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20 January 2004
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Tuesday
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27 Ziqa'ad 1424
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Sharon warns Jordan of consequences: Opposition to barrier
TEL AVIV, Jan 19: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Monday warned that Jordan would "have much to lose in worsening of its relations" with Israel by joining an international campaign against the separation barrier being built in the West Bank.
He accused Amman of "leading" the campaign in the Arab world, Israeli MPs said. Mr Sharon was addressing parliament's foreign affairs and defense commission during a debate on the barrier's construction before hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on the legality of the works.
Mr Sharon said Jordan was merely frightened that many Palestinians would settle on its territory because of the barrier's erection. The United Nations General Assembly asked the ICJ last month to give its opinion on the legality of the barrier.
The barrier, which could eventually stretch 750kms, often juts deep into the West Bank, prompting Palestinians to accuse Israel of unilaterally determining the borders of their future state. But Israel has consistently argued that the barrier's construction was only motivated by security considerations as it would prevent would-be attackers from entering its territory.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher said earlier this month that Amman would submit legal arguments to the world court against the barrier, adding that the "wall must be destroyed" and that "the Arabs must act to put an end to the construction of this wall".
Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said at press conference on Monday that he would soon travel to Jordan, the only Arab country apart from Egypt to have signed a peace treaty with Israel.
"I hope to travel to Jordan in the near future. This visit will mark the first official foreign ministerial visit to Amman since August 1999," he said.
"I want to emphasize that Jordan is not Palestine and Israel does not support any kind of Palestinian resettlement in Jordan," he added. Nationalist Israelis see the West Bank as part of biblical Israel, and want all Palestinians to be expelled.-AFP
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