Jordanian premier apologizes for police beating of al-Jazeera staff

Jan 10, 2009, 0:26 GMT

Amman - Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi apologized Friday for the beating by police of four al-Jazeera cameramen and the news network's Amman bureau chief during a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Jordan's capital.

Dahabi made a personal visit to extend his apology to Yasser Abu Helalah, director of the Arabic television channel's Amman office, who was being treated in hospital for injuries suffered in the melee.

The beatings earlier Friday drew protests from the Jordanian journalists syndicate and the Foreign Correspondents Club.

Scores of protestors were also beaten outside the embassy during a massive rally against the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of demonstrators tried repeatedly to break through a Jordanian police cordon around the Israeli embassy.

Police used teargas, clubs and water hoses to disperse stone- throwing protestors, who were demanding the closure of the Israeli embassy, expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and abrogation of Jordan's 1994 peace treaty with Israel.

Police and special forces removed by force a tent that was set up near the Israeli embassy shortly after the start of the Israeli air campaign on December 27.

More than 100,000 Jordanians took part in a separate rally in Amman that was organized by the influential Muslim Brotherhood movement and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF).

Tens of thousands of Jordanians joined massive demonstrations in other major cities throughout the country, state-run media reported.

Demonstrators offered to volunteer to fight Israeli troops in Gaza.