By Daniel Sobelman
[Ha'aretz - 13 June 2001] Jordan in recent days has begun limiting the crossing of Palestinians from the West Bank into the kingdom in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority. Jordan's Interior Minister Awad Halifat described the new restrictions as "temporary."
Palestinians who are not permanent residents of the neighboring Hashemite Kingdom, or who do not hold Jordanian citizenship, are now required to produce a special permit, issued by the Jordanian Interior Ministry, allowing them to visit Jordan.
"These regulations are temporary and justified under the current conditions," Halifat said Monday.
The official Jordanian justification for the new policy is that it aims to prevent the migration of Palestinians from the territories, caused by Israeli economic restrictions.
However, the Hashemite Kingdom also appears concerned about the effects that might result from a large-scale migration of Palestinians into its territory.
An official Jordanian source was quoted yesterday as saying that, since the outbreak of the Intifada eight months ago, some 150,000 Palestinians have entered Jordan from the territories, and have not left.
The source rejected suggestions that Jordan is concerned that a possible large-scale Israeli attack in the territories might drive thousands of Palestinians to flee into the kingdom.
The Jordanian authorities said the restrictions will not apply in cases of Palestinians requiring medical attention, seeking to visit Jordan for funerals of relatives, or to Palestinian Authority diplomats.