Mossad reopens office in Amman, Jordan

AMMAN [MENL] -- Israel has reopened its Mossad office in Amman, a London newsletter reported on Thursday.

Foreign Report, quoting anonymous sources in Jerusalem, said the Mossad office is housed in an annex to the Israeli embassy. It was reopened with the consent of the Jordanian authorities and was a sign of the ''great improvement in the intelligence cooperation between Jordan and Israel.''

The office was reportedly closed September 30, 1997, following a failed assassination attempt by the Mossad on Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Amman.

Foreign Report quoted Mossad officials as saying that the ''Mossad will be willing and ready to lend any support to the Jordanian ruling family in any parts of the world. Our cooperation with Jordan has effectively become a sort of partnership.''

The reopening of the Mossad office comes amid preparations for the visit of King Abdullah to Israel. Senior Jordanian military officials will visit Israel shortly to prepare for the king's visit.

Recent intelligence cooperation between Jordan and Israel has angered several Arab countries, including Egypt. Palestinian sources said that last month Egypt deported two Jordanian intelligence officers on suspicion of working for the Mossad. The sources said that Egypt has recently reduced intelligence cooperation with Jordan due to concerns that Israeli agents have infiltrated Jordanian intelligence.