Jordanians take to streets to protest Gaza massacre, US embassy move

AMMAN — Scores of Jordanians demonstrated on Friday in condemnation of the Israeli massacre against civilians in the Gaza Strip and in protest to the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

At a demonstration in downtown Amman after Friday prayers, hundreds of Jordanians chanted slogans against the US and Israel while some burned Israeli and American flags.

“Jerusalem is ours,” the demonstrators chanted as they held banners that read “Boycott Israel”, “Boycott the US”, and “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine”, among others.

“We are here to send a message to the whole world that Jerusalem is a redline and that the US move of relocating its embassy to occupied Jerusalem is a reckless step that will worsen the situation,” Ahmad Hashlamon, a 48-year-old participant in the demonstration, told The Jordan Times on Friday.

“What peace is the US talking about while the Zionists are killing the defenceless civilians in Gaza? The US claims to be supporting peace and announced that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, this is nonsense,” Hashlamon said.

Abdullah Abu Al Taher, another demonstrator, said: “We are ready to sacrifice everything for Jerusalem… We cannot be silent and the Arab world needs to take action.”

“The Arab League should take serious action other than issuing statements of condemnation,” said Abu Al Taher, slamming the world’s silence over the massacre committed by Israel last week that has killed more than 60 civilians protesting in the Gaza Strip.

“Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine and this is what we seek to highlight by taking part in this protest. There can be no peace without Jerusalem,” he told The Jordan Times.

Addressing the demonstrators, overall leader of the Muslim Brotherhood Society in Jordan Abdul Majid Thneibat stressed the rejection of all attempts to alter the identity of the Holy City.

“We reject all measures to Judaise The City and reject all attempts that seek to affect the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites in Jerusalem,” said Thneibat.

Last Monday, Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border as the United States opened its embassy to Israel in occupied Jerusalem, a move that has fuelled Palestinian anger and drawn foreign criticism for undermining peace efforts.

It was the bloodiest single day for Palestinians since the Gaza conflict in 2014. Palestinian Health Ministry officials said more than 60 protesters were killed and more than 2,200 injured either by live gunfire, tear gas or other means.