Day: April 7, 2025

Amman: The Arab Preparatory Conference for Trade Unions commenced in Amman on Monday, ahead of the 113th session of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) annual conference, scheduled for June in Geneva.

According to Jordan News Agency, the conference is organized by the Arab Trade Union Confederation and attended by representatives of Arab trade unions. The conference aims to coordinate a unified Arab stance and foster cooperation with Arab governments and allied nations to support the State of Palestine’s bid for observer membership in the ILO.

Speaking on behalf of Senate President Faisal Fayez, Chairman of the Senate Labor and Development Committee, Senator Issa Murad, stated in his opening remarks that the conference convenes amid significant social, economic, political, and security challenges across the region.

Murad said the most pressing of these challenges is the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, at a time when international legitimacy and the United Nations have failed to halt the massacres and war crimes, limiting their response to condemnation.

He underscored that regional instability and conflict exacerbate unemployment and poverty, impede economic growth, and diminish productivity across Arab countries, severely impacting workers and labor institutions.

Murad called for convening an Arab Economic Summit involving parliamentarians, economists, business leaders, and representatives of chambers of commerce, industry, and labor unions. The goal, he said, would be to lay the groundwork for an Arab economic union modeled after the European and Chinese experiences.

President of the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions, Khaled Fanatseh, affirmed full support for Palestine’s membership in the ILO, highlighting the vital role trade unions play in defending workers’ rights and advancing their working conditions in accordance with international labor standards.

Fanatseh also cited ongoing challenges facing workers, particularly low wages and limited social protection, noting that women in the Arab region disproportionately shoulder unpaid care work, hindering their participation in the labor force.

President of the Arab Trade Union Confederation, Shaher Saad, reiterated the necessity of unified Arab efforts to support Palestine’s ILO bid in light of Israel’s violations of Palestinian workers’ rights.

Executive Secretary of the Arab Trade Union Confederation, Hind Bin Ammar, noted that over 280 million workers in 161 countries aspire to achieve social justice and enhance the role of unions in safeguarding their rights. She pointed to the Arab region’s distinct developmental needs and stressed that empowering workers through occupational health and safety is a legitimate and essential step toward achieving sustainable development.

The conference will continue with two days of dialogue and conclude on Tuesday with an evaluation and recommendations session.

Tashkent: A Senate delegation is taking part in the 150th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is being held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from April 5 to 9. The delegation comprises Senator Haya Qaraleh, who chairs the delegation, and Senator Mahasen Jaghoub, according to a statement issued by the Senate on Monday.

According to Jordan News Agency, during the meetings of the Sustainable Development Committee, Qaraleh called for an immediate end to the brutal aggression against the Gaza Strip and the ongoing genocide targeting the Palestinian people. She underscored the urgent need to open border crossings and facilitate the unimpeded entry of humanitarian and medical aid into the besieged Strip, while firmly rejecting all forms of forced or voluntary displacement of Palestinians.

Qaraleh also took part in the conference of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, held on the sidelines of the IPU session.

Senator Jaghoub, meanwhile, was selected during the Arab Coordination Meeting to draft an emergency item on behalf of the Arab Group. She also participated in the meetings of the Committee on Middle East Issues in her capacity as a member.

Ajloun: More than 10,000 people made it to the Ajloun cable car during the Eid al-Fitr holidays despite a temporary disruption on the second day due to strong winds, according to the Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZ), which runs the cable car known as teleferik.

According to Jordan News Agency, Director General of the JFDZ, Mohammad Wakid, said the cable car broke the visitor record, welcoming over 5,000 people in a single day on Friday. This included citizens, residents, Arab and foreign tourists, indicating a growing public interest in cable car rides as a key tourist attraction in the Kingdom.

The JFDZ called on visitors to arrive early to experience all activities and services available at the scenic Sawwan site of the cable, 76 kilometers from Amman. The cable car operates seven days a week, except for the first Tuesday of each month.

The cable car service is part of a broader promotional campaign for Ajloun as a leading tourist destination by the JFDZ, which is spearheading the development of the Sawwan area as a tourism and investment destination.

Cairo: His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday held a trilateral summit in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron, to discuss the grave developments taking place in Gaza.

According to Jordan News Agency, at the summit, hosted by the Egyptian president, the leaders called on the international community to push for a cessation to Israel’s war on Gaza, to reinstate the ceasefire and implement all its phases, and to resume the flow of sufficient humanitarian aid to stop the deepening crisis faced by Gazans.

His Majesty warned that continued Israeli attacks on Gaza undermine all diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to end the crisis, and threaten to plunge the entire region into chaos. The King stressed the need to reach regional calm and work towards finding a political horizon to achieve just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the security and stability of Palestinians, Israelis, and the entire region.

His Majesty commended Egypt’s positions, led by President Al Sisi, in support of Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian cause. The King also praised France’s support for the ceasefire in Gaza and its support for the Arab plan for the reconstruction of the Strip. His Majesty reiterated Jordan’s rejection of the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, warning of the danger of continuing unilateral measures against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The King and the Egyptian president also commended France’s position in support of settling the Palestinian issue and rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from their land, stressing the importance of concerted international efforts, particularly by European Union countries, including France, to support the Arab plan for the rebuilding and recovery of Gaza.

The three leaders emphasised the importance of a political path leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as lasting peace and security in the region, and an end to escalation of the conflict. For his part, the French president noted the importance of Jordan and Egypt’s positions in support of Palestinian rights, stressing France’s readiness to do everything necessary to restore calm and reach a political settlement to the Palestinian issue.

The Jordanian delegation to the summit included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Egypt Amjad Adaileh. Prior to the summit, His Majesty and President Al Sisi held a meeting during which they reviewed bilateral relations and emphasised continued coordination on issues of mutual concern in service to the interests of both countries and Arab causes. The King also met with President Macron, where they discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote global security and stability.

Cairo: His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday held a trilateral summit in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron, to discuss the grave developments taking place in Gaza, according to a royal court statement.

According to Jordan News Agency, at the summit, hosted by the Egyptian president, the leaders called on the international community to push for a cessation to Israel’s war on Gaza, to reinstate the ceasefire and implement all its phases, and to resume the flow of sufficient humanitarian aid to stop the deepening crisis faced by Gazans.

His Majesty warned that continued Israeli attacks on Gaza undermine all diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to end the crisis, and threaten to plunge the entire region into chaos. The King stressed the need to reach regional calm and work towards finding a political horizon to achieve just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the security and stability of Palestinians, Israelis, and the entire region.

His Majesty commended Egypt’s positions, led by President Al Sisi, in support of Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian cause. The King also praised France’s support for the ceasefire in Gaza and its support for the Arab plan for the reconstruction of the Strip.

His Majesty reiterated Jordan’s rejection of the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, warning of the danger of continuing unilateral measures against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The King and the Egyptian president also commended France’s position in support of settling the Palestinian issue and rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from their land, stressing the importance of concerted international efforts, particularly by European Union countries, including France, to support the Arab plan for the rebuilding and recovery of Gaza.

The three leaders emphasised the importance of a political path leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as lasting peace and security in the region, and an end to escalation of the conflict.

For his part, the French president noted the importance of Jordan and Egypt’s positions in support of Palestinian rights, stressing France’s readiness to do everything necessary to restore calm and reach a political settlement to the Palestinian issue.

The Jordanian delegation to the summit included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Egypt Amjad Adaileh.

After the summit, His Majesty and President Al Sisi held a meeting during which they reviewed bilateral relations and emphasised continued coordination on issues of mutual concern in service to the interests of both countries and Arab causes. The King also met with President Macron, where they discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote global security and stability.

Gaza: Thirty-seven percent of essential medicines and 59 percent of medical supplies are out of stock in Gaza, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip revealed on Monday.

According to Jordan News Agency, the statement was issued on World Health Day, highlighting “serious and catastrophic repercussions” for the already deteriorating health and humanitarian situation in the region. The Ministry noted that 54 percent of medications for cancer and blood diseases, 40 percent of primary care medications, and 51 percent of maternal and child health supplies are currently unavailable.

The report emphasized the critical shortage of medications for operating rooms, intensive care units, and emergency departments due to ongoing hostilities. Vital hospital departments that depend on generators face the risk of shutting down as a result of a shortage of fuel and spare parts, many of which have been destroyed.

The Ministry also warned that efforts to combat a polio epidemic, ongoing for the past seven months, are faltering due to restrictions on vaccine imports, with 42 percent of childhood vaccines currently unavailable in Gaza. Patients are being denied access to diagnostic imaging services because of the destruction of CT and MRI equipment. Furthermore, around 13,000 patients are unable to receive specialized treatment outside of Gaza due to the closure of the Rafah crossing.

These developments are placing an immense strain on healthcare providers, the Ministry stated, urging action to alleviate the pressures on healthcare, which has been repeatedly targeted. It called for the provision of essential medical supplies to enable healthcare workers to care for the sick and wounded.