Jordan’s PM: Parliament shouldn’t meddle in treaties

Criticizing MPs’ anti-Israel vote, Abdullah Ensour says legislators’ role is to advise, not decide

By Elhanan Miller 19 May 2013, 6:20 pm

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Elhanan Miller is the former Arab affairs reporter for The Times of Israel

Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour (photo credit: AP)

In an understated critique of the Jordanian parliament, Jordan’s prime minister said Sunday that annulling the peace treaty with Israel is not within the authority of the legislature, only of the executive.

Abdullah Ensour told Qatari news channel Al Jazeera that in order to annul the peace treaty signed by the two countries in 1994, both houses of parliament must vote in favor, but that such a decision is not within the prerogatives of the legislature.

“The house of representatives is a legislative entity, not an executive one,” said Ensour in response to a parliament vote on May 8 to eject the Israeli ambassador to Amman. “We welcome the guidance of the parliament and take its reactions into account… however, not as a decision-maker but as a monitor and overseer. The difference is clear.”

Last week, the speaker of Jordan’s senate, Taher Al-Masry, told Jordanian daily Al-Ghad that the Arab world’s reaction to Israeli violations on the Temple Mount is insufficient to deter Israel.

A government minister, Mohammed Al-Momani, said that Jordan was considering “diplomatic and legal” measures against Israel, but did not specify what exact measures were being weighed.