The Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei on Tuesday asked King Abdullah II of Jordan for explanations over statements the second made in an interview he gave to the Arabic Satellite channel ‘Al-Arabiya’, in which he accuses the PA of mismanaging the negotiations with Israel and making tremendous concessions.
Qurei said, ‘We were surprised today with statements by His Majesty King Abdullah in which he states his worries of Palestinian concessions. His majesty does not say that out of nothing, it is likely that there is some information that we need to be informed with,’ and added ‘we hope that his majesty would share any information he has in this regard, and we will delegate top officials to Jordan to meet with him on this issue.’
The Palestinian PM said that he and the Palestinian Leadership take these statements of the King of Jordan seriously and expressed the leadership’s worry of such an issue.
Abdullah II criticized the Palestinian Authority by saying that it made ‘surprise’ concessions and is suppose to talk the Palestinian position clear with the Arab states.
‘We wish the Palestinian leadership would clearly specify what it wants and not surprise us every now and then with some decisions and the acceptance of what it refused in the past,’ Abdullah told Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite television.
Abdullah said the PA is making concessions that were considered a treason a while ago and criticized a gradual giving up of core issues.
‘At the start, talks were on regaining 98 percent of occupied Palestinian land and are now about regaining less than 50 percent and we don’t know what it will be in a year or two,’ Abdullah said.
‘As for refugees, discussions were first about their return and compensation and now talks are on the return of a small number,’ Abdullah added. ‘It is unfortunate that what was rejected as betrayal has to some become now a demand and great achievement.’
Apparently, Jordanians fear prolonged Palestinian hardships and failure to establish a viable Palestinian state could send a new wave of refugees over its border, destabilizing a country whose population is already almost 67 percent Palestinian.
Abdullah’s statements came at a time where the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is facing a huge wave of dissatisfaction and criticism inside and outside of Palestine.
Abdullah also urged Arafat to carry out the needed reforms inside the Palestinian Authority.
‘The Palestinian leadership is called upon now more than any other time to realize peace through the road map and rectify some mistakes which the world is using to place blame on them.
