Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise trip to Jordan on Tuesday to meet with King Abdullah II, his first visit since taking power at the helm of Israel's most right-wing and religiously conservative government in history. The rare meeting between the leaders, who have long had a rocky relationship, comes as friction grows between the neighbors over Israel’s new ultranationalist government, which took office late last year. The talks centered around the status of a contested holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem sacred to both Jews and Muslims, Jordan's official statement suggested. Jordan's royal court said the king urged Israel to respect the status quo at the sacred compound, which Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary and Jews call the Temple Mount. Under an arrangement that has prevailed for decades under Jordan's custodianship, Jews and non-Muslims are permitted visits during certain hours but may not pray there. Religious nationalists, including members of Israel's new governing coalition, have increasingly visited the site and demanded equal prayer rights for Jews there, infuriating the Palestinians and Muslims around the world. The compound — the third-holiest site in Islam — sits on a sprawling plateau also home to the iconic golden Dome of the Rock. In Tuesday's meeting, King Abdullah II also pushed Israel to “stop its acts of violence” that are undermining hopes for an eventual peaceful settlement to the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Jordanian government added, reaffirming support for a two-state solution. Israel's new coalition has vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and even annex the territory — which would make a future independent Palestinian state unviable. Netanyahu’s office said he discussed “regional issues” and security and economic cooperation with Jordan, a key regional ally. Jordan’s 1994 treaty normalizing ties with Israel produced a chilly-at-best peace between the countries. Netanyahu has repeatedly offered assurances that there has been no change in the status quo at the site. The Jordanian government has already summoned the Israeli ambassador to Amman twice in the last month since Israel's new government took office — both times after an incident at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Read more: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says military campaign is continuing full-force and will take time Earlier this month, Israel’s new hard-line minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, made a provocative visit to the site, drawing condemnations from Jordan and across the Arab world. Jordan also protested to Israel after Israeli police briefly blocked the Jordanian ambassador from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque, decrying the move as an unusual affront to Jordan's role as custodian. The compound is administered by Jordanian religious authorities as part of an unofficial agreement after Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza, in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel is in charge of security at the site. Because of Jordan’s role and the site’s importance to Muslims around the world, whatever happens at the site has regional implications.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday urged the students of Palestine and Jordan who have obtained MBBS and other degrees from Bangladesh to uphold the development image of Bangladesh to others.The minister also called them goodwill ambassadors of Bangladesh.He said these in a video message given at a reception organized in honor of Palestinian and Jordanian students who have obtained MBBS and other higher degrees from Bangladesh recently at the initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy in Jordan's Amman.Momen said, "Bangladesh has always been supporting the Palestine issue and Jordan".He said to the students that you have got the opportunity to know Bangladesh better than the citizens of many other countries. As you have spent the most important time of your life in Bangladesh you will always be considered as true friends of us and believe that you will be by our side in any situation, Momen hoped.Ambassador Nahida Sobhan welcomed everyone at the beginning of the event and said that Bangladesh has a historical relationship with Palestine and Jordan. She also said that Bangladesh is now being considered as a "role model" of development in various fields including education, health, agriculture, information, technology, women's empowerment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She urged all those who completed their education from Bangladesh to illustrate the real image of Bangladesh to the world.A video on the development and culture of Bangladesh was screened on the occasion.

Food distribution has already begun in Jordan, Pakistan and Egypt as part of the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign that aims to support disadvantaged communities across 20 countries during the holy month of Ramadan. Low-income families, refugees, orphans and widows in Jordan, Egypt and Pakistan have started receiving food parcels that enable them to prepare their own meals throughout the holy month of Ramadan. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), organiser of the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, is collaborating with international and local partners in each of the beneficiary countries to ensure swift and efficient delivery of food parcels. Massive donations continue to pour in from individuals, companies and businessmen inside and outside the UAE since the campaign launched on April 11. Every AED1 donated helps provide one meal for beneficiaries in targeted countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Jordan refugee camps MBRGI is collaborating with the United Nations World Food Programme, the Food Banking Regional Network and humanitarian organisations in beneficiary countries to ensure food parcels are delivered to people most in need. The UN World Food Programme will distribute cash vouchers raised from the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, sufficient to provide 20.8 million meals in refugee camps in Jordan over the next six weeks. As a strategic partner in the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, the World Food Programme is helping provide food support through money transfers and cash vouchers for low-income communities in Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan and Bangladesh. As an umbrella for local food banks in 13 of the 20 countries covered by the campaign, the Food Banking Regional Network is collaborating with the Jordanian Food Bank to secure food parcels to the target groups in Jordan. The use of cash and vouchers, equipped with biometric identification, has proven to maximise food security outcomes amongst the target population. They help beneficiaries secure access to a diverse and nutritious diet, affording them the choice to select priority needs, and presenting benefits to both buyer and seller by injecting capital into local markets and economies. Islamabad first to benefit The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), in collaboration with the UAE embassy, ​​started distributing food parcels to target groups in Pakistan. Essential food items including flour, rice, lentils, red beans, sugar, oil, dates and tea have so far been distributed in three villages and neighborhoods of the city of Islamabad. Egypt’s food safety net To ensure food parcels reach people most in need, the Food Banking Regional Network is collaborating with the Egyptian Food Bank and a number of charity organisations across Egypt, under the supervision and follow-up of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and its affiliated directorates in all governorates. Low-income families and disadvantaged individuals across Egypt received basic foodstuffs including rice, oil, beans, beans and flour. Food parcels distributed to families are sufficient to prepare between 240 and 300 meals throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan. A partnership for the good of humanity The integrated distribution network, developed in MBRGI’s collaboration the UN World Food Programme, the Food Banking Regional Network and local charities in beneficiary countries, ensures swift food support to the largest possible segment of beneficiaries and maximise the impact of the campaign that aims to improve lives. Individuals and companies can donate to the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign in four simple ways. First, on the campaign’s website www.100millionmeals.ae; second, by making a transfer to the designated bank account through Dubai Islamic Bank (AE08 0240 0015 2097 7815 201); third, by sending "Meal" on SMS to the specified UAE numbers (Etisalat and Du) listed on the website; and fourth, by contacting the campaign call center on the toll-free number 8004999.

The half-brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II said Saturday he has been placed under house arrest and accused the country’s “ruling system” of incompetence and corruption, exposing a rare rift within the ruling monarchy of a close Western ally. Prince Hamzah’s videotaped statement came after the country’s official news agency reported that two former senior officials and other suspects had been arrested for “security reasons,” even as authorities denied that Hamzah had been detained or placed under house arrest. In a video leaked to the British Broadcasting Corp., Hamzah — a former crown prince stripped of his title in 2004 — said he was visited early Saturday by the country’s military chief and told he was not allowed to go out, communicate with people or meet with them. He said his security detail was removed, and his phone and Internet service had been cut. He said he was speaking over satellite Internet and expected that service to be cut as well. The BBC said it received the statement from Hamzah’s lawyer. Also read: Genocide Day observed in Jordan Hamzah said he had been informed he was being punished for taking in part in meetings in which the king had been criticized, though he said he was not accused of joining in the criticism. He then lashed out at the “ruling system” without mentioning the king by name, saying it had decided “that its personal interests, that its financial interests, that its corruption is more important than the lives and dignity and futures of the 10 million people that live here.” “I’m not part of any conspiracy or nefarious organization or foreign-backed group, as is always the claim here for anyone who speaks out,” he said. “There are members of this family who still love this country, who care for (its people) and will put them above all else.” “Apparently, that is a crime worthy of isolation, threats and now being cut off,” he added. It is rare for a senior member of the ruling family to express such harsh criticism of the government, and any sign of instability in Jordan is likely to raise concerns among the country’s Western allies. Hamzah is a popular figure in Jordan. He is seen as religious and modest, in touch with the common people and similar to his beloved father, the late King Hussein. He has criticized the government in the past, accusing officials of “failed management” after they approved an income tax law in 2018. The country’s top general had earlier denied that Hamzah was detained or under house arrest. Hamzah was asked to “stop some movements and activities that are being used to target Jordan’s security and stability,” Gen. Yousef Huneiti was quoted as saying by the official Petra news agency. He said an investigation was ongoing and its results would be made public “in a transparent and clear form.” “No one is above the law, and Jordan’s security and stability are above all,” he added. Petra had earlier reported that Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, and Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, a former head of the royal court, were detained. Awadallah also previously served as planning minister and finance minister and has private business interests throughout the Gulf region. The agency did not provide further details or name the others who were arrested. Abdullah has ruled Jordan since the 1999 death of of his father, King Hussein, who ruled the country for close to a half-century. Abdullah has cultivated close relations with U.S. and other Western leaders over the years, and Jordan was a key ally in the war against the Islamic State group. The country borders Israel, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. “We are closely following the reports and in touch with Jordanian officials,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said. “King Abdullah is a key partner of the United States, and he has our full support.” Saudi Arabia’s official news agency said the kingdom “confirmed its full support to Jordan and its king and crown prince in all decisions and procedures to maintain security and stability and defuse any attempt to affect them.” Jordan’s economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. The country, with a population of around 10 million, also hosts more than 600,000 Syrian refugees. Jordan made peace with Israel in 1994. The countries maintain close security ties, but relations have otherwise been tense in recent years, largely due to differences linked to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinian refugees, most of whom have Jordanian citizenship. Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined comment. Also read: Israeli PM cancels UAE trip, citing disagreement with Jordan Stability in Jordan and the status of the king has long been a matter of concern, particularly during the Trump administration, which gave unprecedented support to Israel and sought to isolate the Palestinians, including by slashing funding for Palestinian refugees. In early 2018, as then-President Donald Trump was threatening to cut aid to countries that did not support U.S. policies, the administration boosted assistance to Jordan by more than $1 billion over five years. Abdullah stripped his half-brother Hamzah of his title as crown prince in 2004, saying he had decided to “free” him from the “constraints of the position” in order to allow him to take on other responsibilities. The move was seen at the time as part of Abdullah’s consolidation of power five years after the succession. The current crown prince is Abdullah’s oldest son, Hussein, who is 26. Jordan’s ruling family traces its lineage back to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Abdullah had chosen Hamzah as his crown prince hours after their father died of cancer in February 1999. The designation was out of respect for King Hussein, who was known to have favored Hamzah the most among his 11 children from four marriages. Until now, Abdullah and Hamzah have not displayed any open rivalry. In the videotaped statement, a portrait of King Hussein could be seen on the wall behind the prince.

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Amman, Jordan has observed the Genocide Day 2021 with due solemnity. Due to the ongoing lockdown and social distancing measures of the Jordanian government, the Embassy had to arrange the event in a very limited scale. A number of Bangladesh community members living in Amman joined the Embassy officials and staff members in commemorating the Genocide Day, said a media release on Thursday night. The programme commenced with the reading out of verses from the Holy Quran.   Then, a one-minute silence was observed in remembrance of the martyrs of 25th March and the War of Independence. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it called off the Israeli leader’s visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing disagreements with the Jordanian government.

A new report published today by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has identified a series of policy measures that can help advance the energy transition towards renewable energy in Jordan.

Jordanian Senate President and former Prime Minister Faisal Akif Al-Fayez has highly appreciated Bangladesh’s over 5 percent GDP growth even during pandemic under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

 Bangladesh and Jordan have discussed ways to strengthen trade relations between the two countries.

Sanal Kumar, the chairman of Jordan’s largest readymade garment factory, met Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad on Thursday.