AMMAN — Thousands of Jordanians took part in two rallies in
Amman on Sunday, in support for Palestine against ongoing Israeli aggression in
Jerusalem and Gaza.
اضافة اعلان
Protesters responded to calls from the Islamic Action Front
(IAF) in downtown Amman and leftist parties in Rabieh area, near the Israeli
embassy.
The first protest in downtown kicked off after Asr
(afternoon) prayers with chants of “God is great”, as hundreds marched down the
main road calling on the Jordanian government to take “a firm action against
the
Israeli attacks.”
Demonstrators chanted for Hamas and recognized “armed
resistance as the only way to freedom”.
During the marches, protesters demanded that the government
open the borders with the occupied territories, shut down the Israeli embassy
in Amman, and to put the negotiated treaty with Israel to an end.
“I’m here to protest and let the world realize what’s
happening in Palestine; we want the Israeli aggression to stop,” said Maya
Alawneh, a 21-years-old pharmaceutical science student whose father was
arrested by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus on May 13.
“I left Nablus with my mother to study in Jordan, and my
14-year-old sister contacted us to inform us that the Israeli army arrested my
father, she’s home alone now! We need Jordan to open the borders or at least
ease our traveling there” she added.
Spokesman of the Islamist movement Moath Khawaldeh also
updated the protesters with live statements and “accomplishments of Hamas
against the Israeli forces.”
Khawaldeh urged Jordan to “establish political relations
with Hamas and not the Israeli enemy. This will solidify the Jordanian position
and the Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem holy sites.”
“What Hamas is doing is something for us to be extremely
proud of; this is the first time in 73 years that Israel does not celebrate its
‘independence day’, a sign that victory awaits us,” said Ahmad Azzam, a
34-year-old protester.
As entire families marched together at the protest, huge
emphasis on the importance of teaching children the importance of Palestine and
Jerusalem to their Arab identity was stressed by the parents.
The rally ended after announcements that the group will be
holding a “central event” on Friday in the Jordan Valley, close to the King
Hussein border crossing into Palestine.
Despite the large number of law enforcement present, no
clashes or arrests were reported.
A few kilometers away, in Rabieh, hundreds rallied near the
Israeli embassy demanding the government sever diplomatic ties with Israel.
They are specifically asking for the government to expel the Israeli ambassador
and nullify the Wadi Araba and gas deals.
Another attendee, Amir Sawair, 23, believes that showing
support to the Palestinian community is “fundamental”, even if it is from a
distance.
He said that “the least we could do is show up. We are
trying to give ourselves a voice and I think these protests are actually giving
us the chance to speak up, rejecting the presence of the Israeli embassy and
the Wadi Araba treaty.”
The demonstration saw clashes between protesters and law
enforcement.
Attendees were asked to leave the premises by the police and
hundreds were pushed to the streets and some were struck with batons.
A handful of arrests were made and several injuries were
reported. Two young men were seen laying on the ground as a medical teams
attended to them.
“The gendarmes asked me to throw away the Palestinian flag
and I refused. So, they just started beating me up,” one injured man told
Jordan News. “Many others were beaten as well. There was even a girl who got
her shoulder broken.”
Rahaf Dghaim, 17, attended the protest with her family. She
protested that the violent behavior of the police is uncalled for, citing that
“the protest is a peaceful one. The protestors are only carrying flags and
koufiyat (scarves), not weapons.”
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