Israel protests image of Jordanian minister ‎stepping on flag‎

The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned ‎acting Jordanian Ambassador Mohammed Hmaid ‎‎for a ‎reprimand after local media published a photo of a ‎Jordanian ‎minister stepping on an image of the ‎Israeli flag. ‎

In parallel, the Israeli Embassy in Amman delivered an official strong condemnation of the incident to ‎the kingdom's government, the ministry said. ‎

The photo, published on the Jordanian website ‎Jfranews, showed Information Minister Jumana ‎Ghuneimat walking over an Israeli flag painted on ‎the floor of ‎the headquarters of Jordan's ‎professional unions in ‎Amman.‎

Footprints were also painted on the flag. ‎

Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement in 1994, ‎but relations have often been frosty, with ‎differences over Israeli policies in Jerusalem, ‎where Jordan is custodian over Muslim sites, and ‎toward the Palestinians.‎

The unions are controlled by Jordan's mainly ‎‎Islamist opposition, known for its fierce ‎ideological ‎objection to the peace treaty between ‎the two nations or any other move toward normalizing ‎ties with the Jewish state. ‎

The incident occurred last Thursday at Jordan's ‎Trade Union building, when Ghuneimat ‎was on her way ‎to a meeting between ‎Jordanian Prime Minister Omar ‎al-Razzaz and union ‎representatives.

Razzaz entered the ‎building through a rear door, ‎avoiding having to ‎walk over the flag.‎

Majed Qatarneh, a spokesman for Jordan's Foreign ‎Ministry, confirmed that Israel had sought ‎clarifications over the incident, saying the ministry ‎was handling the issue through "diplomatic ‎channels."‎

‎"The Israeli side was informed that the building is ‎a private one and the minister entered it from the ‎main entrance for an official meeting," he said. "We have emphasized that we respect the peace treaty ‎with Israel."‎