices heard,” he added. 

The civil society coordinating coalition in Jordan, HIMAM, criticised the government procedures to deter teachers from holding their protests, considering strikes and peaceful assemblies as a key right guaranteed by the Constitution. 

Commenting on the JTA protest, the Muslim Brotherhood Group Society called for considering national interests and expressed concerns that “the biggest loser will be students in particular and the homeland in general”, according to Petra.

The society also said that the decline of the economic conditions for all segments of the Jordanian society, mainly public employees, has become a source of worry, and that the government has to find creative solutions to resolve this case as quickly as possible. 

For his part, Chairman of the National Centre for Human Rights’ Board of Trustees Rhayel Gharaibeh said that the government has always been open to dialogue with teachers, noting that he contacted Prime Minister Omar Razzaz who expressed readiness to meet and talk.

AMMAN — The 2019 "Eager Lion" drill concluded on Thursday with a tactical attacking exercise that was carried out by elected units of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), and the US army.

The exercise was conducted in one of the JAF's training fields in the presence of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti and Commander of the US Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, in addition to a number of JAF senior officers and senior military officers participating in the 2019 Eager Lion drill, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The commands and units participating in the exercise demonstrated a high level of coordination and implementation of the joint operations, manoeuvring, support, services for participating troops and high efficiency in the firing of various weapons used in the implementation of ground operations. 

Various light and medium weaponry and artillery were used in the exercise which also focused on dealing with minefields, reconnaissance and combat operations, Petra said.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Thalji, the drill’s spokesperson, said that the drill simulates joint action and training on conventional and non-conventional operations, as well as procedures for command and control and cybersecurity.

In addition to Jordan, forces from 29 states including the US, Australia, Austria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Italy, Cyprus, Bahrain, Qatar, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Spain, the UAE, the UK, Tajikistan and Norway have taken part in the drill.

The 2019 Eager Lion drill, which was implemented by more than 8,000 land, marine and air forces, has been ongoing since August 25, with the aim of exchanging military expertise at all levels.

AMMAN — The Senate and the Lower House ended weeks of gridlock in their joint session on Thursday by scrapping a proposed article in the Social Security Law granting coverage for lawmakers in retirement benefits, and endorsing the bill as amended by the Senate. 

In its final version, senators and MPs will not be covered by social security and as such, voluntary subscription fees will be deducted from the monthly allowance of parliament members, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.  

Parliament recommended that the government conduct a study on the inclusion of the senators and MPs under the umbrella of the social security, in adherence to current legislation and by-laws. 

On August 25, MPs passed the 2019 amendments to the Social Security Law, raising the age of early retirement and endorsing pension benefits for themselves as well as senators.

Under the aforementioned amendments, deputies and senators would have been eligible for old-age, disability and death insurances, with deductions calculated according to their monthly stipends.

On August 29, the Senate scrapped the article entitling the lawmakers to old-age, disability and death insurances.

The Upper House, which endorsed the remainder of the 2019 amendments to the bill as referred by the Lower House, rejected MPs’ subscription amendment to its deviation from the original objectives of the law, noting that removing the provision in question would bear no effect on the right to voluntary subscription, which is available for lawmakers without Parliament having to incur further costs. 

Senators also argued that the article revokes the notion of the allowance that is granted to MPs from monthly allocations.

Meanwhile, the deputies insisted on adding the article, saying that everyone, including MPs, have the right to social security, and pointing out that not allowing MPs to subscribe to social security benefits would potentially make running for elections exclusive for the affluent.

AMMAN — In the Mamluk period, some of the most politically dangerous persons went to Karak Castle, said an American scholar.

Karak Castle, a large Crusader castle located in Karak, some 130km south of Amman, imprisoned reigning sultans and members of the sultan’s family, including children, as well as high-ranking officers, Professor Bethany Walker from the University of Bonn told The Jordan Times in a recent e-mail interview.

After the Mamluk conquest of Greater Syria in 1260, the Transjordan region was gradually incorporated into the Mamluk territories as part of two different provinces: the southernmost districts of the Province of Damascus (Mamlakat Dimashq) and the Province of Karak (Mamlakat Karak), Walker said, adding that the border between the two provinces was located roughly at Wadi Mujib.

The newly acquired territories were controlled through a series of small, rural garrisons and refortifications of old castles, Walker explained.

According to the scholar, the administrative status of Karak largely depended on personal attachments of the sultans in Cairo.

“Karak’s political autonomy was frequently withdrawn by the sultan and control over its lands given to the Province of Damascus,” Walker said, adding that this was largely done in retaliation for local participation in the many armed conflicts between the Mamluk sultan and his emirs in the 15th century.

Mamluks had a few different places for officials who fell out of favour.

“Those who had committed ‘lesser crimes’, or were already serving in Egypt, often went to Alexandria. Others went to Jerusalem, which was the favoured destination for retirees from state service. Many serving in Syria were imprisoned in the Ajloun Castle,” the scholar said.

The most politically dangerous went to Karak Castle, which contained three palaces according to Walker.

Exile there, under the best of conditions, resembled something like house arrest, the professor said, adding that imprisoned sultans could even receive visitors.

“For this reason, the exile of a sultan or a sultan’s son often led to regaining the throne in Cairo, as he used the time of imprisonment in the Karak Castle to build ties with armed tribes and plan a political and military comeback,” Walker explained, noting that occasionally, sultans and sultan’s sons voluntarily took up residence at Karak, taking the imperial treasury with them, when political conditions became precarious in Cairo.

Moreover, some sultans, such as Baybars, even sent their sons to Karak Castle to be raised for a few years by local leaders and to learn important skills such as horsemanship and conflict resolution, and to “toughen them up”, Walker said.