The outgoing Israeli chief of staff Moshe Yaalon met with King Abdullah II of Jordan Tuesday in Amman, Israeli sources reported.
The source did not mention topics discussed in the meeting that last for few hours.
The Jordanian News Agency, PETRA, reported that the king welcomed Yaalon in his royal office in Amman.
Yedeoth Ahronot English website reported that Yaalon discussed with
Abdullah the intended release of nine Jordanian prisoners from Israeli
jails and about a planned pullout from the Gaza Strip this summer.
Jordan has expressed interest in helping Palestinian security forces
retain control of the Palestinian areas after Israel’s withdrawal from
all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 from the West Bank.
The Jordanian daily newspaper Al-Dustur published details of the
release of the Jordanian prisoners. Israel will release 9
out of 15 prisoners that Jordan demanded to be released. Three of
them approached the end of the term anyway, according to Al-Dustur’s
report.
The report also adds that Israel refused to release a suspect in
killing the Israeli Minster of Tourism Rehavam Zeevi, in October 2001
and four other prisoners Israel described as having ‘blood on their
hands’. The four were arrested prior the signing of the Arabaa
peace treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1996.
