Arab Inter-Parliament Union Holds Emergency Session in Jordan

Arab World

February 8th, 8:26am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Jordanian protesters hold Jordanian national flags as they chant slogans during a protest against US President Donald Trump's Deal of the Century in Amman, Jordan (File photo: Reuters)

The Arab Inter-Parliamentiary Union (AIU) will hold an emergency session in Amman, Jordan on Saturday to discuss the implications of the so-called deal of the century amid expectations of widespread condemnation from the 21 Arab parliaments participating in the meeting. Reports indicated that 17 Speakers and Heads of Shura Councils arrived in Amman on Friday as all union members confirmed their participation. Jordanian parliamentary sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the closing communique will include a unified Arab parliamentary stand that supports the Palestinian people in confronting the US peace plan announced by President Donald Trump last week. AIU Chair Atef Tarawneh, who is the Jordanian Speaker, called for an informal meeting on Friday and agreed on a preliminary closing statement, including about 11 items that support the Palestinian Authority (PA) in rejecting the US deal, informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Arab parliamentary sources confirmed that the statement will reject the peace plan, including the recognition of Jerusalem as a unified capital of Israel, violating Palestinian refugees’ right of return, expanding settlements in the occupied territories, and recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea. Last year, US recognized the annexation of the occupied Golan Heights and moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The sources added that the unified Arab parliamentary position will stipulate adhering to the Arab Peace Initiative as an Arab reference, which confirms the decisions of the recent emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers. AIU will also reject any solution that does not lead to the declaration of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. Meanwhile in Jordan, protests denouncing the deal of the century continued as hundreds gathered in front of the US embassy in Amman and in different regions of the Kingdom. Jordanian political parties are calling for decisive steps against Israel, namely canceling the gas agreement which entered into effect early this year.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2121206/arab-inter-parliament-union-holds-emergency-session-jordan