Israel's Channel 2 TV reported that Olmert went secretly to Jordan Wednesday. But it was not clear why he helicoptered there, what they discussed, and why the visit was considered secret. The prime minister's office would not comment on the report.

The Ha'aretz daily, however, said that Olmert had told his ministers that he would focus on bilateral issues. Relations have been usually good, and July 5 Israel removed another hindrance when it handed over four Jordanians who had been serving life sentences for killing two Israeli soldiers. They did so before the two countries formally concluded peace in 1994 and Amman has been pressing for their extradition.

The deal provided that Jordan would jail them for 18 months. The Jordanian government said that this was a "positive achievement and substantial shift."

According to the TV report, Olmert also intended to discuss rebuilding a bridge over the Jordan River at Damiya. That would be a step toward opening another crossing between the West Bank and the Hashemite Kingdom, which currently share only one crossing, the Allenby Bridge near Jericho. Damiya is in the northern West Bank, along the road from Nablus to Jordan, and a crossing there had existed in the past.

Güncelleme Tarihi: 13 Temmuz 2007, 19:20