A journalists’ union in Jordan agreed to host an international conference of journalists only on the basis that Israeli journalists were not allowed to attend.

The union, the Jordan Press Association (JPA), has also OKd a series of training workshops for Middle East journalists provided that Israel is not allowed to take part, the Jordan Times reported on Friday.

The JPA has for many years promoted the idea of trade union boycotts of Israel. It is one of 14 Jordanian trade unions that have a long-standing policy of opposition to the conclusion of the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel in 1994 and still disapproves all normalization steps with the Jewish state.

The Jordan Times report says the Jordan Press Association (JPA) agreed to a request by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to hold its conference in the Kingdom in October, after the latter agreed to exclude Israel’s participation, a JPA council member said.

“We are against any form of normalisation with Israel, which still occupies Arab lands and violates Arab and Palestinian rights,” JPA Vice President Hikmat Momani told The Jordan Times, adding that the JPA also agreed to the organisation of several training workshops for journalists from across the region by the IFJ, provided that Israel does not take part.

The Israeli journalists union’s expulsion from the IFJ last month has sparked debate about whether the move was due to unpaid debt or political differences.

The journalists union in Israel charges the expulsion is based on bias against Israel by the global union federation - the tension becoming apparent after the second Lebanon War three years ago and more recently biased and unfair commentary about the Gaza invasion in January.

Meanwhile the International Federation of Journalists insists it is only due to the failure of the Israelis to pay their dues to the global union federation over several years.