Mar 15, 2014
by Muath Freij
Source: The JordanTimes
AMMAN –– Around 1,000 Jordanians gathered outside the Kalouti Mosque near the Israeli embassy in Amman on Friday to protest the killing of Jordanian Judge Raed Zuaiter.
After
the Friday prayer, representatives of several groups, including the
Muslim Brotherhood and the Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party,
waved Jordanian and Palestinian flags and chanted slogans denouncing
Zuaiter’s murder.
Some protesters tried to reach the Israeli embassy but were prevented from doing so by Gendarmerie forces.
Rida
Suwatia, a member of the Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party, said
if the government cannot avenge the judge’s death, it can at least
close down Israel’s diplomatic mission and release Jordanian soldier
Ahmad Daqamseh, who is serving a life sentence for shooting seven
Israeli schoolgirls in 1997.
Jordan
summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires in Amman last week to protest
the shooting of Zuaiter by Israeli soldiers and ask for an immediate
investigation into the incident.
Zuaiter,
a judge at the Amman Court of First Instance, was killed at the King
Hussein (Allenby) Bridge over Jordan River last Monday. In reaction to
the incident, the government asked to take part in the investigation
that is yet to be announced. Israel agreed to the request.
Hamza
Jibrin, another demonstrator who participated in Friday’s protest,
criticised Arabs because they are not united despite thousands of people
being killed every day.
“Arabs
are only fighting each other. Instead of protecting those who are being
attacked, they protect the ones who occupied our land,” the university
student said.
He
added that demonstrations are the least that Arabs citizens can do to
express their support for fellow Arabs living under occupation and
oppression.
“What
we really want is to send a message to the whole world in a peaceful
manner. We do not want to spread chaos,” Jibrain added.
He
noted that if the authorities expel the Israeli ambassador from the
country and recall Jordan’s ambassador from Tel Aviv, Jordanians will be
proud of their government.
Amir Nawaisah, another protester, said Jordanian blood should not be cheap.
“Our
main issue is the Palestinian cause and how to free Palestinian land.
We also want to send a message that we do not want any kind of ties with
the Zionist enemy,” he told The Jordan Times.
Describing Daqamseh as a “hero”, Nawaisah said he was treated as a war criminal in the Kingdom.
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