AMMAN: General Ahmed Abdel Hilmi, the Egyptian officer in charge of maintaining peace between Palestinians and Jordanian forces in Jordan yesterday [Jan 18], denied that Jordanian authorities were carrying out a search of homes in Amman and other towns.

He also denied reports in the newspapers about clashes on Sunday evening at Wahadat camp in Amman following refusal by the militia of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to hand over their arms. General Hilmi said the Committee supervising the peace agreements and Jordanian security forces had toured the Amman districts of Al-Massarwa Jebel al-Nazie, Mzzal and Jebel al-Akhdar. He expressed optimism regarding [the] new agreement by the two parties. The General said there had been minor difficulties concerning the surrender of arms....

[Meanwhile] Repercussions over last Thurs­day’s [Jan 14] Israeli raid on the Lebanese fishing harbour of Sarafand continued to make themselves felt on Monday with newspapers alleging more air and sea attacks. The raid has already prompted criticism of the Government for doing nothing to repel the raiders. Newspapers on Monday reported that Israeli boats fired on Sarafand at dawn on Sunday while Israeli jets flew overhead in the afternoon.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2021