AMMAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- As Israeli and Palestinian negotiators convened in Jordan's capital Amman this week, analysts says Jordan is seeking to bring the Palestinian issue back onto the international agenda as it has been overshadowed by the unrest across Middle East and North Africa in the past year.
Jordan, which announced this week that it would be hosting a series of negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators in a bid to re-launch serious peace talks, has strategic interests in the creation of a Palestinian state that would be the frontline for Jordan in thwarting the so-called "alternative homeland" scheme, some pundits said.
By hosting a face-to-face meeting between Palestinians and Israelis, which is considered to be the first meeting between the two sides in more than one year and a half, Jordan is sending a message to the world that it is strategically interested in the final status issues and the Palestinian issue remains the core of Middle East issues.
On Tuesday, the Palestinians presented the Israelis with their view towards security and border issues, while the Israelis pledged to study the Palestinians' view in this regard and give their response. Notably, the two sides agreed to meet regularly in Amman for continued discussions.
"Jordan is not a mediator between Palestinians and Israelis. It is directly interested in and affected by the progress or stalemate in the peace process," political analyst Samih Maaytah told Xinhua in an interview.
The experts said Jordan strongly believes that the "radical" Israeli government is taking advantage of the current situation across the Arab world and is intensifying its settlement activities and unilateral measures, a situation that Jordan wants to end by bringing the Palestinian issue back under the spot light.
While Arab states are busy dealing with the repercussions of the unrest, and Israel "is taking advantage of that," Maaytah said, adding that Jordan is "directly concerned with putting an end to the intransigence of the Israeli government."
Oraib Rintawi, head of the Amman-based Al Quds Centre for Political Studies, agreed with this view.
"The failure of peace talks negatively affects Jordan. The creation of a Palestinian state is a strategic interest for Jordan and puts an end to Israel's radical scheme of making Jordan a homeland for Palestinians," Rintawi told Xinhua.
Jordan is directly concerned with the final status issues including Jerusalem, water, borders and refugees, Rintawi said, adding that Jordan also "wants to boost its image at the international arena."
Noting that Palestinians are not enthusiastic or optimistic about the round of talks with Israelis, Rintawi said Israel agreed to Jordan's request to host talks in Amman to enhance its ties with the Arab kingdom.
"Israel wants hollow talks to show that it is willing to have peace. It wants to avoid international pressure and wants to foster its ties with Jordan as the relations have been badly affected lately," Rintawi said.
Some experts, however, did not express optimism about the round of talks that started in Amman between Palestinians and Israelis. "It is impossible that the round of talks would be successful, due to Israel's intransigence," Rintawi said.
Maaytah had a similar view: "I am not optimistic about concrete results, but Jordan cannot remain silent. It wants to seize any opportunity to bring back the focus on the Palestinian issue. The timing of the round is important and it is an attempt to end Israel's radical policies."
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