RAMALLAH. West Bank. Oct 9 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat Indirectly criticised Jordan Wednesday for its role in the release of Hamas's spin tual guide from an Israeli prison, a Palestinian legislator said.

"President Arafat criticised some foreign powers which in tured the Palestinian Authority •y bypassing it," Marwan Barguti told AFP after a speech by Arafat behind closed doors to the Palestinian Legislative Council meeting in Ramallah

Negotiations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne tanyahu and Jordan s King Hussein — without Arafat's in volvement — resulted in the re turn Monday to the Gaza Strip of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) guide. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, after eight years in prison.

In exchange, two Israeli agents who participated in the

September 25 assassination at tempt against another Hamas leader In Amman were released.

Arafat also committed him self to initialling laws passed a year and a half ago by the legislative council. Council Speaker Ahmed Qorei said

A committee of four deputies, four cabinet members and a security service official will discuss the 186 laws promulgated by the council to determine which are still current and then Arafat will sign them. Qorei said.

The Palestinian leader also said he will submit the proposed budget to the legislative council for approval so that spending by the ministers "will be established in a clear and exact manner. Qorei said

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks by telephone Wednesday with Jordan s King Hussein during a meeting with

US envoy Dennis Ross the prime minister s office said

Netanyahu and the King discussed ways of re-establishing the good relations between the two countries’ the office said in a reference to the tension caused by the September 25 assassination attempt of a Hamas leader in Amman by Israeli agents

As part of an agreement between the two countries. Israel freed Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual guide of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Jordan released two Israeli agents who carried out the attack

The prime minister also told the Jordanian sovereign about his pre dawn meeting Wednesday with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, their first get together In eight months, which peace-process envoy Ross attended. the office said