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Jordan's King Eyes Home Audience in Trip to West Bank

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Jordan's King Eyes Home Audience in Trip to West Bank August 13, 2017 15 News & Analysis Palestine Israel Jordan’s king eyes home audience in trip to West Bank Mamoon Alabbasi Palestinian origin. daily Haaretz, Amman-based Pal- Adding fuel to fire, an Israeli estinian journalist Daoud Kuttab guard at the Israeli Embassy in noted that public outrage over the London Amman killed two Jordanians af- killing of the two Jordanians was ter a 16-year-old attacked him with on the mind of King Abdullah, ordanian King Abdullah II’s a screwdriver. Jordan allowed the even though the incident was not visit to the occupied West guard to return to Israel where he mentioned as being behind his trip Bank may be intended more received a hero’s welcome from to the West Bank. as a message for his coun- Netanyahu, further inflaming Jor- “The pressures from Israel and trymen, who are infuriated danian public opinion. the White House’s Jared Kushner Jwith Israel, than a show of solidar- The Jordanian media portrayed to quickly release the Israeli se- ity with the Palestinian Authority the visit as showcasing Amman’s curity guard — despite his alleged leadership. uniqueness in defending the Pales- criminal actions — have become King Abdullah II travelled by tinian cause at a time where other public knowledge in the kingdom, helicopter to the West Bank and parties have abandoned it. leaving [King] Abdullah vulnerable met with Palestinian President “Jordan [is left] alone to act and in the eyes of his people,” wrote Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian to continue to shoulder a huge re- Kuttab. “The beloved King Abdul- Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki. He sponsibility regarding the Palestin- lah is facing a level of public anger returned to Jordan without stop- ian situation,” wrote Hasan Abu he has never encountered in his 17- ping in Israel. Nimah in the Jordan Times. “The year rule.” The talks focused on “the need king’s visit to Ramallah comes as Kuttab said the visit also sent a for preserving the historic and le- part of an ongoing, but unique, message to Israel: “The king want- gal status quo in noble Jerusalem,” Jordanian commitment to the Pal- ed [the Israelis] to know that Jor- the Jordanian news agency Petra estinian cause since the very be- dan supports the Palestinians and said. ginning of the historic conflict.” that the rapprochement with Israel Israel installed metal detectors that has made Israeli-Jordanian and security cameras at the gates peace a warm one is in real danger of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque — not only because of al-Aqsa but compound, sparking protests in also in the way the embassy issue the city and Muslim worshippers The Jordanian media was handled and due to continued boycotted the holy site. portrayed the visit as Israeli obstacles to the two-state Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin showcasing Amman’s solution.” Netanyahu backtracked on the de- uniqueness in Israeli commentators pointed cision, citing security reasons, but defending Palestinian out that Netanyahu’s warm recep- several countries, including Jor- tion of the Israeli guard was embar- dan, said they had been involved cause. rassing for King Abdullah. in defusing the tensions. “Abdullah hopes his visit to Ra- “President Abbas praised the The Jordan Times, in an edito- mallah and show of support for the role of Jordan and the king in reo- rial, reiterated the same message, Palestinians will give him a boost at pening the mosque and remov- even though many countries and home where many Jordanians disa- ing the recent crisis and said that organisations have expressed sup- greed with his decision to allow an Hashemite sponsorship over Is- port for the Palestinians. Israeli Embassy guard who fatally lamic and Christian holy sites is King Abdullah “has often ap- shot two Jordanians last month very important to protect them,” peared to be the lone Arab voice to return to Israel,” Ben Lynfield said Petra. in focusing consistently on this is- wrote in the Jerusalem Post. Ahead of the visit, King Abdul- sue,” read the editorial. “The king’s Former Israeli Ambassador to lah told Jordanian lawmakers that visit to the West Bank, therefore, Egypt Yitzhak Levanon said the “without the Hashemite custodi- sends a clear message to Israel and visit had various messages in- anship and the steadfastness of the the rest of the international com- tended for different audiences, Jerusalemites, the holy sites would munity that the Palestinians are including support for Abbas, who have been lost many years ago.” not alone in their struggle for free- appears to have been sidelined The Israeli moves had angered dom and that Jordan stands shoul- in the Jerusalem crisis. “By go- many people in the region but der to shoulder with them in their ing to Ramallah, [King] Abdullah Jordanians had more reason than quest to establish their own inde- was bringing Abu Mazen (Abbas) Message to home. Jordanian King Abdullah II (R) speaks with others to be upset. More than pendent state on Palestinian soil.” back into the game,” he told the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on his arrival in the West half of Jordan’s population is of In an opinion article in Israel’s Jerusalem Post. Bank city of Ramallah, on August 7. (AFP) Will Moroccan Jews in Israel vote Labour in 2019 elections? Saad Guerraoui social equality. out the years to fewer than 3,000 old artist, who lives in Tel Aviv, said “For example, in medical schools, Morocco’s Jewish population ex- but is still the largest in the Middle he “does not trust Labour at all,” there are special tracks for students ceeded 260,000 in the 1940s. After East and North Africa. even if it is led by a Mizrahi. who originate from “economically Casablanca the creation of the state of Israel in Nini Alfasa is one of the many “Nobody wants to be ruled by inferior background,” which often 1948, approximately 90,000 Jews Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern or people (Labour leaders) dealing translates into Jews of Moroccan sraelis of Moroccan Jewish ori- left Morocco to seek a new life North African origin, known as Miz- with hate. Everybody supports Bibi origin. gin have often been the centre there. The Moroccan Jewish com- rahim, who said he will not be vot- (Netanyahu’s nickname) because of “Nonetheless Moroccan Jews of- of media attention in legisla- munity has been reduced through- ing Labour this time. The 37-year- the left’s hatred towards him,” said ten claim that they have been his- tive elections due to their num- Alfasa. torically devalued,” said Hetsroni, bers in the Jewish state. The an Ashkenazi. I1 million Moroccan Jews constitute Jewish intellectuals of Moroccan the second largest Jewish commu- origin have been demanding recog- nity in Israel and one of their own is nition of their Mizrahi culture and expected to seek to become prime The 1 million Moroccan identity. Last year, they called on minister in 2019. Jews constitute the the education minister to include Avi Gabbay, the leader of the main second largest Jewish the history of Arab-Mizrahi Jews in opposition Labour Party, is the sev- community in Israel. the curriculum. enth of eight children born in the “The Moroccan clan is very con- North African kingdom to Moroc- Mizrahi strongly supported Ne- servative and religious. Therefore, can Jewish parents who emigrated tanyahu in the 2015 elections as their leaders often blend moderate to Israel. He is expected to challenge they felt closer to Likud’s populism religiosity with social conserva- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Ne- and most of the Ashkenazi, Jews of tism. More or less, they will bring tanyahu in the next elections. European origin, voted for the op- us back to the Middle Ages but they Gabbay, a 50-year-old former position Zionist Union. have their crowd,” said Hetsroni. head of one of Israel’s largest tel- Mizrahi Jews have long com- “In my opinion, Sephardic cul- ecommunications companies who plained of discrimination in a Jew- ture is an inferior culture. That is also served in a prestigious military ish state dominated by the white to say that their mark on global cul- intelligence unit, will be looking elite of Ashkenazi origin in all major ture has been very limited. Shmuel for his community’s support in the sectors. After the creation of Israel Yosef Agnon won the Nobel Prize in 2019 elections. in 1948, many Mizrahi Jews lived in literature. Show me one Moroccan The Labour Party long domi- shantytowns in poor conditions. author who even comes close to nated Israeli politics but has not Amir Hetsroni, professor of mass that,” he added. held power since 2001 because, communication at Koc University analysts said, it shifted from its so- Looking for support. Former businessman Avi Gabbay gives a in Istanbul, denied there was dis- Saad Guerraoui is a contributor cialist roots, becoming a party of speech after being voted the leader of Israel’s main opposition crimination against Jews of any ori- to The Arab Weekly on Maghreb elites seemingly less committed to Labour Party in Tel Aviv, last July. (AFP) gin in Israel. issues..
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