Jordanian parliament votes to expel Israeli ambassador

Jordan's parliament has voted to expel Israel's ambassador to Amman after Finance Minister Belazel Smotrich spoke at an event in Paris this week alongside a map showing "Greater Israel" covering the Hashemite kingdom and occupied West Bank land.

The non-binding vote, which passed nearly unanimously, urges the Jordanian government to take "effective measures" against Smotrich’s statements and behaviour - including the expulsion of ambassador Amir Weissbrod from Amman, The New Arab reports.

Jordanian MPs said the Israeli minister's actions reflect "Israeli arrogance and disrespect of international treaties and conventions", the latest flare-up with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Jordan had previously demanded the Israeli government take a "clear stance" and summoned the Israeli ambassador in Amman to voice its rejection of what it described as a "racist speech".

Jordan was the second Arab country to normalise relations with Israel in 1994, but relations have been tested.

Jordanian government sources told Reuters on Maarch 20 it had received assurance from Israel that the behaviour of Smotrich did not represent their position. 

But the proposed expulsion of Israel’s ambassador would signal a sober downturn of diplomatic relations with Jordan, who have maintained open channels to Israeli officials for years. 

Smotrich is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government that took office in December and has placed increasing strain on Israel's relations with its Arab neighbours. 

The finance minister had already faced international rebuke in early March after calling for Hawara in the occupied West Bank to be "wiped out", with a pogrom by Israeli settlers then launched on the Palestinian town.