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“Bin Salman and the United Arab Emirates are trying to strangle Jordan’s economy until it agrees to their terms, submit to their leadership in the region, and agree to Trump’s so-called ‘ultimate deal’ ”- Wafa Bani Mustafa

Jordan, home to millions of Palestinian refugees, with strong political, economic and social ties in the West Bank, faces fire for criticizing Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

According to Member of Parliament, Wafa Bani Mustafa, the two main antagonists are the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman playing a dominant role.

Bani Mustafa also said Jordan’s closest Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies – Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait – did not renew a five-year financial assistance programme with Amman worth $3.6bn that ended in 2017.

US aid to Jordan amounts to about $1.6bn a year; about $800m in military assistance and $800m in economic relief. Part of the economic assistance arrives as a direct monetary transfer, while the rest comes in the form of USAID projects in the country. Jordan’s 2018 budget includes a $400m direct grant from the United States.

In a statement released by the royal court, King Abdullah II of Jordan stated that Trump’s decision would lead to “dangerous repercussions on the stability and security of the region”.

Although Jordan is the only Arab nation directly involved in the peace deal between Israel and Palestine, neither the US nor Arab countries invited Jordan for negotiation.

Petra, Jordan’s state news agency, reported that King Abdullah met with King Salman in Saudi Arabia in a discussion focused on the “dangerous implications of the United States decision”.

King Abdullah joins other leaders last Wednesday for an emergency meeting called by the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), aimed at producing a “unified Islamic position” over Trump’s recognition.

OIC’S DECISION

The extraordinary OIC summit was called for by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following US capital relocation from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Erdogan accused Israel of being a “state of terror”, adding that apart from Israel, no other country in the world has supported Trump’s move.

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Speaking earlier on Wednesday, the OIC’s Secretary General, Yousef al-Othaimeen rejected the United States’ decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, urging Muslim leaders to jointly recognize East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital.

“The OIC rejects and condemns the American decision, this is a violation of international law, and this is a provocation of the feelings of Muslims within the world.

“It will create a situation of instability in the region and in the world.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the US had “disqualified” itself from future Israel-Palestine peace talks, after proving its “bias in favor of Israel”.

East Jerusalem, home to some of the holiest sites for Muslims (Dome of the rock and Masjid-Al Aqsa), Christians (Church of the holy Sepulchre) and Judaism (Temple Mount and Western Wall), was formerly occupied by Jordan before the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 and has remained with Palestine even after the war.

Saudi Arabia and other countries have however joined in the vote against the US decision to move its Embassy to Jerusalem. An event which puts holes in Mr. Wafa’s claim. Mr. Trump’s administration has threatened to cut aides to countries which voted against the US decision.

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