'Religious' Israelis banned from Jordan

[Womble]

'Religious' Israelis banned form Jordan

If you look like a religious Jew, forget about touring Petra.

In fact, if you have a kippa, side-curls, or tzitzit dangling outside your pants, forget about going anywhere in Jordan since the Jordanians - because of security concerns - are barring entry to anyone who looks, well, too Jewish.

Eight Israelis who wanted to go scuba-diving in Aqaba were turned away at the border because Jordanian customs officials found tefilin and tallitot (prayer shawl) in their bags.

One of the tourists, Yoram Cohen, told Army Radio Wednesday that once the Jordanian border officials realized that they were religious they were banned entry.

"During the border check the Jordanians found tefilin in our bags. When they asked what it was, we said we were religious," said Cohen.

"At that moment they said 'ok, go home.'

"On the Israeli side we were informed that they don't let religious people through," he said.

While an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman could not confirm the details of that particular report, he did say that Israel has been "holding a dialogue" with the Jordanians about this overall issue.

According to the official, the Jordanians maintain that people who look obviously Jewish or Israeli are targets for terrorists. The official said that although Israel understands the Jordanian security concerns, the symbolism of turning away someone because of a beard, side-curls, kippa or black-garb is "problematic." He said there have been reports of haredim who have not been allowed into Jordan.

[Cato]

Hey it is there country isn't it? Besides what does Jordan have for Israelis and jews that Israel doesn't have better?

Yes Al Kerak is quite a sight, but Massada is better, especially the long standing monument to Rome outside of it (By monument to Rome I mean the ramp to climb up into Massada that the Romans built under fire, very impressive for them to have built it, especially when under heavy fire).

As Arab Nations go Jordan is by far the best, so why pick on Jordan when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the rest of the gang are far worse?

[minusthejihad]

Because justice isn't a popularity contest. Are you suggesting we turn the other way when a petty thief snatches a ladies purse because, well..., there are others out there would have raped her and killed her or killed her and raped her?

[mbczion]

Hey it is there country isn't it? Besides what does Jordan have for Israelis and jews that Israel doesn't have better?

Yes Al Kerak is quite a sight, but Massada is better, especially the long standing monument to Rome outside of it (By monument to Rome I mean the ramp to climb up into Massada that the Romans built under fire, very impressive for them to have built it, especially when under heavy fire).

As Arab Nations go Jordan is by far the best, so why pick on Jordan when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the rest of the gang are far worse?

I thought we supposedly have "peace" with Jordan....Doesn't this mean mutual respect? What if we were to stop any tourist who entered Israel wearing Islamic regalia at our borders? Of course, the whole "enlightened" world would be calling us "fascist" or "racist"....

Jews are not allowed in Saudi Arabia, but at least we know we do not have "peace" with them, but if we sign a treaty with a country we are supposed to have "peace" with, then I would expect mutual respect....

For the record, I have NO desire to visit Jordan, but if an obviously religious Jew is not even allowed there, I would like to stop hearing all this talk about how Jordan and Israel are at "peace" with each other and quit living in a fantasy world....

Cato, you also mentioned Egypt in the above list of Arab countries that are "far worse", yet we also supposedly signed a "peace" agreement with them....

[Cato]

Because justice isn't a popularity contest. Are you suggesting we turn the other way when a petty thief snatches a ladies purse because, well..., there are others out there would have raped her and killed her or killed her and raped her?

That depends. The situation is more like this then what you describe.

A petty thief steals a 26 year old womans purse while she is waiting on a street corner for a bus.

At the same time a 15 year old girl is gang raped, then is circumcized by her rapists in an attempt to hide it, then killed to silence her, and her purse is stolen to make it look like a mugging.

Now you have to decide which crime is worth the time, and resources to deal with, who do you pick?

"I thought we supposedly have "peace" with Jordan....Doesn't this mean mutual respect?"

No it means the Jordanian Army will no longer be sent into Israel in an attempt to kill all in their path the way they did before.

"What if we were to stop any tourist who entered Israel wearing Islamic regalia at our borders? Of course, the whole "enlightened" world would be calling us "fascist" or "racist"...."

True, but Israel would never ever do that.

"Jews are not allowed in Saudi Arabia, but at least we know we do not have "peace" with them, but if we sign a treaty with a country we are supposed to have "peace" with, then I would expect mutual respect...."

Then you will be dissapointed, the best Israel will ever get from Saudi Arabia (Unless God Grants a miracle) is peace like what it has with Egypt and Jordan, and permission to send the Mossad through Saudi Arabia to attack mutual enemies.

"For the record, I have NO desire to visit Jordan, but if an obviously religious Jew is not even allowed there, I would like to stop hearing all this talk about how Jordan and Israel are at "peace" with each other and quit living in a fantasy world...."

I agree, but you should remember the difference between Peace with an Arab or Muslim Country, and peace with a non Arab or Kafir Country.

"Cato, you also mentioned Egypt in the above list of Arab countries that are "far worse", yet we also supposedly signed a "peace" agreement with them...."

See above comment on Jordanian "peace" treaty.

[mbczion]

I rest my case then....We do NOT have peace with Jordan....We are just not at war with them....There is a big difference....

At any rate, the Israelis that wanted to go diving in Jordan were not even "obviously" religious because they were not denied entry until their bags were searched and tefillin and siddurim were found....

So, I don't by the lame excuse about being targets for terrorists....

The bottom line is that we have no "peace" with Jordan, as long as religious Jews have to hide their identity, and whoever says we do is living in a fantasy world....

[Annaliese]

Thursday, January 19, 2006
Excerpts: JORDANIAN ANTI-SEMITISM 19 January 2006

+++ JORDANIAN ANTI-SEMITISM
Dr. Joseph Lerner, co-director IMRA
The Jerusalem Post 18 Jan. '06 story "Religious Israelis banned from
Jordan" , which follows, tells of eight Israelis turned away from Jordan
when tefilen and prayer shawls were found in their bags. The Haaretz
Reuters 19 Jan.'06 story ""Israel says Jordan refuses entry to religious
Jews",which also follows, reports:"The primary issue raised by the
Jordanians is that someone who is obviously Jewish or Israeli is a likely
target for terrorists". The issue is not individuals with side curls,
beards or black garb but to "someone who is obviously Jewish or Israeli".

Why should Jews, Israeli or not, be subject to terrorist attack in
Jordan? In a poll conducted in Jordan May 3-24, '05 by Pew Global Attitudes
Survey 100% said they had unfavorable attitudes towards Jews. This was
expressly Jews, not Israelis.

Jordan has a long and deep history of anti-Semitic education. "The
Protocols of the Elders of Zion" held a prominent place in Jordanian
textbooks even during Jordan's occupation of eastern Jerusalem as it still
does, and for which it is not criticized.. Under the Oslo accords the
Palestinian Authority was permitted to establish schools in the West Bank.
The PA adopted the notorious Jordanian textbooks.

The late King Hussein campaigned vigorously against Soviet Jews coming
to Israel. Jordan's professional associations prohibit their members any
'normalization' with Israelis on threat of losing
their right to work.. The 18 Jan.'05 Jordan Times article "King urges
Christian leaders to stand together to protect Jerusalem"(which also
follows) exemplifies another aspect of Jordanians ongoing actions, even
under direct Royal auspices, bolstering anti-Semitism. High level Christian
clerics are urged to join together to protect Jerusalem from the
depopulation and elimination of Christian Arabs. By whom? Actually, the
Arab population of Jerusalem has been increasing.more rapidly than the
Jewish.

Typically, Jordan's antagonism is ignored by important visitors. Routinely,
Jordan is praised as is reported in the Jordan Times story: "the president
of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops praised King Abdullah's peace
efforts and his persistent endeavors to launch and support dialogue between
the followers of the three monotheistic religions." To the contrary,
Jordanian interfaith dialogue has, with very rare exception, excluded Jews.
Prince Hassan's related undertakings show no exception to this.

This shouldn't be surprising. US and European Jewish organizations
invited to meet with King Abdullah routinely praise him ignoring Jordanian
anti-Semitism and warmly welcome him when he is abroad.

Yes, Jordan cooperates with Israel in security matters and has a peace
agreement with Israel but these factors don't preclude a deep, pervasive
anti-Semitism which makes it dangerous for Jews to visit Jordan and
contributes to regional instability.

Clearly, the Hashemite rulers promote anti-Semitism. Why they do, does
not really matter.

+++JERUSALEM POST18 Jan.'06
'Religious' Israelis banned from Jordan
By HERB KEINON AND JPOST STAFF

EXCERPTS: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=28228