This is the breaking news of the day over here. Naturally, the Jordanian military has denied Israeli claims that shots were fired at a border crossing from the Jordanian side. There’s no doubt in my mind that Jordanian military fired anything so much as a wad of bubble gum at the Israeli side. Israeli media seems to be leaning towards a “several gunmen” theory. There’s a lot of disinformation floating around and it’s difficult to sort fact from fiction; one source suggests that it was a lone gunman who injured several Israelis.
I’m just wondering if Israel is tilting at windmills.
In other words, I’m wondering if this is all a ploy to simply shut down their “humanitarian corridor”. Jeeze. These people have a PR term for everything. With a nice red ribbon on top to make it look nice.
All aid going to Gaza goes through Jordan via the UNRWA. Working with all these donation campaigns lately, it is simply unbearable the amount of restrictions Israel has imposed on donations.
No food from Iran or Syria or Lebanon.
No old clothes, so the Gazans won’t sell them and make any source of revenue.
On and on and on.
These are all tactics designed to isolate Gazans from the world more and more and more.
So I would not be surprised if this was in fact just another excuse to entirely cut off aid to Gaza.
“I’m just wondering if Israel is tilting at windmills”
I am actually wondering if Al-Jazeera are playing a dirty game also.
They have excellent coverage of the Gaza crisis no doubt, however they can also play some silly games and try to put Jordan in a corner.
read this and you might understand what I am saying.
http://www.aaramnews.com/website/53323NewsArticle.html
and this on the gunman issue – AP source.
http://www.aaramnews.com/website/53357NewsArticle.html
I was astonished that the BBC radio this morning even started to claim that it was a Jordanian soldier.
Your point about Israeli spin is right but dont jump at the first bite.
salam
over’n’out
“In other words, I’m wondering if this is all a ploy to simply shut down their “humanitarian corridorâ€. Jeeze. These people have a PR term for everything. With a nice red ribbon on top to make it look nice.”
“So I would not be surprised if this was in fact just another excuse to entirely cut off aid to Gaza.”
YES, I TOTALLY AGREE!
probably someone’s muffler back fired.
I think Israel is trying to play it dirty in this Propoganda war, first to show to the world they are being attacked from Jordan as well as South Lebanon and Hamas. Second, to risk the relation with Jordan in hope to cut the aid from entering Gaza, though putting Gaza in a total catastrophic situation is not smart and they are aware of that. Such a situation will let the international community put real pressure to end the agression. And ofcourse we will never know what realy happened from Jordanian Media or from the official government spokesman.
Did you know that Israel forbids Dates donations from entering the Gaza? They claim Hamas uses its seeds for making weapons! And Im serious.
I think an Israeli border police overdosed on fooll and falafel and was too embarrassed to admit he farted so he blamed it on shots coming from Jordan.
Naseem, do the trucks that go from Jordan to Gaza pass through the West Bank and Israel or through Rafah?
I disagree with all of you , I think shots were fired by a genuine Jordanian soldiers who are fed up and sick of the inaction of their government,
I believe some of those soldiers would like to join their brother and sister in Palestine to fight this criminal terrorist regime in the Zionist land
On the subject of aids to Gaza ,non of it is reaching the people .I was listening to radio iinterview from Gaza , and one of the NGOs has said non of the medical,food or clothing are reaching Gaza, Israeli is not only a terrorist State by a Nazi by the absolute meaning of the words..
I like to ask all bloggers to join in to expose the crimes of Israeli terrorist Army by downloading picture of the horror and crimes by the terrorist Israeli Army .Zionism’s crimes must be exposed to the world..
You’re jumping to conclusions.
If I were a Jordanian, I’d check it seriously. You don’t need loose canons.
P.S
Most of the Aid comes through Israel (The enemy) and not Egypt (the brothers).
Thanks for sharing the news, I haven’t heard anything about it here.
I highly doubt that it is a soldier and if it was indeed a soldier then most likely he reacted on his own.
yazan: thanks for the links
hamzeh: they go to the jordanian-israeli border, then unrwa takes them through the west bank and israel into gaza.
idit: well im sure we’re all thankful that israel is allowing some food to go through to the people it’s bombing. i’m sure olmert will get a humanitarian award for all his kind work.
Alurdunialhurr: other than posting comments on blogs, what exactly are you to doing to help the Gazans?
On your oh-so-important blog:
* You write about a woman going to Gaza and refusing to leave. Yet you are not in Gaza yourself with her: why not? Oh, let me guess, you can do so much more to help from the safety of Amman? Oh wait, YOUR BLOG COUNTS, right?
* You write about Hugo Chavez the “Hero”. Yet you are not immigrating to Venezuela to enjoy his “21st Century Socialist Revolution”: why don’t you go and live in *his* country? Oh, because you’d be killed pretty-right-quick. Or perhaps you’d not be able to post all your interesting blog posts when the State disintegrates because his whole “People Revolution” evaporates when the high-price-oil money evaporates — which it will, soon. Chavez SAYS he supports Gazans, so he’s a true hero.
* You post pictures of Gazans murdered and tell us of your outrage. Yet I wonder why you aren’t in Gaza taking these pictures? Where’s your courage? Your bravery? Why doesn’t your disgust drive you from behind your desk to the frontline?
* If you’re so disgusted with this country, with its Monarchy and you feel so apathetic to doing anything to help it, why don’t you leave? In fact, how’s this for an offer:
I will personally pay for your passage out of the country! You want Gaza? It’s yours — to the border in a brand new Toyota 4×4. I’ll even buy you a camera to document the horrors there. You want to go to Venezuela? Sure thing. Tell me when they issue your visa and the plane ticket is yours.
What are you waiting for?
Attention all Arab Bloggers. As Israel is obviously being revealed to the world for its true character, it is loosing its PR war. The Israeli govenment is asking pro-Israeli volunteers to go online and put forward their case. If these cowards want a PR war, we will give it to them. Mr. apathy seems to challenge us to go to Gaza, but of course he would gladly go to this area protected by the latest military technologies and arms!….what he does not know is that Mulsims are not afraid of death or extermination becasue they know their case is just and they do not have to lie about it. On the other hand, Israel , since its creation, has been spinning lies around the world and still is , in order to hide its massacares and justify its petty and alien existence.
Please Naseenm could you upload this great essay by late king Hussein’s grandfather king Abdullah in (1947) addressed to the Ameircan people. http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/kabd_eng.html
He sees things as if he lives amongst us today.
Loudand Clear: if you’re insinuating that I’m some kind of pro-Zionist shill that’s out pushing Zionist propaganda on the Internet, you are entirely wrong.
I just refuse to stand for these “Agitating Muslims” who give us all a bad name. In the same breath you talk of tanks and arms you say you are not afraid of death. So, you say they are superior because of their army but then you say that extra power means nothing because you “true Muslims” aren’t afraid of death. Which is it?
You didn’t answer my question: why aren’t you in Gaza helping? What’s the worst they can do to you? Kill you? That’s nothing to a true Muslim like you, right? And you’ll be involved in a jihad there by using the camera I will provide you and exposing these crimes, so you’ll die a glorious martyr. So, what are you waiting for? Undermine their propaganda from the inside. Literally stand side-by-side with these, your, our, Arab brothers.
Amman is too safe of a city, offering too comfortable of a life (for those with money, admittedly) for us to make any kind of “we feel your pain” arguement to the Gazans. Why is everyone a hero from 100, 1000 miles away? Their suffering makes us strong. Our being close to them, yet still doing little, makes us weak. (By the way, massive kudos to all the people who went to Aramex to help. That’s real, active and good help that helps make the conditions on the ground actually better.)
So, let me say this, to make sure you can’t smear me as some kind of Israeli shill: ISRAEL’S ACTIONS ARE WRONG. Not just immoral or hypocritical, but illegal. Israel’s actions are immoral, unethical and illegal — the Zionist leaders who prepetrate them should go the Hague. Is that clear enough?
But let me just tell you one thing: the Palestinian (Fatah+Hamas) leaders are just as corrupt as the Zionists in AIPAC. The Hamas leadership espouse the glory of this suffering from afar, from their luxury hotels in Damascus. These guys sit and shout that EVERYTHING IS GOD’S WILL…yet they refuse to go to Palestine, in case, you know, they die. If they die though, surely that’s God’s will? Don’t we, as Muslims, believe God has ordained for us the very moment that we will die? Why don’t these, these Palestinian leaders who quote from the Qu’ran with almost every breath, accept this and go to Palestine? Sit under the bombs in Gaza? When it is their time, they will die in Damascus or Tokyo or Gaza: like I ask you, I ask them, why aren’t they there, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, hunger-to-hunger, with their Arab brothers? If the Israelis drop a 1,000 bombs on their head, does it not just take one breath from God to make sure not even a scratch touches them? Where is their courage, their faith?
To me, Hamas is no better than the Zionists, they just have less good weapons. **** them both, neither care for Palestine.
(edited)
Proud Jordanian: Thanks a million for posting the link… amazing! a must-read
apathy1action0: I genuinely apologize for snapping at you like that. Please forgive me. It’s just that there are many pro-Israelis online particularly on Arabic blogs spreading most outrageous lies and using twisted terminoloy to present their views. For example, they refer to the time when the WestBank was under Jordanian authority as that when Jordan ‘occupied’ the West Bank. Such lies!
One thing though is beyond me. I’m not a very religious person. I know many Palestinians would gladly give their lives for defending an Islamic and Arab homeland (for more than 1300 years). I wouldn’t say I have the courage to do what they are willing to. I’ve Jordanian and Palestinian friends who hate Hamas as if they were their sworn enemy. Now , I understand why an Isreali would have the same attitude, but for an Arab, and worse a Muslim, to hate people of their own blood and religion hurts me more.
I might not agree with what Hamas does and sure it has its own mistakes, but to say that they are corrupt is not fair or right. Many Arabs do not know anything about Hamas other than what local media says. I suggest you read a very recent book by Azzam Tamimi, Hamas: Unwritten Chapters, the only book in the world written on Hamas by a non-Zionist. Established in 1987, Hamas started as a social, educational and economical movement to better the conditions of Palestinians. It established hospitals, schools, universities, and many govenmental institutions. Fatah was the first Palestinian entity to start armed resistence against Israel. Hamas military wing only started with the 1st intifada. There are many foreign, American, and Jewish political analysts and writers who defend Hamas.
I truly find it shameful and unfair to use the rhetoric of ‘if they are real men, let them go and liberate Palestine’ or ‘if you’re genuinely concerned and care go to Gaza and fight’. As if, it is that simple. Not everyone is willing to die nor is it logical and productive for those who are not under direct attack. Many people who are freer in their movement and speech can achieve a lot more than those who give their lives. It is the same as saying ‘Jordan should send its army to support Gaza’. Well, it is not that simple! so stop this hate rhetoric.
Hamas needs it political bureau (which is not related to the military wing) in Damscus to further its correspondence and meeting with international efforts. But you want Mishal to go and fight, becasue if he doesn’t he’s a coward. What logic is that! but of course no one asks Abbas the same. We’ve seen that Hamas gave many of its top leaders as Martyrs. Mishal botched assassination attempt in 1997,tells how these people risk their lives, many of whom have martyr family memebers. Was it not not for the bravery and wisdom of late king Hussein, Mishal would be dead today (which was the destiny of many Hamas leaders).
When Hamas took over Gaza after the Israeli withdrawal, a foreign reporter remarks amanzingly that for the first time he sees Gazans stop at traffic lights. When Hamas joined the PA after the elections in 2006, The PA bugdet was alreday bankrupt , zero …nothing, this tells a lot about who is corrupt.
The truth is that there is a lot of injustice done to Hamas ,particularly among Arabs. Even if I disagree with their policies, this should not make me hate them and put all the blame on them as if they were enemies. The culture of reisistence is fairly new among Arabs today and many see it as a threat. Isreal has existed by the sword, not through diplomacy. Live by the sword, die by the sword. Are we Arabs blaming Hamas for resisting, but find it perfectly normal for Israel to take up arms?
it wasn’t me … i woulda hit those bastards
Proud Jordanian, nice article. isn’t it amazing that we have been saying the same rational things to the americans but nothing has changed. fact is, it’s worthless to try to ration with americans. those who support you will do so regardless of what they hear in their press. those who don’t are driven by ideological hatred for arabs that can not be overcome with reason.
There has been an increased usage of the word “Gazans” to refer to Palestinians in Gaza, even in this blog.
There is no such thing as Gazans. its not a nationality. They are Palestinians.
There is an extensive campaigm to eliminate the Palestinian identity.
terms like Gazan is a good example of this campaign.
Agi: what are you talking about? in the arab world, like the rest of the world, there is common references made to people’s origins based on their city. Nabulsi, Ghazawi, Ammani, Karaki, etc.
it is not an elimination of an identity but an emphasis on it.