Jordan, Morocco threaten sanctions in ties with Israel

Jordan and Morocco, two Arab countries with diplomatic ties with Israel, threatened Sunday to take unspecified measures in their ties with Israel to protest attacks on the headquarters of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher summoned Israeli Ambassador to Jordan David Dadonn to his office Sunday to "strongly protest the Israeli actions," said Information Minister Mohammad Affash Adwan.

Muasher warned the Israeli ambassador that "Jordan might take measures related to bilateral relations with Israel if the Israeli actions against the Palestinian people and leadership do not immediately stop," Adwan said.

Adwan said Muasher told the Israeli ambassador that the "Jordanian people, king and government stand beside President Arafat and the Palestinian people."

Jordan's options included further downgrading its representation in Israel, asking the Israeli ambassador to leave, or cutting or suspending the ties. Jordan delayed the departure of its new ambassador to Israel in October 2000 to protest Israeli clashes with the Palestinians.

Israeli Embassy officials were not immediately available for comment.

The Jordanian government, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, is increasingly coming under pressure from its own population to cut ties with Israel. There have been angry anti-Israeli protests in the streets of Amman and inside Palestinian refugee camps over the last two days.

Roughly 60 percent of Jordan's 5 million people are Palestinians who fled or were driven out of their homes in the 1948 War of Independence and the 1967 Six-Day War.