Palestinian Authority Civilian Affairs Minister Jamil Al Terifi said Saturday that he would ask Jordan to end measures announced last week to restrict the entry of Palestinians into the kingdom via the King Hussein Bridge, according to the official Kuwait news agency (KUNA).
Jordan said the measure at the bridge, which links the West Bank with Jordan, was a precautionary measure to abort any Israeli move to drive Palestinian citizens out of their homeland.
The minister, who will arrive in Amman late Saturday, said the PA "was surprised at the Jordanian ban.”
“Although the order is in line with Jordan's sovereignty, we consider it serious," KUNA quoted him as telling Palestine Radio.
“Jordan has violated an earlier agreement between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and the late king Hussein stipulating [the treatment of] Palestinians until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” he said.
Jordan’s Interior Minister Awad Khleifat said last week that the measures were temporarily approved following discussions with the PA.
"These regulations are temporary and justified under the current circumstances," he said.
The new measures do not affect holders of yellow cards who have permanent residency in the kingdom, or Palestinians holding five-year Jordanian passports.
According to the minister, Palestinian visitors holding "green cards" should acquire the ministry's approval in advance for a visit.
Green card holders are not allowed to stay in the kingdom for more than three months without renewing their entry permits.
Khleifat said that among those exempted from the new regulations were ill people seeking medical treatment, those mourning the recent death of a relative in Jordan, people visiting patients in Jordanian hospitals, university students, and visitors coming to travel abroad via Jordanian territory, according to the report.
The exemption also includes PA diplomats or officials, Palestinians coming on official duty in Jordan or abroad, and the wives and children of male holders of "yellow cards."
Meanwhile, Jordan denied it had refused entry to around 200 Palestinians, who were held up late Thursday at the King Hussein Bridge.
Palestinian officials in Ramallah said Thursday that five buses carrying Palestinians wanting to enter Jordan were blocked at the crossing point, also known as Allenby Bridge, when the Jordanians refused to let them through, said AFP.
The unidentified officials said Jordan argued that the Palestinians did not hold the special permits that became necessary for the crossing earlier this week.
But an interior ministry official told AFP late Thursday that the Palestinians were blocked at the crossing when Israeli authorities decided to close their side of the bridge in the early evening.
"After around two hours, the Israeli bridge authorities were informed that around 200 people who wanted to cross into Jordan were stuck and approval was immediately given to let them through," AFP quoted the official as saying – Albawaba.com
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