Jordan returns back 15 Palestinians to Jordan, refuses to receive refugees

Jordan announced yesterday that it will not permit refugees from Iraq or the Palestinian territories to enter its lands, noting the return back of a small group of Palestinian refugees who carry Lebanese documents to Lebanon, stressing that "the security fist controls the border with Iraq and any other border point can not be violated."

In remark to al-Rweished camp which was installed in the beginning of the American invasion of Iraq, to which hundreds of Palestinians, Kurds and split Iranians resorted, the Jordanian minister of the interior Samir al-Habashena said "our position does not pertain to 200- 300 persons in al-Rweished camp because 200 persons will not affect the demographic structure of the state of Jordan."

He added "we, as from our position towards al-Rweished sent a strong message to the world that Jordan will not be qualified to receive new immigrants."

The Jordanian news agency quoted al-Habashenah as saying that there are "70 cases who were returned back home and 40 to 50 of them who were returned back to Baghdad in agreement with the Iraqi governing council and 60 to 70 cases the UNHCR tries to settle in a third country."

He continued that the Jordanian government is making talks with Arab states to host Palestinians who were earlier given asylum, noting that Egypt and Lebanon had actually agreed to receive some refugees. He said that "the Lebanese government agreed to return back three families composed of 15 members carrying the Palestinian- Lebanese travel document, and the Egyptian government returned back 16 families carrying the Palestinian- Egyptian travel document, and that contacts continue with the Egyptian government to return back 10 similar families to Egypt."