THE ISRAEL REPORT September/October

Excerpts: Jordan's Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali Praises Hamas During Visit

"Majali explains Jordan's position on Hamas to Gaza representatives"
by Dima Hamdan Jordan Times 11 October 1999

QUOTE FROM TEXT:

"Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali told the Jordan Times that he met with three Hamas members in Gaza, where he stressed that Jordan still holds the movement in high regard."

"We explained to them that the issue is not against Hamas. Hamas is an Islamic movement that we respect," Majali said.

"Those [the detained members] are Jordanian citizens who were allowed their constitutional right of expression, but they [disrespected] that, and therefore, they should be questioned by the law."

Majali, who headed a parliamentary delegation the Palestinian National Authority territories, added that the three members - Mahmoud Al Zahhar, Ismail Abu Shanab, Muhammad Huneidi - understood Jordan's position and its insistence on pursuing the issue in court.