Jordan slams Israeli minister over use of ‘greater Israel’ map

By Laith Al-Jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) – Jordan on Monday condemned the use of a map of Israel by an Israeli minister which included sovereign Jordanian territory.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed an event in Paris on Sunday while standing by a map of greater Israel portraying Jordan as part of the self-proclaimed Jewish state.

In a statement, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali termed Smotrich’s act as a "reckless incitement that is in violation of international norms and the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty."

Jordan and Israel signed the Wadi Araba peace treaty in 1994, which brought an end to the state of war between the two countries since the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948.

Israel was quick to reiterate its commitment to its peace agreement with Jordan.

"There has been no change in the position of the State of Israel, which recognizes the territorial integrity of the Hashemite Kingdom," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During his Paris speech, Smotrich denied the existence of the Palestinian people, saying the Palestinians were “an invention” from the last century and that people like himself and his grandparents were the “real Palestinians.”

Jordan condemns “the racist and extremist inciting statements made by the extremist Israeli minister against the brotherly Palestinian people, their right to exist, and their historical rights in their independent and sovereign state on the Palestinian national soil,” Majali said.

He called on the Israeli government to condemn Smotrich’s statements, saying Amman “will take all necessary political and legal measures to address such extremist, hateful actions and statements.” The Jordanian spokesman warned that such statements “represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability.”

Smotrich triggered a storm of international condemnations last month after he said the Palestinian town of Huwara in the West Bank should be “wiped out” following the death of two settlers in a shooting attack.

The town was attacked by Israeli settlers during which a Palestinian was killed and several homes and vehicles were vandalized.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar