King congratulates Azerbaijan president, Armenia PM on reaching peace agreement
His Majesty stressed the importance of the agreement in promoting wider international security and peace, commending the efforts of the United States and President Donald Trump in mediating the agreement, according to a Royal Court statement.
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Jordan Times
10 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Netanyahu slams Macron for fuelling 'antisemitic fire' — letter
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upbraided President Emmanuel Macron in a letter seen by AFP Tuesday, blaming the French leader's move to recognise a Palestinian state for fuelling anti-semitism. Late last month, Macron said France would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, drawing a swift rebuke from Israel. By announcing the move, France was set to join a growing list of nations to recognise statehood for the Palestinians since Israel launched a bombardment of Gaza nearly two years ago in response to Hamas's shock attack. In the letter sent to Macron, Netanyahu said antisemitism had "surged" in France following the announcement. "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas's refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets," Netanyahu wrote in the letter. The Israeli premier went on to call on Macron to confront antisemitism in France, saying he must "replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23".
Jordan Times
11 hours ago
- Jordan Times
UN slams Israel's block on bringing tents to Gaza
GENEVA — The United Nations took aim Tuesday at Israel's months-long block on bringing tents into the Gaza Strip, despite continual displacement orders being issued to civilians in the devastated territory. Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, said shelter items had been banned from entering Gaza for about five months, a period in which more than 700,000 people had been displaced or re-displaced. "They may have been provided with a tent, and then they are displaced again and they have no possibility of taking the tent with them," he told a press briefing in Geneva. He said Israel had classified tents as "dual use" because they considered tent poles could potentially be used for a military purpose. He decried "layers of bureaucracy which seem designed not to facilitate fast entry of anything but rather the opposite". Israel announced earlier this month that it intended to take over Gaza City and issued another displacement order to residents on Saturday. Laerke said tents were still not being allowed into the territory. The UN human rights office meanwhile said the Gaza City takeover plans bore "huge risks for civilians". "There are risks of mass displacement and more and more killings and more misery," said spokesman Thameen Kheetan. He accused Israel of displacing Palestinians to areas where strikes were continuing. Kheetan said "hundreds of thousands" were being told to go south to Al Mawasi, which he said was still under bombardment. He said Palestinians in Al-Mawasi had "little or no access to essential services and supplies, including food, water, electricity and tents". 'Widespread starvation' warning Across the Gaza Strip, Kheetan said the risk of starvation was "everywhere". "This is a direct result of the Israeli government's policy of blocking humanitarian aid. In the past few weeks, Israeli authorities have only allowed aid to enter in quantities that remain far below what would be required to avert widespread starvation," he said. The Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private organisation, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip in late May as Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade on the Palestinian territory that had exacerbated existing shortages. "Reaching the meagre supplies available can be a deadly pursuit," said Kheetan. "Since May 27 and up until August 17, we have documented that 1,857 Palestinians were killed while seeking food, including 1,021 killed in the vicinity of the GHF sites, and 836 killed on the routes of supply trucks. "Most of these killings appear to have been committed by the Israeli military." More than two million people live in the Gaza Strip. GHF says it has distributed more than 2.1 million boxes of foodstuffs to date. "GHF has demonstrated that aid can be delivered safely and at scale," its executive director John Acree said Monday.
Jordan Times
11 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Jordan to launch electronic passport pilot in September
AMMAN — Jordan is advancing its digital transformation agenda with the introduction of an electronic passport, set to enter its pilot phase in September. Unveiled at the Government Communication Forum under the theme 'Digital Transformation System and the Issuance of the Electronic Passport,' the initiative aims to streamline government services and enhance security standards. Director General of the Civil Status and Passports Department Ghaith Tayyib said that the new passport would feature a polycarbonate data page, embedded with invisible security elements to prevent forgery and tampering, in line with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Citizens would be able to apply for the e-passport through the Sanad application or the department's electronic services portal, with approved passports delivered by Jordan Post within 72 hours. Officials say the process would improve efficiency and reduce administrative burdens for citizens both inside and outside the Kingdom. Tayyib described the September pilot phase as a 'qualitative leap' in Jordan's digital service delivery, highlighting the government's commitment to modernising procedures and aligning with global technological advancements. The department also noted broader achievements in digitalisation and civil documentation. Over 135,000 identification cards have been issued to children of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians, facilitating access to government services and strengthening civil rights. Under Royal directives supporting the resilience of Jerusalemites, the department has also delegated the Sharia Court in Jerusalem to process applications, resulting in 116,000 passports issued to city residents. Currently, the Civil Status and Passports Department provides 25 electronic services, covering roughly 80 per cent of its annual transactions. The e-passport is seen as an extension of this digital expansion and a cornerstone of Jordan's future service framework, Tayyib said. By integrating advanced security features with digital accessibility, the e-passport project reflects Jordan's wider ambition to embed technology in governance while upholding citizens' rights and meeting international obligations.
