* Dr. Fayyad: joining the SDDS is an achievement our people have the right to be proud of.  (Al Quds)
* In statements contradictory to Netanyahu`s determination and assessments: Barak and the chief of staff rule out that Tehran will possess nuclear weapons in compliance with the US stance that calls on waiting for the results of international sanctions against it. (Al Quds)
* Jerusalemite prisoners Tawfeeq O`weisat released after 18 years in the Israeli jails. (Al Quds)
* The EU provides 10 million Euros to families living in extreme poverty. (Al Quds)
* Ahmad Shafeeq is back to the Egyptian presidential race. (Al-Quds)
* The EU calls on Israel to backtrack decision of legalizing outposts. (Al-Quds)
* The government reshuffle will debated again after the president`s return from abroad. (Al Ayyam)
* Anan`s mission within a throw of fire of Assad`s forces and Paris considers May 5 a day for international final decision. Shelling and killing in many Syrian cities. (Al Ayyam)
* The Salafis back Abu al-Fotouh for Egypt`s presidency. (Al-Ayyam)
* a-Shaer rules out that “Hamas” would form an Islamic political party. (Al-Ayyam)
* The importing company: delay of payment not the only reason for cutting the Egyptian gas from Israel. (Al-Ayyam)
* Qatar grants Tunisia $1 billion loan. (Al-Ayyam)
* Rivlen: there will be no negotiations over Jerusalem. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
* A Jewish US writer: the policy of the Israeli government is a national suicide. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)

Al-Quds: 1) Jerusalem- Jabal al-Mukabber- scene of celebrations of the release of Jerusalemite prisoner Tawfeeq O`weisat after 18 years in prison.
Al-Ayyam:  1) A Syrian girl during a protest against the Syrian regime in Kufur Nobol in Idlib suburbs yesterday; 2) Prisoners` families during protest in front of the ICRC headquarter in al-Beireh yesterday.
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida:  1) Citizens carrying freed Jerusalemite prisoner Tawfeeq O`weisat on their shoulders; 2) deportee prisoner to Gaza Fahmi Kena`an with his two children

**Jawad Bolous, Prisoner Society attorney on the prisoner hunger strike
Q: What is the latest news on the longstanding hunger strikers who have nearly reached 60 days without food?
These prisoners are continuing what Khader Adnan and then Hana’ Shalabi began. Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh and then others after them are in very critical condition according to their doctors. They are all in the Ramleh Prison Hospital. Because some of the prisoners will not even ingest solutions such as Hasan Safadi and Omar Shallal, the prison administration has completely isolated them in one room. They closed all the windows and have banned the men from contacting anyone even in the hospital. This group of administrative detainees – and I distinguish them from the general strike in prisons – are enduring very life-threatening health conditions; they could die at any time. No one should downplay their condition. It is very bad and they could die suddenly at any minute.

Q: What is sudden death from a medical standpoint?
After the limited amount of liquid and minerals – salt and sugar, for example – the physician reports that one of many things could occur: first, because of the irregularity of their heartbeat – which Thaer and Bilal are experiencing – could lead to a heart attack; internal bleeding in the stomach, because of muscle atrophy, which could lead to death; liver failure as well. There are other earlier symptoms such as chest pain, which Bilal Thiab has suffered several times from.

Q: Are there any contacts and efforts on your part to have them released?  
No. What has happened is that the appeals court rejected Bilal and Thaer’s appeal three days ago. We have appealed to the High Court and we hope we will get an answer in the next two weeks. In the case of Hasan Safadi, the High Court rejected his appeal and his administrative detention sentence was finalized until June. We have not had any other contacts with legal organizations or parties. All of the prisoners have made it clear that they will not back down from their strike until they obtain their freedom – that is their only demand. They don’t want any alternatives.

Q: Can you give me an accurate number of prisoners participating in the general strike now that we are at the end of the second week?
I can’t and I don’t think anyone can give an exact number because each day we hear about more prisoners or groups of prisoners who have joined. Yesterday, in Ofer about 150 prisoners representing all the factions joined the strike. In other prisoners, some prisoners are joining. I believe the number exceeds a fourth of the entire prisoner movement – more than 1,400 prisoners. But I don’t think the number is the decisive factor here in that the strike should either be completely comprehensive or it not. I say, it is comprehensive because it includes all the factions and is unified because of this. This is what has made it so strong.

Q: What are your expectations of the prison administrations’ response to prisoner demands on April 30th?
I am not optimistic personally. Israel has a policy that it is not willing to get into any kind of agreements or appeasement with people who challenged them. This is ridiculous because Israel has hundreds of hunger strikers and is saying it doesn’t want to negotiate with them until they end their strike? Anyway, some prisoners who did not join the strike from the first day said they were giving Israeli prison authorities a chance and will wait for their response before joining. Because of my past experiences, I am not optimistic about their response but in the end, the prisoners will no doubt achieve some of their demands.

**Nader Saeed, on Fatah’s student bloc victories in Palestinian universities
Q: Is what happens in universities and indication of a more general condition?
It is an indication – what happens at universities is similar to society as a whole but it is not an exact reflection. It does, however, show trends in society.

Q: How do we explain this large number of votes for Fatah? Why is there such a huge difference compared to other factions especially Hamas?
There are two factors: the first is in regards to Fatah and the second is about Hamas. I think the basic issue is acceptance of democracy. When there is democracy there will be change; the society is the input and the output so there is nothing guaranteed or eternal. The Arab revolutions proved this. The second issue is Hamas’ performance in the Gaza Strip. I think over the years, even though students to do not follow the situation in the Gaza Strip closely, their performance there has had a huge negative impact on people. There is yet another issue, which is the Arab revolutions. In the beginning I think there were very high expectations but the way the Islamists took over power in Egypt and now in Syria has changed people’s opinions. They wanted the Islamic movements to be part of the process but not to be in the control. So here, there are fears that this could happen here.

Q: What would be your advice to Fatah and Hamas?
What happened to Fatah in 2006 was a very important lesson and this lesson was learned through elections. So this important – Fatah went downhill back then for clear reasons. Now, Hamas is going through the same thing. The split has been very damaging in the eyes of the people. They are seeing things clearer each day and that the split is a conspiracy against the cause. For Fatah, raising the morale of the people is very important although I don’t think support for it has changed radically in the street. But the problem was in their unification and in the votes and in their campaigning. Today, I think the student bloc has given a positive example for Fatah as whole in terms of organization in voting. For Hamas, if it does not give the people the consideration they deserve they will fall: no movement that wants to represent its people and be a government but does not reveal its system to the people – we don’t know about its elections, its leaders, its finances – and believes that everything is permissible to it in terms of performance – can last. It was given an opportunity to prove itself but this opportunity has passed.

**Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud Aloul, on Fatah’s victories in universities
Q: Was Fatah’s sweeping victory a surprise even to the movement or were there efforts on the ground beforehand?
I think both possibilities are plausible. That is, there were predictions that they would win but perhaps the magnitude of the victory was surprising. However, there were many efforts exerted to achieve this. The Shabibeh student bloc worked hard to prepare for elections. Also there was the overall climate that was created in that the Shabibeh represent Fatah and this reflects well on the political level for Fatah and the leadership at the time. It shows how strong the position of the leadership and Fatah is and that the people are mobilized around it.

Q: How can Fatah use these victories to turn them into other victories in society?
These victories are an important political turn for Fatah. Throughout its history, Fatah has never had a problem in terms of its popularity with the people but its problem has been in their performance, in employing this popularity to its advantage.  

Q: Does Fatah have more of a responsibility now at the popular level and the political level?
Definitely. This is very important because winning these positions puts responsibilities on our shoulders. It is not enough to consider this a victory in itself, we need to reinforce this victory but bearing our leadership responsibilities.

*Communications Minister Mashhour Abu Daqqa, on claims that the PA is shutting down websites critical of President Abbas
Q: is the PA really closing down anti-PA websites?
The Israelis don’t need to talk about this because I have been speaking about it for months. It’s true, there are a number of sites but closing them is an individual act and it is illegal. It does not represent the position of the government. The prosecutor general is the party ordering these sites to be shut down but I say this is not legal; this is a way of silencing voices. I think anyone who has been subjected to this should turn to the courts. We are against any withholding of information; the government is clear about this.

** Dr. Omar Nassr on the Islamic Cooperation Conference to convene next Sunday in support of the Palestinian people
Q: How will this conference provide support in ending the medicine crisis in Gaza?
We hope this happen. There are many Arab and Islamic countries participating and also health organizations. We hope the conference will come out with a clear plan in support of the Palestinian people whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, especially in light of the financial crisis in which the PA is experiencing and its ramifications on the health ministry. This of course has reflected negatively on the health conditions in the Gaza Strip due to the medicine crisis.

Q: There is talk about suing the health ministry from the Sawawiya Center, who hold you responsible for the medicine crisis in Gaza. They say you have not send the necessary amounts of medicines. Is this true?
We are happy that such centers are turning to the legal system because this shows that people are depending on our judiciary. However, this is also another indication that the government in Gaza is illegitimate that came into existence through killing and a coup. These centers should have first put responsibility on those who are in control of the Strip and how the situation has spiraled downward. The health ministry has a clear decision from the President that medicines and food is a red line regarding our people in Gaza. In 2011, the health ministry paid the salaries of around 8,150 employees (doctors and nurses and other medical staff). 6,500 are still employed and 1,500 were fired by Hamas. This was valued $102 million a year. The ministry also assumed responsibility for 17,000 patients at a value of $42 million.

**Spokesperson for the security services, Adnan Dmeri, on the cabinet decision to end the practice of security clearance as a condition of employment
Q: Will this decision also apply to military employment and not just in the civil sector?
The military and security services are another issue even though all decisions and laws passed by the President, the PLC or the Cabinet. We in the military are an executive party and it is not in our authority to issues laws or decisions. The security services have a special law named the “service in the Palestinian security services”. Within this law and the conditions, recruitment takes place and all of the other issues that come along with it.

Q: Does the security establishment welcome the Cabinet decision?
We always welcome and commit to all government decisions.

Egypt mufti’s Al Aqsa visit reopens divisive ‘normalisation’ debate
by Taylor Luck

AMMAN/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — When Grand Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Ali Gomaa entered the hallowed grounds of Al Haram Al Sharif last week, he instantly stepped into a decades-old debate over whether visits to the third holiest site in Islam represent the fulfilment of a religious duty or a direct threat to the Palestinian cause.

Several politicians and scholars were quick to denounce the mufti’s visit, issuing statements ranging from demanding his ouster to criticising Amman for facilitating “normalisation” with Israel.

Such visits require Arabs and Muslims to apply for a visa from Israeli embassies in Cairo or Amman, a step Islamists and other clerics claim represents a “written acknowledgement of Israel”.

Hammam Saeed, overall leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, criticised a series of recent visits to Al Haram Al Sharif by various Jordanian officials, ranging from Interior Minister Mohammed Al Raoud to Public Security Department Chief Lt. Gen. Hussein Majali, declaring them against Islamic Sharia.

“Occupation forces guard the site, they dictate who is allowed to enter and who is not, they force through extremists who wish to destroy Al Aqsa while preventing the mufti from entering it,” said Jamil Abu Baker, Muslim Brotherhood spokesperson.

“Visiting Al Aqsa is akin to recognising Zionists as the rightful owners of the site.”

The Jerusalem Awqaf Department, which is responsible for managing the site, condemned the Islamists’ stance, stressing that rather than a controversial act, the visit sent a positive message to Arabs and Muslims across the world that praying at Al Aqsa is acceptable, removing a decades-old “stigma”.

“Al Aqsa is in the greatest danger in its history, and the best way to defend it is to come and visit and pray, not to abandon it,” said Azzam Khatib, the department’s director.

“Refusing to visit Al Aqsa on grounds of normalisation supports Israel’s plans to empty Jerusalem of its Arab and Muslim residents and irreparably change its Islamic character.”

On Wednesday, Reuters quoted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as saying that visits to Jerusalem to pray privately at the third holiest site in Islam should not be seen as acceptance of Israeli occupation.

The argument by some respected Islamic scholars that going to Al Aqsa Mosque is forbidden as long as access is controlled by Israelis is wrong-headed, Abbas said.

Hajj or haram?

In the latest in a series of fatwas (Islamic edicts) issued over visits to Al Aqsa, the Islamic Action Front’s Islamic Scholars Committee declared visits to Al Haram Al Sharif during the occupation as tantamount to “encouraging” the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem, declaring such travel “haram” or “forbidden” for Muslims.

Islamists, like many in the anti-normalisation camp, base their fatwa on various verses in the Koran forbidding Muslims from supporting or encouraging injustices, namely Verse 9 of Surat Al Mumtahina: “Allah forbids you only from those who fought against you because of religion or drove you out from your homes or helped others to drive you out, that you should befriend them; and whoever befriends them — it is they who are the unjust” (60:9).

“It is very clear that any visit by any Muslim, whether they be heads of state or religious leaders, at a time of occupation is unacceptable,” claimed Mohammed Abu Fares, a senior Muslim Brotherhood official and head of the Islamic Scholars Committee.

Fatwas and statements declaring such visits as “forbidden” have little basis in Sharia or Islamic tradition, which supports visits to sacred sites regardless of the political atmosphere, argues Raef Najem, former Jordanian awqaf minister and vice president of the Royal Al Aqsa Restoration Committee.

According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Mohammed’s nocturnal ascent to heaven came during a time that the hallowed grounds were under the rule of the Byzantines, he pointed out, while the Prophet performed Umra (the lesser pilgrimage) in Mecca during a time that the holiest city in Islam was under the rule of “non-believers”.

In early Islamic history, Caliph Omar Bin Al Khatab entered Al Haram Al Sharif at a time that the third holiest site in Islam was under the rule of the Byzantines.”The Holy Koran does not forbid visits to holy sites because they are under occupation; in fact it calls on every Muslim to visit Jerusalem — occupation or no occupation,” Najem said.

Mohammed Hussein, the mufti of Jerusalem and Al Aqsa imam, dismissed the various fatwas barring visits to Jerusalem as “expressions of personal opinions and politics” rather than decisions rooted in sound theology.

“It is acceptable and is encouraged for Muslims to visit Al Aqsa,” Hussein said.

“If scholars and imams want to make a political stance, they shouldn’t do it in the name of religion.”

Palestinian cause

Another objection raised by the “anti-normalisation” camp is the impact of such visits on the Palestinian cause, claiming that visits to the third holiest city in Islam are akin to “surrendering” the capital of a potential Palestinian state to Tel Aviv.

Badi Rafaya, head of the professional associations’ anti-normalisation watchdog, condemned visits to Jerusalem as the “worst kind” of normalisation.

“Visiting a city that has been forcibly emptied of hundreds of thousands of its rightful residents is politically and morally wrong,” Rafaya said.

While anti-normalisation activists claim that their stance is in solidarity with the Palestinians, many Jerusalemites say that fatwas and statements discouraging Arabs and Muslims from visiting the holy city places an “added burden” on a community already reeling from occupation.

The absence of a pilgrimage industry hurts the Palestinians and the thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on the hotels, restaurants and shops located in and around the Old City.

While hundreds of thousands of European and American pilgrims visit the area each year — via Israeli tourist companies and frequent Jewish Israeli-owned establishments — Arab and Muslim visitors to the holy city remain “nonexistent”, according to residents of Jerusalem.

With Palestinian shopkeepers and residents facing exorbitant annual municipal taxes, the absence of Arab tourism or Hajj industry is directly contributing to the flight of Arab and Muslim residents from the holy city, they say.

“If we had one per cent of the tourist traffic the Israelis get, no one would even think of closing his shop,” said Ahmed Daoud, a juice vendor in the Old City’s Christian quarter.

“But as it is now, each day is a struggle not to give up.”

The increased operational costs force Palestinian traders to raise their prices to a level they say even discourages Arab and Muslim Jerusalemites from frequenting their neighbours’ establishments.

“I hate to support the Israelis, but at a time when we are struggling economically, the lower prices in West Jerusalem make a difference,” said Ahmed Mohammed.

Najem believes he has found a solution to allow visits while answering the reservations of anti-normalisation activists.

The Jordanian government could arrange agreements between international companies and Tel Aviv to facilitate tourism that does not require visas directly from the Israeli government, enabling Arabs and Muslims to pray at Al Aqsa without acknowledging Israeli control over Jerusalem, he said.

“As the custodians of Al Haram Al Sharif, it is the responsibility of the Jordanian government to facilitate visits from the Arab and Muslim World that are seen as political and socially acceptable,” Najem said.

Yet as long as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the status of Jerusalem remains unresolved, clerics and officials alike expect the debate to continue in the foreseeable future.

“Until Al Aqsa is liberated, we will continue to be divided,” said Abu Baker. (http://jordantimes.com/egypt-muftis-al-aqsa-visit-reopens-divisive-normalisation-debate)


Obama’s Israel Stance Defies Logic
By George S. Hishmeh

Why did Barack Obama have to go to the Holocaust Museum in Washington to criticise an Arab government —Syria — much as the country's long-serving leadership is the target of international and Arab criticism for its brutal policies?

Is it reasonable to believe that in America's spacious capital city, which has several university campuses, institutions and government halls, he did not have any option other than the controversial museum? It had raised eyebrows when it was established since Americans had no role in the dastardly act of the Nazis.

The likely answer is that he wanted to win over the influential and wealthy Jewish community which plays a major role in American politics, certainly in terms of financial contributions to either political party now engrossed in a seemingly tight presidential election.

Here's what he told his audience, which included Israeli ambassador, Michael Oren. Obama said: "‘Never again' is a challenge to defend the fundamental right of free people and free nations to exist in peace and security — and that includes the State of Israel. And on my visit to the old Warsaw Ghetto, a woman looked me in the eye, and she wanted to make sure America stood with Israel. She said, ‘It's the only Jewish state we have.' And I made her a promise in that solemn place. I said I will always be there for Israel.

"So when efforts are made to equate Zionism to racism, we reject them. When international fora single out Israel with unfair resolutions, we vote against them. When attempts are made to deligitimise the state of Israel, we oppose them. When faced with a regime that threatens global security and denies the Holocaust and threatens to destroy Israel, the United States will do everything in our power to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon."

Syria conflict

Obama then focused on Iran and Syria, forgetting in this respect that Syria had the quietest armistice line with Israel and had repeatedly attempted to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the government of Benjamin Netanyahu but to no avail. Israel appeared determined to keep the strategic Golan Heights.

But the point that Obama failed to underline was the appropriateness of focusing on the Palestinian people and their quest for independence and security so far denied by the Israelis.

However, Obama's insensitive remarks came on the heels of the popular CBS 60 Minutes programme, which highlighted the plight of Palestinian Christians in the West Bank (www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57417408/christians-of-the-holy-land/?tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel)

The well-produced programme, authored by the highly-respected CBS correspondent, Bob Simon, received lots of attention, in good part because of the inelegance and arrogance of ambassador Oren.

Oren's miscalculation was revealed in the live programme when he was questioned about his abhorrent behind-the-scene attempt to twist the arms of Jeff Fager, the CBS news editor, while the programme was still being prepared. He apparently was afraid that the programme was "a hatchet job" against Israel.

The Israeli ambassador sought to blame the dwindling Christian community in the West Bank on Islamic extremism. but when Palestinian Christians were interviewed about the subject they started laughing.

"Not surprisingly," a reporter commented, "Oren calls Israel's Christian critics anti-Semites." Another, Robert Wright, a senior editor of The Atlantic, found the programme "legitimate and balanced".

Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran minister told CBS: "If you see what's happening in the West Bank, you will find that the West Bank is becoming more and more like a piece of Swiss cheese where Israel gets that cheese that is the land, the water resources, the archeological sites, and the Palestinians are pushed in the holes behind the walls."

There are several other prominent issues that Obama could have raised at the Holocaust Museum. For example, Israel's decision to sever its ties with the UN Human Rights Council, which was authorised to probe the "implications" of Israeli colonies for Palestinians.

The eviction of a Palestinian family from occupied East Jerusalem in the neighbourhood of Beit Hanina and allowing Israelis to occupy the area — a step that was condemned by the European Union this week. So far, 67 other Palestinians have been forcibly displaced in the same region.

What has been equally alarming is a report from the US Congressional Research Service that has revealed that the US military has stockpiled in Israel $800 million (Dh2.93 billion worth of weapons for emergencies; the amount may grow by 50 per cent. An Israeli defence report also revealed that the US gave approval to the Israel army to use some of the weapons during the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

All this — and more — raises the question of whether Obama can be expected to do more to bring peace to the Middle East should he have a second term at the White House while seemingly putting all his eggs in the Israeli basket. (http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/obama-s-israel-stance-defies-logic-1.1013688)

Punishment for killing a Palestinian…eight months in prison
Al Quds Editorial
The Israeli Attorney General decided to imprison an Israeli policeman for eight months as part of a deal in which the policeman confessed to the murder. The victim was Hazem Abu Dabaat. This policeman participated in his arrest and handcuffing with other. A bullet was shot from the policeman’s gun and he claimed it was by mistake. It resulted in Abu Dabaat’s death while he was still handcuffed. Hence, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter as a result of negligence.

What should be noted is that an eyewitness who was there at the scene confirmed that the policeman cursed the Palestinian before shooting him, which raises strong suspicions that the shooting was intentional and that the policemen was harboring a lot of hostility towards him when he cursed him.

This is not the first time light sentences have passed on soldiers, policemen and settlers who have carried out similar crimes. This will only allow for continued attacks against the people, their properties and their livelihood without fear of punishment.  The settlers attack people almost daily, uproot their trees, destroy their property and break into their houses; they destroy water wells and farms. Not long ago, they broke into the Ureef School and shot teargas at the students. Others participated in the desecration of holy sites and writing racist slogans offensive to Islam and Christianity without hearing about anyone being punished or held accountable. None were arrested or even detained. Soon they are back doing the same things all over again.

Is Palestinian blood so cheap to them? Do they give Palestinian human rights no consideration?  Where is the rule of law it so praises? Where are the international human rights organizations who cry over the blood and suffering of innocents in some areas while they turn a blind eye to what the Israelis do?

These issues are, in the end, our responsibility; we need to take them to every forum possible and scream about them at the top of our voices and in the faces of those who try to ignore the crimes and violations of international law. This is the time, with so much of the world’s public opinion beginning to realize just how dirty Israel’s actions are against the Palestinians. So many have declared their solidarity with our people and strongly condemn all of the attacks against our rights. The world has started to realize just how deep our suffering runs and the harassment we face each and every day because of the occupation.

On this note, we also call on Palestinian legal experts to expose these unjust and preposterous laws and decisions from a purely legal standpoint. We should ask if the situation were the other way around – if a Palestinian had killed an Israeli Jew by mistake or because of negligence – would they have been satisfied with eight months’ imprisonment?

Visits to Jerusalem: the most important question is the one of purpose
By Hussein Al Rawashda
What prompts four Jordanian personalities to visit Jerusalem in less than a month? There is no official answer to this of course. The government has remained mum with the exception of statements we heard from some of the ‘visitors’ which were unconvincing for sure.

Let us not get into ‘guessing games’ or rumors, or even worse, but suffice with making a few points on the side.

First: In spite of the unprecedented transformations that have taken place in our Arab world, especially at the level of awareness among the peoples towards the Israeli threat and the rising emotions they have against normalization with it, we still unfortunately are dealing with this sensitive issue with our pre-Arab Spring logic. If we just take the most recent decision to halt Egyptian gas to Israel, which is a purely political decision, we would realize the truth of the transformations in the “Arab-Israeli relationships”. Therefore, any Jordanian foreign ‘policy’ that diverts from this path will be met with resistance from pivotal Arab countries.  All we need is the statements of one Egyptian parliamentarian calling for the export of gas to our country as evidence of this.

Second: There is no doubt our country is suffering from a political ‘crisis’, the root of which is already known and which has to do with the nature of the relationship between the state and society, whether this is at the political or economic level. We should be working harder on this and adopt a real ‘recipe’ for fixing it so we can overcome this crisis. But there are others who divert attention away from this believing that it is a shortcut to a quick solution or one that would at least postpone it for a while. Perhaps going to Jerusalem and all of its ramifications is one interpretation in this regard.

Third: There seems to be new scenarios in search of new paths for resuming peace negotiations. It is no secret that there are two ‘formulas’ Israel is thinking of: the first is a unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank – much like what happened in Gaza – and the other is agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state on whatever land remaining within the ’67 borders. In this context, it seems the main matter of concern for Jordan is Jerusalem given that neither formula includes anything new on the issue of refugees, water and borders. Hence, the ‘visits’ to Jerusalem are testimony to the Jordanian role in Jerusalem especially since the Wadi Araba agreement stipulated such a role.

Fourth: directing the discussion towards the religious ‘decrees” regarding these visits to isolate them from their political context indicates a ‘misunderstanding’, not to mention an attempt to divert the issue away from its true substance. Here, we must ask ourselves one central question: What is the point of these visits? What is their benefit? Is there anything to gain from them?

Fifth:  It can be noted that the visits to Jerusalem were made based on political, religious and security considerations according to the statuses and positions of the visitors. This diversity could reflect on the importance of these visits, their political messages and expectations for the future. (http://www.addustour.com/ViewTopic.aspx?ac=\OpinionAndNotes\2012\04\OpinionAndNotes_issue1652_day26_id409466.htm)