Jordanian Minister Warns Against Israeli Annexation of the Jordan Valley

Jordanian Minister of Information Amjad Adaileh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jordanian Minister of Information Amjad Adaileh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Jordanian Minister Warns Against Israeli Annexation of the Jordan Valley

Jordanian Minister of Information Amjad Adaileh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jordanian Minister of Information Amjad Adaileh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Jordanian Minister of Information Amjad Adaileh said his country rejected Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank and the northern Dead Sea - known as the Jordan Valley.

Any such unilateral Israeli move is unacceptable and undermines the chances for achieving peace and stability in the region, the minister said, noting that ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict could only be achieved on the basis of a two-state solution.

Adaileh, who served as the King’s media adviser for several years, underlined the importance of supporting efforts and unifying positions for the establishment of “an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international legitimacy decisions and the outcome of the meetings of the Arab League.”

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the minister pointed to the diplomatic and political efforts of Jordan’s King Abdullah II to prevent Israel from going ahead with annexation.

As for the expected scenarios if Israel took its unilateral step, Adaileh stressed that Jordan’s position has always been based on protecting its national interests, adding that Tel Aviv’s plans, if implemented, would have catastrophic consequences on regional stability.

On a different note, the Jordanian minister said that his country has been able to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus through concerted official and popular efforts, and through the commitment to the measures that mitigated the pandemic's impact during the total lockdown.

While the health authorities have classified the level of the epidemic within the kingdom’s borders as “moderate risk”, Adaileh refused to consider that the outbreak has ended, warning against the spread of infections in significant numbers, if the measures were eased without maintaining public safety precautions.



Ukrainian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Our Top Priority is Energy Support

The 11th Saudi relief plane operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) arrived in Poland in Friday ahead of heading to Ukraine. (SPA)
The 11th Saudi relief plane operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) arrived in Poland in Friday ahead of heading to Ukraine. (SPA)
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Ukrainian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Our Top Priority is Energy Support

The 11th Saudi relief plane operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) arrived in Poland in Friday ahead of heading to Ukraine. (SPA)
The 11th Saudi relief plane operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) arrived in Poland in Friday ahead of heading to Ukraine. (SPA)

Ukrainian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Anatolii Petrenko, stressed that his country’s “top priority is energy support in multiple ways,” pointing to preparatory measures between Saudi Arabia and Ukraine concerning a Saudi aid package, most of which consists of energy equipment.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Petrenko said that the Kingdom has been assisting Ukrainian civilians since the early days of the “full-scale Russian invasion,” as he described it. He said Saudi aid “has helped provide decent living conditions for our people, who have been forced by the war to relocate to safe areas within the country. It has also helped us maintain citizens' access to medical services and sustain social infrastructure.”
The ambassador emphasized the difficult period Ukraine is facing due to “energy shortages caused by regular Russian attacks on critical infrastructure,” which previously ensured daily needs for urban and municipal areas. He expressed concern about the approaching winter season and the severe drop in temperatures across the country.
Petrenko pointed to the need for energy resources, as well as access to light, water and heat, to enable the Ukrainian agricultural sector to continue contributing to global and regional food security.
He expressed his country’s firm belief in the importance of Saudi Arabia’s support to bring energy self-sufficiency in Ukraine, presently and in the long term.”
He added: “Through our united efforts, we can enhance the green energy agenda by smartly utilizing diverse renewable energy sources as key resources that can give us complete energy independence.”
The Ukrainian ambassador described the Saudi friendship as “an Arab generosity.” He noted that both Ukraine and the Kingdom were jointly studying “the latest innovations and sustainable technologies, such as combined heat and power plants and piston turbines, which could offset energy losses in various regions of Ukraine and thus prevent humanitarian crises in the winter season for hundreds of thousands of people.”
On the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day, Petrenko stated that his country “stands firmly to celebrate another anniversary of its independence, while appreciating the immense contributions and aid provided by international partners and friends, including Saudi Arabia, which holds a prominent position in leading humanitarian efforts in the region and encourages others to follow the same approach.”
“This represents a success story that will open a new chapter in energy resilience, which helps us achieve national independence,” he underlined.
The ambassador added that Ukraine highly values its bilateral relations with the Kingdom.
“On behalf of my country, I express my gratitude to Saudi Arabia, both the government and the people, for everything they are doing to alleviate the humanitarian challenges facing civilians today,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Riyadh continues to send planes carrying tons of humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRELIEF).
This follows an agreement and memorandum of understanding signed by both sides last year, which included providing an additional humanitarian aid package to Ukraine amounting to $400 million, as well as emergency medical and shelter aid valued at $10 million for refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries, particularly Poland, in coordination with the Polish government and UN organizations.