Jordanian MPs Burn Israeli Flag

Angry protests against the devastating Israeli air attacks against Palestinians in Gaza witnessed an elevated notch Sunday when two members of the Jordanian parliament burnt an Israeli flag in Parliament. (Arabic)

Nationalist MPs Khalil Attiyeh (of Palestinian origin and from the Muslim faith) and Left wing MP Bassam Haddadin (an East Bank Jordanian of Christian faith) shared together in a clear act of national consensus as they torched the Israeli flag at the outset of the parliament's session this Sunday. Other MPs stepped on the burnt flag as a sign of anger and disgust towards Israel.

The flag burning coincided with the signature of 30 out of the 110 MPs to a letter calling for the cancellation of the Jordanian-Israeli peace agreement, according to AFP.

Loud demonstrations also took place in most Jordanian universities with students attacking Israel as well as Arab countries who have a peace agreement with Israel. Moderate Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas was also attacked. Others called on the warring Palestinian factions (Hamas and Fatah) to unite against the Israeli attacks.

Protesters in the Jordanian capital and in other cities have gone out in impromptu demonstrations most calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador in Amman as well as the need to recall the Jordanian envoy in Tel Aviv. Protesters also attacked the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and attempted to reach the Egyptian and Israeli embassies in the capital Amman, but were gently but firmly rebuffed by the Jordanian police. Sensing the public's anger, this was one of the first times that Jordanian police have not attempted to stop public demonstrations, marches and other protest activities. See the report from the French News Agency.

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Comments

[ArabianMonkey]

Burning a flag, calling to expel an ambassador, pushing for severing ties ... all this serves what exactly? While civil society around Jordan is actively collecting useful contributions to load up trucks full of aid driving thru this country to Gaza, it's sad that the voice of Jordanian parliament reflects this. Still not my parliament, thank you!

[BigPictures]

Many world's problem requires a more effective world government, the United Nations. According to the UN resolution, if the Arabs renouce violence, Israel is obligated to return the Arabs land. Hamas should voice their complaints about Israel peacefully. For a weaker power, the path to its people's dignity is through non-violence principle of Ghandi and Martin Luther King. Israel should consult the UN regardiing how to deal with the Hamas' rocket attacks. The Abrabs Peace Initiative based on the UN resolution is a good principle for permanent Middle East peace. If Obama really wants to break away from Bush's policy and become a true leader of the world, he should find ways to strengthen the UN. One problem with the UN is it is not democratic, so a better UN would be more democratic. Many work needs to be done in international law. Until powerful nations decide to adhere internation laws, there will be no peace on earth. For example, the veto power of the UN security councile present a conflict of interests, which should be abondonded in order to be more democratic.

[FogBelter]

The I sraelis and P alestinians are like two scorpions in a fire circle insanely stinging and poisoning each other as the flames encroach. Cheering on the competition outside of the fire circle are the American and European Jews, the Muslim World, and the Christians who are hoping this is a sign their righteous Rapture is about to commence. The combatants and enthusiasts of this vile competition are pathetic and represent the worst of the Human condition.

[GrainOSand]

When peace becomes as compelling as the ability to breathe to all concerned parties, then peace will ensue. As long as there is a profit to be made, be it monetary, land, or even the false promise of peace through war, war will continue to encroach upon or continue unabated to the jugular of the possibility of the world. Just like a quarterback in football is blindsided by something not planned for in the blocking scheme, so too can a world be blindsided by flawed and lowly calculations of tit-for-tat, club-over-the-head, scratch your hairy-armpit, hatred and violence that have no end, that are based on original sin of establishing a nation. This model of we stole but now we outlaw theft is not unique to any region of the world it seems. One gets the historical/biblical implications of Israel, but one also gets if one is sleeping in ones’ house and one wakes up and there are fifty strangers in ones’ bed talking about biblical rights to ones’ bed (a bible not ones’ own), one can understand how that could be upsetting. One looks at how upset the Native Americans are.

Flawed human beings gain power. The masses die wondering why. Years later, after the carnage is done...the blood is washed away, statues in the parks are erected to whitewashed heroes who are really villains in bronze. What a messed up joint this is. How great we are at being lowly.

[califlefty]

I suppose these very same "Jordanians" can't remember When Israel saved their asses from Black September and their Syrian allies. I'm not surprised, the words "thank you" never appear in the Arab lexicon.

[chaos4700]

Your revisionist propaganda is transparent -- as is your racism.

[Karin Kloosterman - Huffpost Blogger]

The father of the current Jordanian king built a summer home, right on the border of Israel near Eilat. I am guessing it's not because he likes the discos in Israel.

[11907281]

Rationalizing with the Irrational is like climbing K2.

[MaxCohen]

in 1923 the british carved up 80% of Palestine and re named it Trans JORDAN. They installed a phony monarchy and established a new country. The fact that Jordan keeps Palestinians in refugee camps is both ridiculous and Ironic. Palestinians are Jordanians and Jordanians are Palestinian. Israel didnt defeat Palestine in 1967 they defeated Jordan. Jordan should change its name to Palestine absorb its rightful citizens and live next to Israel side by side under the existing Peace agreements.

[chaos4700]

Your deflection is pointless. Palestinians and Jordanians are distinct ethnic groups. It's hypocritical in the extreme for Jews from Europe and Russia to deny the unique cultural identity of any other group.

Israel is dropping the bombs; Israel is responsible for the deaths. It's really that simple.

[alexa07]

To: chaos4700
Keep up the good work. You have the ability to demolish all the same old, tired justifications that I have been reading for yrs., long before the present modes of communication. Wasn't it Eleanor Roosevelt who used the argument to disenfranchise Palestine by identifying all the Arabs as nomads, who don't really have a home anyway. Just move them somewhere else!As if there had been no urban centers in the area since time immemorial! No city life or centuries-old organized agriculture or industry or trade in Palestine before 1948! It appears as if a whole new generation of suckers is still buying this line! Thanks again.

[MelRoy]

That is as surprising as it is disappointing. Damn populist politicians - they only think of themselves.

[sabocat]

Israel seems to be trying to make up for the national humiliation suffered at the hands of Hezbollah, which defeated them when the IDF tried to invade Lebanon. Pity Hama does not have the same military capability.

[oncethere]

No, Israel is trying to stop Hamas from firing rockets indiscriminately at its citizens and from turning Gaza into a training ground for terrorists and launching pad for Hamas rockets.

[chaos4700]

No, Israel is turning Gaza into a graveyard. The vast majority of the casualties are civilians! And you can count on most of the wounded becoming deaths as a result of the blockade depriving Gaza of medical supplies for months.

[FogBelter]

The Israelis are becoming a liability for the US ,,, If they want to wage war with their Arab neighbors I think they should do it without US support. The Middle East is a pointless tar pit for the United States ... we have larger concerns than this endless. infantile, religious based, tribal warfare. If not now then soon the US needs to cut its losses an leave this endless sinkhole of misery.

[Lilly06]

I totally disagree. As much as you condemn Israel, you have forgotten about the months Israel held back as it was bombed on a daily basis by Hamas. America would definately not have stood for that so why should Israel?

[soundnfury]

Disagree.

[calbears]

Arab politicians should at least have the backbone to send Israel's ambassadors home to Israel. If they can't at least show a minimum of respect for their public opinion, they should resign. I know that will never happen, since they don't leave office until they die, but especially in Jordan and Egypt, which have signed peace agreements with Israel, they should pull their ambassadors out and send Israel's packing.

[RogHol]

I can´t see any reason for that.
Hamas loves war and Israel is giving them that.
So what´s the problem?

[LanosIceland]

"....the devastating Israeli air attacks against palestinians in Gaza." Wow, how is it possible
for you to post here Mr Kuttab? Truth is very rare and has few friends.

[Discipulus04]

one voice that dares to tell it like it is, don't be too worried its a lopsided battle

[soundnfury]

Other voices are muffled. Is that not control.

[111]

More should be done to rein the Israeli government in. Severe sanctions against Israel need to be imposed - do not permit medicine or food, workers or goods to enter Israel - the same sanctions that they have insisted be imposed on others. Isolate them, insist on surprise UN weapons inspections to reveal the extent of the arsenals of chemical and other weapons of mass destruction they hoard in defiance of the non-proliferation treaty. Force them to return to the pre-1967 war border, dismantle all their weapons of mass destruction. Force them to pay reparations to Syria who they bombed without provocation and other countries whose land they stole.

If they don't concede, then we should leave the sanctions in place until they do.

[sabocat]

I agree. We need an international boycott of Israel.

[Quazga09]

Those are on the wish list of every isalms. Only in your wildest dream would that come true. Israel is surrounded by hostile terrorist or terrorist harboring countries who are bent on destroying her and needs U.S support all the time. All those thing you mention applies to a terrorist designated country not a civilized country therefore it does not apply to israel

[cherry33]

"every Islams"? LOL.

You know what, Quazaga, you're right about Israel being surrouded by people who don't like it very much. And they'll always need U.S. support. I think the U.S. knew this when they made the Jewish homeland in the Middle East. It was a perfect opportunity for America to exploit at the cost of lives, ALL lives - Christian, Muslim, and Jewish.

It's risky to establish new territory in the Middle East, don't you think? Despite the fact that there should be a Jewish homeland, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU BE SHOCKED that people don't want to move over for you. Yes, they should move over in an ideal world, but you can't expect that with a sense of entitlment. Do you think America would give a part to the Native Americans? Noooo. And they haven't been gone for that long.

Just think of how horribly obnoxious it looks to the outside world that America is USING Israelis for their own ends, and they're the big bully brother always coming over to favor the 2 year old who wants YOUR room. It's a little annoying.

[rosecolors]

And your solution helps the Palestinians how? Israel has real problems in their myopic view of the region, but they already act as if they are under constant attack, so weakening their defenses would do very little to get them to act more peacefully. A weakened Israel would surely invite Hezbollah, Hamas, and other groups to increase the attacks, not pull back.

The struggle of the Palestinians is not well-represented by Hamas. Do not romanticize them, as they are unwilling to even recognize that their own words and actions have very dire consequences for the people of Gaza. Their cause, if you will, is not about peace with their neighbors. Arab nations publicly condemn Israel and flag-burn, but when push comes to shove, their borders close, and their eyes turn away from Gaza. Hamas offers no solutions, only retribution and martydom.

[alexa07]

Thank you for some very real solutions that put everything in perspective! I have two more proposals to add to the above : (1) Congress will stop immediately any shipment of aircraft, weaponry or other material destined for Israel as well as calling for a return of stockpiles given formerly. (2) All American monies which flow so foolishly to enable this bully state need to be halted immediately also, including what is appropriated by our Congress or privately donated through TAX-FREE charities. In fact it would not be a bad idea to investigate these charities--they rip off the American tax payers by enabling Israeli aggression, which in turn needs to be further supported by more appropriations from spinless Congressional leaders!

[AdamB]

The Jordanians would have more credibility if they didn't collude back in the day to stop the Palestinians from getting their own state in '48. I don't see any Jordanians calling for Hamas to stop shelling Israel with rockets. The hypocrisy from Israel's neighbors is both predictable and tiring.

I am all for a two state solution. But to run a state requires that you act as statesmen. I have yet to see Hamas stand for anything other than terror.

[chaos4700]

And what does Israel stand for?

[Halminbar]

Freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, equal rights for women, vigorously competitive national elections, gay rights, and a rising GDP. Unlike its neighbors.

[DCvote]

classy move in a country where honor killings are legal.

[chaos4700]

That would be a lie.

[chaos4700]

I'd rather be seeing these practical and civil demonstrations of outrage instead of what could be happening. It's also somewhat promising that Jordanian police are being moderate in their response and yet keeping order -- free speech is always a good thing, and Jordan would do good to embrace the principle in its entirety.

Honestly, I hope Jordan does cancel the peace agreement -- it will send a clear message to Israel that it has gone well beyond the realm of decency. And it's not as if Israel wouldn't break it on a whim, like it does so many other agreements it disregards when its agenda suits it.

[usedtowander]

These individuals would have more credibility if they had also called for peace when the Palestinians were sending rockets into Israel.

[chaos4700]

Considering Israel was starving the Gazans to death at the time and turning back international aid? I'm not surprised there is no sympathy for Israel.

[sclucie]

Chaos: And the I's forcing people to become informants - so that their family members could possibly receive life saving medical care in Gaza? This is what the UN had to say about our closest ally: "The U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in the Occupied Territories, Richard Falk, has condemned the Israeli siege of Gaza as "a crime against humanity" and "a prelude to genocide."

Don't even try to justify this massacre. Are you going to try to justify Shatilla as well? Or the bombing of Lebanon - when the I-s lied and said that civilians were being used as armor - and the Human Rights people came in and could not find a single instance when that was true?

[Halminbar]

Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate have the resources and wealth to provide every Palestinian with a mansion. They could build state of the art schools, libraries, and hospitals. Or at the very least, they could provide refugee status to the Palestinians.

[littleBrit]

In London the police were called to break up riots outside the Israeli Embassy.

[xxnounxx]

listen littlebrit
police are always present at demonstrations
and i was at the demonstration from 2pm till 5pm,it was peacefull ,until police started violently pushing people,a squashing them and hiurting children.
and what surprising it was the british people who where not arabs arguing with the police.