People suddenly witnessed fireworks in the sky of the Jordanian capital of Amman on the night of October 1, 2024! They discovered that hundreds of missiles were running from one end of the sky to the other. One Indian, living in Amman, saw common people coming out from their residences to witness the fireworks from the streets. Many were also seen waving at the missiles from their rooftops! By that time, the international community came to know from news channels that Iran launched Operation True Promise II against Israel in retaliation for the Zionist Regime’s assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and IRGC General Abbas Nilforoushan. There was an atmosphere of happiness and joy throughout Jordan. The attack somewhat eased the discontent of the general public in Jordan who were upset with the Israeli atrocities in Gaza over the past one year. They were pleased to see that at least someone was giving a fitting reply to the Jewish Nation!

The Jordanians decided to avoid using products manufactured in countries which were helping Tel Aviv (mainly the US) immediately after the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War on October 7, 2023. It may be noted that Jordan is the country which hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees. At least three million (or about 27% of the country’s total population) Palestinian refugees live in the Arab Nation situated on the east bank of the Jordan River. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), around three quarters of those refugees hold full Jordanian citizenship and, therefore, have a national identification number that allows them access to the labour market, public health facilities and education services.

The Palestinian refugees have been arriving in Jordan for the past seven-eight decades and a large proportion of them are second or third generation Palestinians. Some have opened outlets of KFC, McDonald’s or Starbucks in the heart of Amman. As people prefer West Asian or local brands even in big shopping malls, Jordan’s own products (be it soft-drinks or fast food) have captured the market. Talabat, the popular food delivery app, has arranged various relief packages for the Gazans, catering to foods, clothes and other necessary commodities to Palestine on a regular basis with the help of the Government of Jordan. The government, too, has taken various initiatives to help Palestine.

Surprisingly, Amman announced on October 2 (2024) that the Royal Jordanian Air Force and Air Defence System destroyed several missiles and drones that had entered the Jordanian airspace (on October 1)! At the same time, a senior government official made clear that Jordan’s position was quite clear and transparent… no one can use the Jordanian territory as a conflict zone. He also said that the primary responsibility of the government was to protect the sovereignty, as well as citizens, of Jordan. However, Amman’s argument has failed to convince the Jordanians who believe that their country did not act impartially. Else, why did Jordan destroy missiles aimed at Tel Aviv? Iran, by the way, did not fire a single missile at Jordan. Then, why did the government waste the taxpayers’ money to destroy the Iranian missiles? If the Iranian missiles undermined Jordan’s sovereignty, then Jordan should not allow the Israeli and US fighter jets to use its airspace in order to attack the Islamic Republic, as well! As expected, the Jordanian government has maintained silence on these issues!

Those, who are against the government’s move, have recalled that Amman signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Washington DC in September 2022 on the basis of which the US would give USD 10.15 billion to Jordan as economic aid over the next seven years. According to another agreement signed in 2016, Israel would supply natural gas to Jordan for 15 years in exchange for USD 10 billion. Meanwhile, the Government of Jordan has stated that one of the conditions of the 1994 US-brokered Peace Accord between former Jordanian King Hussein bin Talal and Yitzhak Rabin, the then Prime Minister of Israel, was neither country would allow a third party to use its territory as a war zone!

The controversy continues in Amman, while protests are going on in front of the Israeli Embassy in the Jordanian capital. An exhibition of paintings by the Gazan artists, too, is going on at Darat al Funun Art Gallery. However, a section of Jordanian intellectuals is still not happy! They are of the opinion that the government is using the conditions of the 1994 Peace Accord as a safety valve and trying to be honest to its own conscience. The only fact is that a country, called Palestine, has been systematically crushed.

For many living in Amman, the Iranian missiles aimed at Israel have brought a bad piece of news. David, a Lebanese software engineer working in Jordan, is one of them. He told his Indian friend that Israel would intensify its attack on Lebanon! David was correct! After carrying out genocide in Gaza, the Zionist Regime has started targeting Beirut. Amin is also a Lebanese who, along with his wife and 10-year-old son Mohammed, has been living in Jordan for the past six years. He runs a laundry business in Amman. Amin stressed: “No one joins Hezbollah willingly. While some Hezbollah fighters lost their parents or entire family due to war. They have no future. What will they do? Hence, they take the weapons!” He also said: “There is only one way to escape from this cycle… flee the country. Only God can help those who are still in Lebanon.” David, Amin and others, who have managed to leave Lebanon, are worried for their near and dear ones.

West Asia has been experiencing genocide and infanticide for the last one year. A retired senior UN official from Amman, who wished to remain anonymous, recently visited Gaza with relief materials. After his return, he confined himself at his residence for three weeks! He told the Indian: “I ask you to imagine a picture… think it’s raining and some people have taken refuge in tents just like animals. Another group of people have no roof over their heads. They stand under the open sky and get wet. Among them, there is also a little girl sitting on her father’s lap. Above her head, the father is holding both hands together as he is trying to protect his child from the rain with tearful eyes.“

Well, war gives us nothing, but takes everything away…

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das