Jordan's Brotherhood support rejection of Israeli airport close to border

Jordan’s Islamic Action Front Party (the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood) expressed its support for the government’s rejection of Israeli plans to establish an airport near the southern Jordanian border.

Israel plans to build an international airport in the Timna area, located off the city of Aqaba in the south of the country.

Timna Airport’s website says that it will be established 18 kilometres to the north of Eilat, southern Israel, to replace a current airport inside the city.

In a statement quoted by Israeli public radio, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the building of the international airport would not affect the sovereignty of Jordan or the safety of its territory.

The radio noted that the statement came in response to the Jordanian government’s rejection of the airport.

Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said in a speech to his parliament last January regarding the airport plans: “Israel does not have the right to do that, and this is a violation of Jordan sovereignty, but the reference in that are the international authorities that issue licenses for airports.”

Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood also commented on the visit made by Libya’s General Khalifa Haftar to Amman. Haftar is the commander of forces loyal to the internationally-backed government which has fled to Tobruk.

Islamic Action Front Party said in a statement that receiving Haftar is “siding with one party”.