AMMAN — A senior US State
Department official lamented Sunday Jordan's expected absence from the Negev
Forum meeting of Israel and its Arab allies, which is scheduled to be held in
the UAE on Monday and Tuesday, Khaberni reported.
اضافة اعلان
According to an Israeli news outlet, Jordan
will be the only Arab country sustaining full diplomatic relations with Israel
that will not be sending a delegation to the meeting, which will discuss
various regional projects.
Previously, the US State Department had
announced that an American delegation would be sent to the UAE to participate
in the meeting and convene with representatives of the governments of Bahrain,
Egypt, Israel, Morocco, and the UAE to encourage regional cooperation, Khaberni
reported.
However, according to the US official,
“there’s an empty chair at the table because Jordan obviously has a
peace agreement with Israel,” the Israeli source reported.
Jordan has held fast to its firm position
against joining the Negev Forum in solidarity with the Palestinian side, as the
Palestinian Authority has refused to cooperate publicly with the forum, which
it views as part of attempts to marginalize the Palestinian cause.
Nevertheless, on Sunday, a spokesman for
the
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Jordan is “still invited to
attend the Negev summit in Morocco", which will convene high-level representatives of four Arab
Countries as well as the US, according to Khaberni.
The meeting will
likely be scheduled for March, the spokesman said.
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