University students around Jordan express solidarity with Palestinian resistance

AMMAN — Several universities around the Kingdom organised  demonstrations on Tuesday in what was described as “The Day of Rage” to condemn the killing of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and attacks on Al Aqsa Mosque.

Students from all fields and majors came together to protest the situation in the West Bank and the recent violations of holy sites in Jerusalem.

At the University of Jordan, around 500 students participated in the march, celebrating the Palestinian resistance.

Members from the leftist, communist and Islamist parties joined the rally.

“We are all here… to protest the assaults on our mosques and churches, on our people in Palestine, to fight for their right to live, and their right to exist and resist,” Mona Adwan, one of the students at the demonstration, said.

Another activist, who preferred anonymity, said the demonstrations among all Jordanian universities are due to the events in the West Bank and what is referred to as the “Third Intifada”.

“Killing young and helpless citizens in cold blood is inhumane… no religion allows this,” a protester said.

Students condemned the “silence” of Arab countries regarding the attacks in some cities in the West Bank.

“[The young] generation is responsible for change, which is why we will not be silenced,” said student Ibrahim Dalain.

“Many people are not aware of what is happening in the occupied lands; this march is also to raise awareness among students,” another participant said.

Waleed Rawadyeh, the director of the public relations and cultural department at Mutah University in Karak, some 140km south of Amman, told The Jordan Times the march is to protest attacks in the occupied lands.

“Thousands of students from different backgrounds, religions and origins united to condemn the assaults and to show solidarity with Palestinians,” he said.

Around 30 Palestinians have died and 1,450 have been injured in confrontations with Israeli forces and settlers since the start of October, according to figures released by the Palestinian health ministry.

Rawaydeh added that the series of protests organised in universities around the Kingdom aims to prove that Jordan is the closest country to Palestine in all aspects.

Yarmouk University’s dean of student affairs, Ahmad Shayyab, told The Jordan Times hundreds of students joined the demonstration from all political parties to denounce the killing of Palestinians.

“It is a march for university students across the country to express their feelings and thoughts on the events currently happening,” he added.

Asem Daraghmeh, a student at the Hashemite University, said every Jordanian considers the Palestinian conflict as their own.

“Everything that happens in the occupied lands reflects on Jordan and we as Arabs and Muslims are responsible for it,” Daraghmeh added.

Similar demonstrations took place at Tafileh Technical University, Al Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Philadelphia University, Mafraq’s Al al-Bayt University, Maan’s Al Hussein Bin Talal University and Balqa Applied University.

The protests were described by university officials and witnesses as “peaceful” and “goal-oriented” with no clashes or incidents reported.