Assad Promises to Pardon Political Prisoners, Fighters From Jordan

Syrian President Bashar Assad has agreed to pardon fighters from Jordan if Amman submits a list of persons whose release it wants to negotiate, the head of the Jordanian parliamentary delegation to Damascus, Abdul Karim Doghmi, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"The talks were very positive… Assad told us, give me the list of detained Jordanians and we will pardon them, including those who rose against the state," Doghmi said.

The Jordanian delegate said relatives of Jordanians who went missing in Syria had been reporting their names to Amman. He added he was convinced that "the majority, if not everyone" would be released soon.

Only the release of political prisoners and suspects held on terror-related charges will be on the table, Doghmi emphasized.

Sputnik

Saudi Arabia Bans Muslims From Israel and Palestine from Hajj in Mecca

Saudi Arabia has decided to prevent the Hajj more than a million Israeli Muslims. Earlier, the people of Israel could make a pilgrimage with a temporary Jordanian passport. But, according to the new rules of Saudi Arabia, the aforementioned passport is no longer valid.

Thus, more than a million Israeli Muslims will no longer be able to enter the Kingdom, and thus deprived of the opportunity of the pilgrimage to Mecca that is one of the five pillars of Islam. This became known after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammad bin Salman al Saud and discussed the importance of maintaining regime stability.

Note that the pilgrimage to Mecca performed during the month of Ramadan. The lesser pilgrimage “Umrah” can be made at any time of the year and is not mandatory.

Israeli Muslims hitherto used a loophole in the 1978 law that allowed first to get a temporary passport in Jordan, and then travel with him to Saudi Arabia. But now the Kingdom has changed the rules. To travel on temporary documents will be prohibited during the December pilgrimage. Anyone wishing to make the pilgrimage will have to issue regular passports. This decision block on the border of Israeli Muslims, whose number amounts to 17% of Israel’s population.

Official representatives of Israeli Muslims stated that the law worked for 40 years. For some reason, it was decided to cancel it, is unknown. So, the pilgrimage, which was held in December, where already thousands of Israeli pilgrims to pass will not.

While neither the Jordanian nor the Israeli side has not received official explanations from Saudi Arabia.

Jordanian delegation arrives in Syria via Nassib crossing

 A delegation from the Jordanian Bar Association (JBA) arrived in Syria through Nassib border crossing on Thursday, stressing on the unity of the Syrian and Jordanian peoples.

The delegation paid tribute to the steadfast Syrian people in the face of terrorism.

In a press statement, JBA President Mazen Irsheidat said that “we are the sons of Greater Syria and we are one people.”

He pointed out that “we came today to Syria to affirm the bonds of Arabism, which brings together Syria and Jordan which are always an integral whole. We are here to celebrate with Syria the salvation from terrorism and the reopening of this vital and important crossing.”

For his part, Head of the Syrian Bar Association Daraa branch said that the Jordanian delegation’s visit is a clear position against the terrorism that attacked Syria during the past years.

On October 15, Nassib-Jaber crossing between Syria and Jordan was re-opened officially and traffic between the two countries started, ending a three-year closure due to the terrorists’ control over it.

Jordan-Syria border to reopen Monday for first time in 3 years

The border crossing between Jordan and Syria will reopen on Monday after being closed for three years, the two countries said Sunday after weeks of talks.

According to the Jordanian government spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat, Amman’s decision to reopen the Nassib Crossing was a crucial decision to boost trade between the neighboring countries.

“This was a crucial artery of trade between Jordan and Syria and transit to other countries,” she said.

This move to reopen the Nassib Crossing on Monday comes at the same time both Syria and Israel agreed to restore the Golan Heights Crossing.

The Nassib and Golan Heights crossings were both closed in early 2015 after the Syrian Arab Army lost several imperative areas along the southwestern border of the country.

‘technical issues’ behind delay in opening Nassib Crossing - Jordan

The President of the Jordanian Senate, Faysal Al-Fayez, told reporters on Friday that the reason for the delay in opening the Nassib Crossing is due to “technical issues.”

According to Fayez, the Jordanian government is working to resolve the technical issues related to the inspection and the implementation of security systems.

Once these issues are settled, the Jordanian government will work with their counterparts in Damascus to reopen the Nassib Crossing for the first time in several years.

The Syrian government announced last month that they were prepared to open the Nassib Crossing on October 10th; however, it would ultimately be delayed on ‘Amman’s insistence.

Syria: Final preparations being made for opening of the border crossing with Jordan next month #Syria