Jordanian Islamists criticize return of envoy to Israel

Jordan's government came under fire Tuesday for returning its ambassador to Israel, just two weeks after Israel halted attacks on the Gaza Strip which prompted massive protests in Jordan.

"At a time when Jordanians are looking to see the government sever ties with the Zionist entity, the government hurried to close the file of the Israeli holocaust and took this step which runs counter to the people's will and sentiment," said Murad Adayleh of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party.

Adayleh said his party was "surprised" over the return of Jordan's ambassador to Israel.

Jordan quietly recalled ambassador Ali al-Ayed when Israel began its 22-day offensive in the Gaza Strip on December 27. Those attacks prompted massive protests in Jordan and continuing calls for Jordan to sever ties to Israel and invalidate its peace treaty with Israel.

The Jordanian government said that it was keen on maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel to be able to dispatch humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The IAF is the political arm of the influential Muslim Brotherhood movement, Jordan's main ally to the Hamas faction currently in control of the Gaza Strip. It holds more seats than any other party in the legislature, but lacks an outright majority.