Organizing flights to al-Aqsa provokes criticism in Jordan
Jordan-Israel, Politics, 11/18/2003

An advertisement issued by Jordanian travel agencies for trips to visit al-Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramadan provoked the anger of Jordanians who oppose normalization, on the ground that this is considered a recognition of the "Zionist entity."

In a statement, the "higher executive committee for protection of the homeland and challenging normalization" said that the Jordanian citizen is not ready to "recognize the Zionist entity which is based on repression and terrorism and also not ready to offer recognition to the enemy's embassy in Amman."

The committee which represents parties of the Jordanian opposition and Jordanian trade unions added that certain "tourism and travel agencies invite Muslims to visit al-Aqsa mosque and to pray in it, exploiting thereby the hearts of believers in al-Aqsa mosque, and did not make clear that the way to perform prayers in it will be through (going to the)Tel Aviv embassy."

The committee called on the "believers who desire to be gifted by the visit of al-Aqsa mosque and praying in it to give the cost of what they will spend for this visit to support of the steadfastness of the people in Palestine and Iraq."

A local agency for travel and tourism had issued at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan an advertisement on a program to visit al-Aqsa mosque in order to spend Ramadan 27th, which falls next Friday, in which it indicates it provides "the costs of visa, travels, hotels and border taxation." Both Israel and Jordan signed the peace agreement on October 26th, 1994, but Jordan summoned its ambassador in Tel Aviv in September 2000 in protest of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

The Jordanian opposition parties, especially Islamists call for severing diplomatic relations with Israel and expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Amman.

Previous Stories:
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  Jordanian king gets the credentials of Israel's new ambassador   (9/8/2003)

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