AMMAN—Since
the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, when homes and streets are
adorned with lanterns and crescents, this year's Ramadan has had a different
impact, filled with sadness and anger.
اضافة اعلان
Jordan News
toured several areas in the kingdom, notably downtown, where there is
significant purchasing power, and the streets are decorated accordingly for the
occasion.
Wael
Al-Kurdi, a trader who owns a Ramadan decorations shop, told
Jordan News, "This season, we have
not seen a significant turnout despite importing new decoration designs
different from last year's."
Kurdi
emphasized, "Sales have dropped by over 70 percent due to the war on Gaza,
in addition to the tough economic situation."
"I did
not expect this downturn to be this severe; all markets have been affected, and
one can observe it,” he added. “During Ramadan, we usually start working a
month before and continue selling until the early dawn hours in the downtown
market, where competition among traders is intense. But today, we close our
shops before midnight due to weak purchasing power."
“The Jordanian citizen feels connected to what the people of Gaza are enduring in terms of killing and starvation, which puts them in a difficult mood, and they continue to follow the news while sitting at home”
Ahmed
Sa'ada, a sales employee at a grocery store, told
Jordan News, "Citizens are in their worst psychological and
economic conditions today, so they have become reliant on buying their basic
needs. The increased prices due to higher shipping costs have led to price
hikes for consumers."
"The Jordanian
citizen feels connected to what the people of Gaza are enduring in terms of
killing and starvation, which puts them in a difficult mood, and they continue
to follow the news while sitting at home," Sa'ada affirmed.
As for
housewife Basma Falahat told
Jordan News,
"Ramadan this year is painful in every sense of the word, with all the
signs of killing and displacement."
"At the
beginning of Ramadan, I used to buy Ramadan decorations and choose modern
designs because Ramadan means a lot to us, and I care about every detail
related to it. But because of what is happening in Gaza, there is a significant
reluctance to celebrate the holy month," she added. "Jordanian
families have not decorated or celebrated Ramadan like in previous years due to
the pain and despair, and in the neighborhood where I live, people look at
those who decorate as if they are committing a sin."
As for
Shahad Wasef, a 42-year-old mother, she told
Jordan News, "Ramadan has a special significance, and I used
to start preparing for decorations two weeks before its arrival. I used to go
to the market every week to buy essentials and always seek to meet relatives
and friends. But this month is completely different, and I no longer want to do
anything. We are overwhelmed with pain."
“Jordanian families have not decorated or celebrated Ramadan like in previous years due to the pain and despair, and in the neighborhood where I live, people look at those who decorate as if they are committing a sin.”
Mohammed
Talafha, the owner of a café downtown, told
Jordan
News, "People used to come to the café after Tarawih prayers to smoke
shisha or have coffee and enjoy their time. But with the ongoing aggression on
Gaza, the turnout has decreased, and the café atmosphere is filled with talk
about the war and what to expect."
He also
noted, "During every Ramadan, we at the café come up with new decor that
distinguishes us with a Ramadan theme, but what is happening prevents us from
doing so."
As for date
seller Ali Rawashdeh, he told
Jordan News,
"Citizens have become limited in their spending to only the essentials,
with signs of worry and a lack of desire to buy being the most prominent
features during this period."
"Traders
now import small quantities that match the demand to avoid losses," he
added.
“the psychological impact on Jordanian citizens, who find it increasingly difficult to engage in basic activities like eating, drinking, and traveling as they witness the people of Gaza being killed, homes destroyed, and livelihoods lost”
Sociology
professor Dr. Hussein Al-Khaza' told
Jordan
News, “Jordanians are all united against the brutal Israeli aggression on
Gaza, which has robbed them of the taste of life. He stated that as Israel's
aggression escalated, causing destruction, displacement, and death, Jordanians
felt increasingly connected to the plight of their brethren in Gaza. He also
affirmed that Jordanians have resorted to the weapon of boycott to express
their rejection of what is happening, attempting to convey messages to companies
supporting Israel in its military campaign on the Gaza Strip.
Khaza'i
further pointed out the psychological impact on Jordanian citizens, who find it
increasingly difficult to engage in basic activities like eating, drinking, and
traveling as they witness the people of Gaza being killed, homes destroyed, and
livelihoods lost. Moreover, the situation has escalated rapidly with reports of
people dying of hunger, and Jordanian children have become aware of this issue.
Saleh
Al-Anaswah, a merchant and owner of a chain of stores in Al-Salt, told
Jordan News that “demand for various
goods typically sees an uptick during religious occasions in any society,
especially during Ramadan, when there is usually a surge in demand for goods,
particularly food items.”
However, he
foresaw that this year would differ for two primary reasons. Firstly, due to
the war in Gaza, the overall mood among Jordanians has been markedly affected,
akin to the sentiment in any Arab or Islamic country. This has resulted in a
decrease in demand for Ramadan decorations and many food items. He remarked,
"People are not in the mood for celebration or indulgence in food and
drink amidst times of war and suffering in Gaza."
He further
highlighted “a decline in the purchasing power of Jordanian citizens, as they
have experienced modest growth and a decrease in income over recent years,
alongside rising taxes. Additionally, he mentioned the potential presence of a
third factor, namely the persistent trend of some merchants raising prices and
continually relying on global circumstances, such as the ongoing
Russian-Ukrainian war and its impact on shipping.”
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