Israel protests after Jordan minister pictured stepping on flag

JERUSALEM: Israel's foreign ministry issued a protest to Jordan on Sunday after a minister was pictured stepping on an image of the Israeli flag while entering a meeting.

Jordanian minister of state for information Jumana Ghneimat was pictured last week stepping on the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union complex.

The image of the flag has been affixed to the floor just inside the entrance to the complex for several years to protest Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and normalised ties between the Jewish state and Amman, according to union officials.

Israel called Jordan's ambassador in for clarifications on Sunday, the foreign ministry said.

"The foreign affairs ministry considers the incident in which a Jordanian minister insulted the Israeli flag in Amman as serious," a statement said.

Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz was reported to have entered the building through a side door. Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries to have diplomatic relations with Israel.