The Justice and Development Party (PJD) will convene its 9th congress in Bouznika on April 26 and 27. Contrary to earlier indications, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas will not attend the inaugural session. Their name is notably absent from the final list of foreign delegations invited to the party's gathering. Driss Azami, president of the congress's preparatory committee, confirmed on the PJD's website the «presence of guests from Senegal and Turkey, while the delegations from Palestine and Jordan will not be able to attend». Azami did not specify the reasons for these absences. Just yesterday, Jordanian authorities announced a ban on the Muslim Brotherhood organization, with which Hamas is affiliated. Several high-ranking officials of the Palestinian movement reside in Jordan. Amman has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of «plotting attacks against Jordanian security forces». Last week, the PJD's Secretary-General defended his party's decision to initially invite Hamas members. «It is a great honor for us. Those who called for Hamas not to be invited to our congress should be prosecuted, because His Majesty the King has stated that the Palestinian cause is as important as our national cause (...). Our indignation for Palestine is as strong as our commitment to the territorial integrity of our country». In the past, representatives of Hamas have consistently been present at PJD congresses.
