Jordan Not Enthusiastic about Being Palestinians' Alternative Homeland

Jordani authorities have turned down Israeli tourism minister Beni Elon's plan to make Jordan the Palestinians' alternative homeland in exchange for lucrative contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq.

The Israeli tourism minister's plan is not new at all, Shaher Bak, Jordan's minister of state for foreign affairs, said Monday. He believes it reflects ideas of the Israeli cabinet's extremist-minded members.

The plan is an attempt to thwart the "road map" toward settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli stand-off, he said.

The extremists' alternative homeland-related ideas will not receive support in the United States, believes Mr Bak. The Israeli minister has twice over the past year put forward his plan, but nobody would listen to him, he said.