Lagos, Nigeria (NPA): The Israeli government has strongly condemned the decision by the Jordanian parliament on February 23, 2026, to erase all mentions of Israel from its parliamentary records. Lawmakers voted unanimously to remove references to “Israel” from the minutes of a debate that followed remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee regarding proposed Israeli reforms in the West Bank—comments Jordanian MPs denounced as a breach of international law.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “categorically condemns the decision taken yesterday by the Jordanian parliament to erase all mentions of Israel from its parliamentary records.” The ministry warned that the move “runs counter to the spirit of the peace treaty which has been maintained for over thirty years. It must be denounced by all who strive to build a region of tolerance and understanding.”
Jordanian lawmakers defended the decision as a symbolic gesture of resistance, aimed at rejecting Israeli sovereignty claims in the occupied West Bank and Jordan Valley and expressing solidarity with Palestinian rights. While the measure does not alter official treaties or agreements between Jordan and Israel, it reinforces parliament’s opposition to Israeli policies and is expected to heighten diplomatic tensions between the neighbours despite their 1994 peace treaty.
The controversy follows remarks made earlier in February 2026 by Ambassador Huckabee, who claimed that Israel has a right to much of the Middle East. His comments—widely condemned by Arab and Muslim nations as extremist rhetoric—contradicted decades of U.S. policy by asserting that Area C of the occupied West Bank “is Israel.” The statements have fuelled regional criticism of U.S. policy and intensified political actions such as Jordan’s parliamentary move.
