Saddened by Jordan's latest Christian controversy

I have been extremely disturbed by the latest controversy rocking Jordan over the expulsion of what have been dubbed "Foreign Christians" and the reactions of some Jordanian churches (in Arabic). For those that have not been following the controversy, here is a brief synopsis.

1. Compass Direct runs an article detailing the Jordanian government's expulsion of "Foreign Christians" from Jordan.
2. Shortly thereafter a group of Jordanian churches, which did not include all Christian denominations in Jordan, agree with the government decision and publish a statement in Al Rai newspaper (in Arabic).
3. Jordan confirms the expulsion and makes reference to the supportive statement of the Jordanian churches.

The issue is probably too controversial for me to comment on fully and might offend some, so I will try to tread carefully. This is my humble opinion. I'm not trying to take sides. I'm merely observing and commenting,  nothing more, nothing less; so bear with me. My two main points:

Religion should be a free choice. If individuals want to tell others about their religion, they should have the right to do so. This is what happens in democratic societies. In the US, for example, preaching about Islam is not a crime. Christians convert to Islam on a regular basis, no sweat. This is not the case in Jordan, since it is not yet a democracy. I believe it is a basic human right for any individual to have the right to choose whatever spiritual path they want. Hence, I disagree with the Jordanian government's decision to expel anyone based on religious activities. But then again, this is the case in Jordan and it may never change. People may just be satisfied with the status quo. Personally, I think the status quo contradicts any moves Jordan makes towards true democracy, but that's just me.

I think the statement by the Jordanian churches (Arabic) inflamed the controversy and it was unnecessary. It created tension between different Christian denominations in Jordan. It was unmerited and, I hate to say it, but it bordered on "bad taste."  From what I read and heard, many of those deported were actually Arab ministers belonging to various evangelical churches in Jordan. The churches' statement basically created a divide between the Eastern Christian denominations and evangelicals whom the statement labeled "illegitimate."

A number of those that were deported worked for the Jordan Evangelical Theological seminary. In response, the president of Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary, Dr. Imad Shehadeh said:

The variety in denominations should not express discord and enmity, but rather, like the tree with many branches, it should express beauty as well as unity in diversity. Evangelicals are not perfect. Many individual evangelicals, like anyone else, have undoubtedly made mistakes. But let us all learn, love and cooperate together for the glory of God and the upholding of our beloved country of Jordan.

I remain disturbed by what occurred. I wish it had not happened. Frankly, it puts Jordan in a bad light internationally and has created unneeded tension amongst Christians in Jordan. Finally, if anyone wishes to comment, please keep the discussion decent. Thank you.

Here are some reactions from the Jordanian blogosphere:

• Toloy
• Hareega

Jordan-Syria call for international help dealing with Iraqi refugees

This is a quick update to my earlier post about the situation of Iraqis at Jordan's entry point. According to the Associated Press, Jordan and Syria are calling on the international community for help.

AMMAN, Jordan --Jordan and Syria complained Thursday they have been abandoned by the West to deal with the massive burden of more than 2 million Iraqi refugees who have fled the violence in their homeland. Both countries issued urgent calls for help at a conference on Iraqi refugees, specifically expanded resettlement opportunities in the West and financial assistance.

Milad Atiya, the Syrian ambassador to Jordan and head of his country's delegation to the conference, said the international community "must be involved, especially the United States because its policy led to the plight the Iraqis are currently in and it bears responsibility." Jordanian Interior Ministry Secretary-General Mukheimar Abu-Jamous argued that Western nations "relinquished their responsibility in shouldering the Iraqi refugee burden, and we urge them to rise to their obligation and resettle the largest number possible of those Iraqis." Source: [AP]

This is a good step towards improving the dire status. International intervention is what is needed at this moment and it is precisely what I suggested in the previous post.

Iraqi blogger ordeal at Amman airport

Two Iraqi bloggers recently began talking about a similar subject related to Jordan: the treatment of Iraqis upon entry to the Kingdom. The two are veteran blogger Omar from Iraq the Model and Fayrouz from Fayrouz in Beaumont (who posted a story from her friend in Basra). After reading their posts, I realized that the situation at Jordan's entry point -- particularly when it comes to Iraqis -- is far worse than I thought. Not only that, but the tension between these two Arab nations on an individual level seems to be on the rise. I came to this conclusion mostly after reading the last two paragraphs of Omar's post:

On the next day in the early afternoon, I boarded the plane that was returning to Baghdad with about a dozen other Iraqis. The kind stewardess was apparently familiar with cases like ours and noticed how tired we were so she immediately welcomed us with bottles of cold water and some kind words to comfort us, "There's a few of you this time, yesterday we returned 75 passengers!" she added.

The guy sitting to my left said "There will be a day when they [Jordanians] will beg us to let them enter Iraq". No, the guy sitting to my right objected. "They were mean to us and they hurt us, but if we do the same we'll have sunk to their level. Let's instead hope that one day our country will become a better place."

Jordanian blogger Hamzah added a comment to this post that is worth highlighting in order to get the Jordanian side of the story:

Not only Jordanians, but all Arab nationals were denied entry to Iraq in at least two periods between 2005 and 2006, with the second one being the longest. And the funny thing is, during those periods, only Arab nationalities were denied entry into Iraq. So it's really not they way the article makes it sound like in the end. Iraq too has played this game in the past, and actually before Jordan, and today, it is Jordan, not Iraq, that has hundreds of thousands of the other country's citizens living in it.

And when you think about it, it might as well have been a Jordanian saying that quote a couple of years ago about Iraqis, and what happened to you and your friends, was that day that that Jordanian talked about!

The current situation needs to be amended. If Jordan is overwhelmed handling the number of Iraqi visitors to the Kingdom then the international community needs to step in immediately to help Jordan establish a more efficient and humane manner of handing the influx. Fayrouz's friend ended her post by saying:

I wonder about what's behind what happened to us in Amman. Isn't it a violation of human rights to keep us in custody for no reason? Is it humanely proper to keep a child in custody for two days without reason? I just wonder.

Jordan, with the help of the international community, needs to act soon to amend the current situation. My two cents.

Update: Here is a comment from Fayrouz:

It wasn't me who traveled to Amman. As my post states clearly, it was my friend from Basra who traveled with her family and co-workers to Amman. Every word in the post needs to be attributed to her.

My bad. I amended the post accordingly.

'Invisible money' hindering Mideast independent media development

Last week, I got the chance to attend a lecture in Washington, DC delivered by Alghad newspaper CEO Mohammad Alayyan on "Developing Media as a Business Model in Jordan." Alayyan raised some very intriguing points while focusing on what he called the "invisible money" hindering the development of independent media. Here is an excerpt from an article I wrote on the lecture:

Publisher and CEO of the Jordanian independent daily Alghad, Mohammad Alayyan, cited what he referred to as "invisible money" as one of the major obstacles hindering the progress of independent media outlets in the Arab World. Alayyan who is planning to launch Jordan’s first independent terrestrial and satellite TV station, Al Ghad TV, on June 1 made his remarks during a lecture entitled "Developing Media as a Business Model in Jordan" in Washington, D.C., United States, on March 28.

"Historically, investment in media has not been that great because governments have always invested in the media. People were afraid of opening up media [outlets], so basically it created insufficient funds [for] the development of independent media," Alayyan told the audience at a talk at the Human Rights Campaign building. But this has changed since 2001, according to Alayyan, as investments in the media have dramatically increased in the past few years.

However, Alayyan argues that investments are not made in a transparent way. "A lot of invisible money is going into the media and I think this is one of the major obstacles facing independent media in the Arab World," he said.

Source: [International Journalists' Network]

You can read the full article here.

Ruba Saqr speaks out on music censorship

I just finished watching a fairly recent interview with Jordanian singer Ruba Saqr, during which she talks about the censorship of musical expression in the Middle East. I enjoyed the interview a great deal, as some points she raised were spot on. I also enjoyed hearing her perform her song I'm a lantern, which is, as I understand it, dedicated to the city of Amman. Ruba's voice is still just as beautiful as I remember from back in the days when I used to hear her perform in Amman.

Here is a blurb about her and her views.

Having worked as a reporter for several years, Ruba Saqr has written several articles to different Jordanian publications about the need to support underground musicians, and the need to change perceptions of musicians, in particular Arab female musicians in her part of the world. Ruba Saqr believes that female musicians are often reduced to being performers or singers and are seldom acknowledged by producers as full-fledged musicians who can write their own lyrics and music. She has experienced that some female musicians are pushed away from the music scene by society because it is not viewed as a "respectable" vocation, especially in traditional circles.

You can read more here. And you can hear more of her songs along with singer Ramzi Rais here. I love the improvisations on the song Gulli walla tahbaeeh ya 3ein. You can listen to it here. According to the website, Ruba is working on her debut album, which she expects to finish by the end of 2007. I wish her the best of luck.

Jordan retracts limits on 'single women' tourists

An outcry from Jordanian tour operators has compelled Amman to backtrack on a controversial new regulation that was intended to limit the entry of single eastern European and North African women into the country. Tour operators throughout the country were notified earlier this week of a new visa regulation issued by Jordan's Ministry of Interior. The directive stipulated that women traveling alone to Jordan from several eastern European and North African countries would be required to obtain special entry visas.

The ministry notice gave no reason for the new regulation. But tour operators said the conservative government was trying to clamp down on the growing trend of prostitution in Jordan imported by women from these countries.

Source: [The Media Line]

Phew! What were they thinking? I'm glad that if my Moroccan friend Soumia or my Tunisian pal Leilouta ever decided to visit Jordan -- on their own -- they won't need a "special entry" visa.

It reminds me of my attempt to get a visa to Dubai from Doha, Qatar a few years ago. I went there with Jeff, but for some reason did not mention that I was married. I just simply requested a visa. The woman in charge of visas at the embassy gave me a hard time, asking me to do a tedious amount of paper work that really baffled me.

However, when I mentioned my husband and pointed to him, she told me: "You should have told me you are married to the American. You can pick up your visa tomorrow." I was later told that Arab single women (along with few other nationalities) applying for a visa to the Emirates usually face some "special" restrictions. The logical explanation I was give for this was the country's quest to curb prostitution.

I guess somehow being married or maybe being married to "the American" made me much less likely to spread moral corruption. Dangerous, dangerous me!

Quick rant: East Bankers vs. West Bankers

I really do not understand why, in this day and time, there are some people that are still hung up on the issue of East Bankers vs. West Bankers. I'm talking about a comment I received yesterday by someone calling themselves "Fairfax Boy." Here is Fairfax Boy's contribution to the discussion about Amman's urban development.

Palestinians built Amman from the ground up. you East Bankers have a lot to learn.

Will we ever evolve beyond this endless and pointless argument? Geez!

King Abdullah: Three potential civil wars

From His Majesty King Abdullah's interview with the ABC network's "This Week":

"We could possibly imagine going into 2007 and having three civil wars on our hands," he said, citing conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon and the decades-long strife between the Palestinians and Israelis.

I'm not optimistic either. The situation in the Middle East is getting gloomier by the day. I frankly do not see any light at the end of the dark tunnel we are currently going through. No wonder I am reading only fiction these days. Everything else is depressing.

Will 'Terror has no religion' campaign make a difference?

A contributor on the ABC News' blog drew my attention to an anti-terrorism TV ad dubbed "Suicidal Terror" [see below] from a campaign entitled Terror has no religion that is currently running on TV channels and in newspapers across the Middle East. The blogger saw the TV ad while stationed in Amman. He says:

I was flipping around Arab Satellite channels in Amman last week and I noticed something rare -- a slick Hollywood-style TV ad. The standard of TV production in the Middle East stinks –- lots of bad lighting and make-up. So when a very polished ad popped up it grabbed my attention. In graphic detail, the spot shows the aftermath of a suicide bombing. Clearly, the aim is to try and dissuade would-be suicide bombers.

The special effects, the acting and general production value was so clearly NOT locally produced. It seemed very "Hollywood." Sure enough, the ads are made in America. They are part of a massive multi-million dollar campaign to win 'hearts and minds' in the Arab world. The production company based in LA, called 900 Frames, says it got money from some moderate Iraqis who would like to remain anonymous.

I skimmed through the campaign website and I must say it looks impressive. But it begs several questions. Will these ads make a difference? Will they make potential suicide bombers think twice before committing their fatal act? One can only hope.The blog's author is skeptical, however.

Sadly, these ads appear to miss the mark. Sure they get your attention but they do look VERY American and will likely be viewed with plenty of skepticism, seen as mere propaganda. More importantly, all the ads are based on one message, "Terror Has No Religion" and suicide bombing runs counter Islam.

In my humble opinion, in today's world any effort to stop the current bloodshed in places like Iraq should be applauded regardless of the party endorsing the effort. What really matters is ending the carnage once and for all. The ad in question is below, but you can click here to visit the site and see the rest.

Blog on equal citizenship rights for Arab women

Reader Christina notified me of a "nationality campaign" blog that was launched here in Washington DC last week. The blog, found here, features six organizations in the Middle East and North Africa that are working towards changing legislation so that women are granted equal citizenship rights. According to Christina, the aim of the blog is to create a network of concerned citizens that want to work together for change and to produce a constant resource for women and human rights activists dedicated to this issue.

I think this is a wonderful idea. Raising awareness about the rights of women to grant citizenship to their children is highly needed. Stripping me of the right to pass my kids Jordanian nationality means that every single time my future children (who have a non-Jordanian father) decide to visit Jordan they will need a tourist visa! If they ever decide to live in Jordan then they will need to get a residency permit, which would not be granted to them automatically. It is a long and hectic process! However, children of Jordanian men married to foreign women are granted nationality automatically. Sexism at its best!

Meanwhile, honor crimes are here to stay

So while the situation in the middle east rages, going from bad to worse as the violence spirals on by the day, honor crimes in Jordan do not appear to be coming to an end anytime soon. Now how depressing is that!

The criminal prosecutor on Saturday charged a 19-year-old youth with the premeditated murder of his sister, official sources said. The victim, a 22-year-old divorcee, was shot six times at the family home at around midnight on Thursday, the source told The Jordan Times. The suspect allegedly shot his sister in front of his parents and siblings following and argument concerning her alleged "immoral behavior," the source added.

"The suspect then headed to the nearest police station and turned himself in and handed the pistol allegedly used in the murder to officers on duty," said the source, adding that the youth claimed to have killed his sister for reasons of family honor. Source: [The Jordan Times]

Can things get any worse, really! When will people in this region have peace and enjoy basic human rights!

Refugees: Living in Jordan, longing for home

The Washington Post ran a feature in today's paper about the situation Iraqis are facing in Jordan entitled Living in Jordan, Longing for Iraq. According to the article:

Iraqis are everywhere in the streets and in the coffee shops. Their distinctive dialect pops up in conversations from the Mecca Mall, a downtown shopping bonanza, to the lobbies of five-star hotels where business executives gather to chat.

The gist of the story is that Iraqis in Jordan are not happy for a number of reasons, one being the fact that they feel that they are constantly being subjected to blame.

Iraqis here are blamed for inflation and climbing real estate prices and for the terrorist bombings that killed and wounded scores at three hotels in November. "I don't feel alive," said Mustafa Alwan, a 29-year-old Iraqi who came to Amman about a year ago. "The present is barely livable, and the future is dark."

Read the whole article here.

Jordanian journalists confront Fox News Network

Dear All,

We would like to announce our resignation from Fox News in Amman. Although we never actually worked for your organization, we helped for the past three years in facilitating your work in the Middle East. We base our decision on moral issues. We can no longer work with a news organization that claims to be fair and balanced when you are so far from that. Not only are you an instrument of the Bush White House, and Israeli propaganda, you are war mongers with no sense of decency, nor professionalism. You have crossed all borders and red lines.

An Arab mother cries over the death of her child very much like an American and Israeli mother. Arab blood is not cheap, and we are not barbarians. You ought to be more responsible and have more decency when you take one side against the other. You have a role to play and a responsibility to shoulder for the sake of your very naive viewers. Throughout the three years we worked with you, and helped you, we thought you would develop a degree of respect [for] people in this part of the world. But the disdain and blatant one-sided coverage of all Mideast conflicts only highlights your total lack of humanity and bias toward Israel.

Your lack of professionalism has made you a [source] of ridicule throughout the world. Your inexperienced anchors with their racist comments are not only a shameful scar on the American Media, they simply represent state run Television networks in countries you despise in the Middle East. Finally, our decision again is based on moral and professional basis and from now on we will no longer help in any Fox related matters.
Serene Sabbagh
Jomana Karadsheh
Via: [Angry Arab]

Wow! These two journalists are making a very forceful statement. I doubt this will have any actual impact on Fox's coverage but one can hope.

UPDATE: The media professional web resource Media Bistro has picked up the story, reporting that:

"Sabbagh appeared on FNC, including The O'Reilly Factor, last November after the Jordanian hotel blasts. This April blog entry on FOXNews.com identifies Karadsheh as a "Jordanian producer for Fox." Update: 6:56pm: "Karadsheh has been Fox's producer inside the Saddam trial," a tipster adds. Karadsheh has also worked for CNN, as recently as last week in Baghdad."

Click here for more.

The Qana Massacre and Hezbollah's growing popularity

So after 60 people -- at least 34 of them children -- were slaughtered in an Israeli strike today, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert is indicating he wants to continue "the battle".

"We will not stop this battle, despite the difficult incidents this morning," Olmert said during Israel's weekly Cabinet meeting, according to a participant in the meeting. "We will continue the activity and if necessary it will be broadened without hesitation."
Source: [Yahoo News]

This is beyond awful. The Israeli Army is showing the world a terrible ruthlessness. The bloodshed has to end, for the sake of humanity. Israel has made it clear that it will not stop until they disarm Hezbollah. In my humble opinion this will never happen. Hezbollah is more of a concept, an ideology, than anything else. It is an ideology fomented by the continuous frustration Arab youths face on a daily basis. You cannot kill an ideology with bombs. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's popularity is soaring now more than ever due to the continuing Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have left many innocent civilians dead.

The Washington Post is reporting today how Arab governments that were initially critical of Hezbollah are now applauding the movement.

The United States' Arab allies -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt -- initially blamed Hezbollah for the violence, calling its seizure of the soldiers miscalculated adventures. But a high civilian death toll, widespread destruction in Lebanon and strong popular support for Hezbollah have forced a shift in their stance.

And now Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora today thanked Hezbollah for the first time for their "sacrifices," saying:

"We are in a strong position and I thank the Sayyed for his efforts," Siniora said when asked about a Saturday statement by Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah calling on the government to take advantage of Hizbollah's steadfastness against Israeli military might. "I also thank all those who sacrifice their lives for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon," he added.

Just for the record Siniora had always been known for being at odds with Hezbollah.

My sister who was in Damascus last week told me this morning how she was surprised to see wanton support for Hezbollah amongst the common people of Syria. She saw Hezbollah flags flying on cars while a number of people she talked with were expressing their pride and support for what Hezbollah is now doing.

Articulate Jordanian commentator and blogger Batir Wardam is wondering how many people Al-Qaeda has recruited since the beginning of this Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

Routes for violence are abundant. Organizations like Al Qaeda are ready to exploit this anger, not only against the USA and Israel but also against the Arab countries, communities and regime themselves. This is a twisted response but it is a natural result of the Israeli and American action. As I write now, and as you read hundreds of Arab Youth are being mainstreamed into the Qaeda and fundamental organizations who will provide the platform for angry Arab youth to become what we used to call them: terrorists!

Sadly enough, his argument is plausible. Israel has facilitated Al-Qaeda recruitment. I'm so frustrated. Things are going from bad to worse. The future is bleak. My children will never live in peace.

Arab-American celebs call for a ceasefire

Arab-American celebrities -- including Tony Shalhoub, Jamie Farr, Paul Anka and Casey Kasem -- are calling for a ceasefire between Hizb Allah millitants and Israel in a half page ad that is running today in the Washington Post and other publications. This is so uplifting. I'm extremely glad that these prominent Arab-Americans are asking for an end to the bloodshed, which is claiming lives from both sides with the Lebanese paying the highest toll (some 600 as of today) in terms of both lives and infrastructure. Maybe such high profile names will wake some people up and put pressure on those supporting the current ongoing military action so they will come to their senses and intervene. The image enlarges on click. Source: [Arab American Institute]

Jordanian aid plane lands at Beirut airport

It made me extremely proud to read that the first plane to land at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport after it was bombed by Israel was a Jordanian plane there to provide humanitarian support. According to Reuters, the plane will evacuate many of those wounded during the last two weeks of conflict.

BEIRUT, July 26 -- A Jordanian military plane landed at Beirut's international airport on Wednesday to evacuate people seriously wounded in the 15-day-old war between Israel and Hizbollah. Airport officials said the aircraft is the first jet to land at Beirut's airport since July 13 when Israeli warplanes bombed its runways and forced it to close. Subsequent strikes on the facility damaged fuel tanks and other installations. Source: [Reuters]

Déjà vu

This was the cover of Time magazine in 1982 during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The striking resemblance is giving me shivers. Lebanon, my heart aches for your suffering. The admirable Lebanese people are known for being the ultimate survivors. They will rebuild their beautiful country and return it to the status it was just enjoying. Hat tip: [euroarabe]

'The Syrian Bride': Far-fetched ideas of coexistence?

Ironically enough, amid the bloodshed taking place in the Middle East as Arabs and Israelis again engage in a vicious conflict that has innocent civilians paying the price, we watched a movie about tolerance. The Syrian Bride, born from the joint efforts of Israeli and Palestinian movie makers, depicts the strife of the Druze community living in the occupied Golan Heights. Recognized neither by Israel nor Syria as citizens, the Druze carry an "identified" citizenship. The movie revolves around a Druze woman on her wedding day. Her conundrum is that she is engaged to Syrian who lives on the other side of the fence, thereby mandating a wedding on the border between Israel and Syria and the loss of her ability to return to the Golan. Getting the proper exist visa and finally reuniting with her husband proves a nightmare, as both Israeli and Syrian officials employ tedious bureaucratic snafus that highlight the harsh reality this community endures on a daily basis.

The movie is filled with great scenery, engaging conversations and an extremely compelling storyline. It sheds light on the Syrian Druze plight, which, for some reason, is neglected by the mainstream media. We chose the film because somewhere deep inside, we hope Arabs and Israelis can peaceably coexist one day. This beautiful movie was one small-scale product of such a peaceable coexistence. Looking at the latest developments in Lebanon, though, such coexistence seems highly unlikely. The civilian death toll in Lebanon so far is 212; Israel: 12 (Source: From Beirut to the Beltway). At this point coexistence seems far fetched. Perhaps joint movie production is as far as we can get at this point. What a sad reality!

Hope renewed: Kuwaiti women take their place

I have a confession to make: Kuwaiti women have renewed my hope in the Arab world, especially when it comes to the issue of Arab women's rights. Kuwaiti women fought for years until they finally got the right to vote and run for parliament. It was today that we saw this materialize, as elections took place with the participation of female candidates for the very first time in the history of the Gulf emirate. The reason I'm so enchanted by this major step is because it is positive development amidst the plethora of heart-wrenching regional news.

The Washington Post ran a profile today of Kuwaiti female parliament candidate Rola Dashti. It is worth a read. In addition, Mona Eltahway wrote an article on this important development for the New York Daily News. Here is an excerpt:

Whether Kuwaiti women win any seats or not, they can rest assured that not only have they made history, but they are chipping away at the excuses that for too long have held back their sisters in Saudi Arabia, the regional powerhouse. Last year, Saudi women were denied the right to take part in their country's first nationwide elections. Advocates of women's rights there will surely seize on the sight of women in neighboring Kuwait voting and running for office to strengthen their own case for getting to vote in the 2009 Saudi elections. It is a big step in the right direction.

Indeed it is a big step and a very inspiring one as well.

Jordanian bloggers angered by deputies' despicable acts

Jordanian bloggers have expressed anger over the actions of a number of Islamic Action Front (IAF) deputies who paid condolences to Zarqawi's family and called him a "mujahid" (Arabic). Jordanian blogger Ahmad Humeid calls the deputies' actions "shameful," saying:

... anger for Palestine, Iraq and no feeling of oppression or humiliation and no 'jihad' justifies the killing of 60 people in Amman's hotels last year. The public stance of the three IAF deputies in mourning and praising Zarqawi is shameful. What kind of society will we live in when some of our elected representatives are ready to offer us for slaughter by anyone who 'fights the Americans.'

Meanwhile, Nas wrote a personal letter to the IAF:

... I don't care about Hamas calling him a martyr. I care when IAF deputies in Jordan go to his funeral and call him a "Mujahid," someone fighting for the "Islamic" cause. Those deputies should be removed from their seats. I would try them for treason if I could. And what was their excuse for attending the funeral? It was a religious duty, they said. They can't pass judgment on a fellow Muslim, they said. Screw You! When a fellow Muslim turns against the Ummah and starts killing his own people in cold blood that should be some indication that he isn't one of us, you dumbasses! And to the IAF, if these deputies spoke out of line from the party's position then now would be a good time to condemn them and for good measure state your position clearly to Jordanians.

Batir has a powerful post (Arabic). He's also posted in, unleashing his anger at both the state of Israel and Zarqawi:

... other bastards are here, living amongst us and stabbing us in the back. The four "deputies" of the Islamic Action Front who visited the Zarqawi home to consider him a martyr are a shame to Jordan and the country, they are nothing but a group of leeches sucking our blood and supporting criminals and terrorists like Zarqawi. They must be prosecuted, go to jail and never ever be allowed to represent the Jordanian people who were targeted by Zarqawi gang. I hate the IAF, and if they do not apologize right now to the Jordanian people they must be chased down in every corner of this country and never be allowed to express any kind of political activity. The 60 people who died due to Zarqawi's acts, plus the [tears] of the Jordanian girl Marah who lost her father in Iraq at the hands of a Zarqawi assistant is a real Jordanian purity that will wipe away all those cockroaches thriving on the dirt of the worst ideas in our time and by this I mean the terrorist IAF. Those do not need to blow bombs themselves, if they support Zarqawi then they are terrorists as well.

I just want to echo much of what my fellow bloggers said. What the deputies did is simply despicable and can never be justified. Their actions show the ultimate disrespect to the souls of the 60 victims who died last November as a result of the sinister acts of the "Mujahid" Zarqawi.

In other news, Batir reports that there is a sit-in tomorrow in front of Parliament to condemn the actions of the MPs and to pay tribute to the victims of the Amman bombings. In other developments, the same deputies who showed support for Zarqawi were arrested today. Batir thinks it's a "step in the right direction."

Gay parade in Lebanon

For people routinely harassed and sometimes arrested by the Lebanese authorities, it was refreshing to be able to attend a public event without fear of being detained. But the gun-toting policemen standing outside the hotel were not there to carry out a raid against the dozens of people who had gathered inside for the press conference by the gay rights organization, Helem. Instead, the police were there to ensure the safety of the event.

The press conference part of a three-day event organized by Helem to coincide with International Day Against Homophobia, which marks the day in May 1990 on which the World Health Organization took homosexuality off its list of mental disorders. Source: [BBC]

Frankly, I never thought I would live to see the day when Arab homosexuals could organize a public event and talk about the fact that they do exist. But then again Lebanon is different. Perhaps this was bound to happen. My opinion: Good for them!

Meanwhile, Al Arabiya covered the event [Arabic] but alleged that the organizers of the parade were showing "porn movies." The head of the organization, Helem ('Dream' in Arabic), that put together the event denied the accusation, saying that what was shown were social movies about the status of homosexuals in Lebanon and the Arab world.

Syrian opposition moving to Amman!

Both Amarji from the Heretic blog and Abu Kais from Beirut to the Beltway blog are reporting that Syrian opposition figures will soon start operating from Amman and Lebanon. Their news source is Kuwaiti newspaper Al Siyasa. You can see the full article here [Arabic]. Here are some excerpts as translated by the two bloggers. Amarji says:

OK. So, a "well-known opposition figure in Brussels" reports that many former Syrian regime members, with military and security expertise, are currently converging on Lebanon and Jordan to establish bases for future anti-regime operations, promising "two explosions for every explosion and two assassinations for every assassination," all to be carried out with Saudi funding and approval.

Abu Kais adds:

Many houses in Beirut, Tripoli, Akkar, Sidon and Amman have reportedly been put at the disposal of the Syrian opposition. Funding and logistics are being provided by prominent Gulf officials and Western countries, the opposition figure claimed...

... Has the long-awaited march against the Damascus thugs begun? The military tone used by the opposition figure is frightening. But the stakes are high, and the Syrian regime left few other options. Let's see how this report plays out in the media.

I wonder if the Jordanian media will ever report on this unusual development or will it be kept hush- hush, as is usually the norm. We do live in interesting times, indeed.

Free Ala'!

Ala' is another victim of the fight for freedom. He is an Egyptian blogger and activist who is currently being detained by the Egyptian police for taking part in a demonstration. I urge the Egyptian government to release him now and put an end to their continual violations of basic human rights. Make sure to check Sandmonkey's blog for all the details. He, along with other Arab and Egyptian bloggers, should be commended for their relentless efforts to secure his release.

The Arab credit report

My German-Jordanian friend and fellow blogger Euroarabe has a facinating post about the existence of the "Arab credit score." It is so worth a read I'll highlight all of it:

When I came to the US, I found out (too late) about the credit report. If you are late paying any bills, it goes on a national record and affects your ability to take any loans out in the future, as well as sign up for credit cards, cell phones, rent an apartment, buy a house ... even if you move across the country. We don't have that in Jordan and other Arab countries as far as I knew. Then I realised we do. It's called "your reputation" ... and it something that comes along with being a girl. it's just as important as your credit report in the US. One slip and everybody in the country finds out about it. Your reputation report is reviewed anytime you need to make important social and even career transactions just like in the US when you make financial contracts. The girls in my dorm were all intent on having hymen operations before marriage. Because losing that is equivilant of bankruptcy. Anyone living in the US knows what that will do to your credit report. It is obviously all a social construction and make-believe. The cult of virginity. The problem is, everyone is playing the game. I want to set up a online service where Arab girls can get their reputation report, instantly and for a small fee. Delivered online with personal analysis.