Surprise Lunch Held to Polish Jordan’s Image

One of the last places that nine American correspondents based in Israel had expected to be was at the royal palace in Amman, lunching with King Hussein.

But thanks to a week-old Jordanian press offensive, and the cooperation of the U.S. embassies in Amman and in Tel Aviv, that’s where the correspondents were Tuesday, taking part in what palace officials described as an unprecedented event.

After all, Jordan and Israel are still technically at war, and even those Israeli-based journalists who report regularly on Jordan are accustomed to encountering great difficulty in trying to see the king.

But Jordan, caught up in a feud with the Palestine Liberation Organization, has been stung by what it considers unfavorable coverage in the international news media, particularly the U.S. media. Accordingly, the Jordanian government is trying to restore its image as one of the most open in the Arab world.

The nine Israeli-based correspondents were advised of the king’s invitation Sunday evening by telephone, through the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. Jordan had asked the embassy to help because Jordan has no direct way of contacting American correspondents in Israel.

The invitation was such a surprise that one of the nine, in Israel as a vacation replacement and aware of the casual dress code there, had not brought a suit and tie with him. For the meeting with the king, he had to borrow a waiter’s jacket and tie at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

Jordan was so eager for the correspondents to come that one was even allowed to enter the country without the visa normally required for travel across the Jordan River from the West Bank.

In the end, 18 Americans and one Briton joined Hussein, Queen Noor, Prime Minister Zaid Rifai and a handful of other Jordanian officials for a relaxed, 2-hour lunch of chicken and roast mountain lamb.

The royal table was set under a canvas canopy at one end of the palace lawn. At the other end were a slide and other playground equipment for the royal couple’s four children. Along an edge of the lawn, a fleet of scooters, tricycles, wagons, toy wheelbarrows and other playthings were parked in a neat row.

The king answered a wide range of serious questions and touched on some lighter subjects as well. He joked about PLO chief Yasser Arafat’s giving up smoking and about recurring reports of secret meetings in Israel with Israeli officials.

“Yes, sir, you probably wore a wig,” Prime Minister Rifai interjected.

“Zaid, you’d need a wig, too, because you’re as bald as I am,” Hussein responded with a laugh.

At least twice during the lunch, Queen Noor passed notes to her husband telling him he was not speaking loud enough for those at the end of the table to hear.

In the spirit of his new open-door policy, Hussein invited the correspondents to return often to his country. He said he hopes to have such informal get-togethers every three months or so.