Jordan protests 'undiplomatic' letter from Rivlin

According to reports in Jordan, Knesset speaker expressed New Year's wishes 'from Jerusalem, the capital of Israel' and said 'we will remain optimistic because our fathers who founded the state in 1948 were optimistic.' Jordanian counterpart: Letter embodiment of Israel’s arrogance

Roi Kais|Published: 01.22.12 , 11:09

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry summoned Israeli Ambassador Danny Naveh to protest the content of a letter sent by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin to the head of the Jordanian Senate, Taher al-Masri, al-Ghad reported over the weekend.

According to the Jordanian daily, which is affiliated with the opposition, al-Masri wrote the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem that the letter contained "objectionable opinions" that project "the mentality of someone who conquers land and other people's rights."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied that the ambassador in Amman was summoned, but confirmed that al-Masri's expressed indignation over Rivlin's letter.

According to al-Ghad's report, Rivlin wrote to al-Masri expressing "best wishes on the occasion of the new year" from the "blessed city of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel."

Rivlin further wrote that "Israel has been facing challenges and anti-Semitism over the past few years as well as attempts to delegitimize Israel. Israel faced terrorist attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah on civilians, and is facing Iran’s nuclear program which threatens to destroy Israel.

"Furthermore, the Palestinians refuse to resume face-to-face peace negotiations with Israel, and there is the Arab Spring which nobody still knows where is it headed. Despite hardships, the Jewish people managed to return to their homeland and to build a modern democratic and viable state. Despite all challenges we will remain optimistic because our fathers who founded the state in 1948 were optimistic. Israel was barren land with quagmires spreading malaria, and almost without natural resources, or oil underground," Rivlin's letter read.

In the letter, the Knesset speaker stressed that Israel is Jewish as much as it is democratic.

Al-Masri notified Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh of the private correspondence, which he said broke rules governing diplomatic channels between the countries.

He said the letter contained "fallacies and political claims that contradicted Jordan and the international community’s attitude towards the question of Palestine."

The letter is an "embodiment of Israel’s arrogance, boasting and racism as well as perverting historic facts to prove Israel’s claims," al-Masri said.