Jordanian Citizenship Revoked: The Human Toll Of Politics
Words By: Mohanned
“Jordan is playing politics with the basic rights of thousands of its citizens, Officials are denying entire families the ability to lead normal lives with the sense of security that most citizens of a country take for granted.”
[source]
Those people are human. Politicians sometimes tend to forget that and speak of them as mere numbers. They view people and their livelihoods as a way or a tool to send a message. For them, those people are just another card in their deck of political playing cards.
In reality, two thousand seven hundred and thirty two Jordanians had their nationality stripped between 2004-2008. Their lives are irrelevant because their feelings don’t serve the bigger agenda. Their future? Well, it’s theirs and theirs alone. So who cares? Why should we care? Why should the government care if we, the people, didn’t care?
Enter: empathy deficiency disorder.
What many of us tend to forget is that relativity and ratios dehumanize us. They make numbers look “less” real than they actually are. We become desensitized. We take injustice as a fact of life. For some of us, injustice inflicted on others is, well, tough luck! Life is unfair. True. But what makes it unfair?
Luck? I believe not.
Fate? Don’t think so.
We do.
What if twenty-some women lost their lives each year for “honor”? Does it really matter? The lives of twenty women in a nation of six million are negligible. They are not a priority. They don’t touch and affect enough lives. Our lives.
What makes a life negligible? What makes a human experience less than relevant? What can make a child’s dreams and hopes for the future more relevant to us? How can we care again? How can we overcome this empathy deficiency disorder?
Look beyond the numbers. Try to see the suffering. Try to understand how others feel.
Be them.
So yes, the Jordanian government might call it a “correction”. They might even paint it with the “protecting your national identity” brush.
You don’t solve problems by creating problems. You don’t achieve justice by inflicting injustice on others. You are not protecting by adding suffering. What some might call an inconvenience is a human being feeling injustice. A human being treated unfairly. A human being paying the price for something he/she didn’t do.
So to the Jordanian government: you are making these people’s lives irrelevant. Shame on you and shame on those of us who rationalize injustice and suffering.
- The sixty page report can be found here.
- Related Post: Jordan’s Slow Discrimination
really? so palestinians who grew up in the US view themselves as jordanians???????? even when they have no ties to it? wtf are u saying?
Jorpal, while I agree with your sentiment, we have to be real here, we are far detached from that world, there are borders today ,and these borders are indeed real ( gaza and egypt?) we cant stand each other and it has little to do with politics( look how we treat egyptians here in jordan) , this is the world and situation we have inherited and thats the world that we have to operate in.
Logical writing indeed; but why bleed thousands of Palestinians of their life's savings and then renege over night; what one thought was his government turns its back and rips apart his legal status, rendering him stateless. Why let a hapless population invest, pay taxes, duties and share in the making of a country's future if you had in mind tampering with their future later; political mess or none. Does anyone in his or her right mind believe that this will be good for Jordan???
in essence i agree. but the fault of the government regarding this ongoing policy (be it revoking citizenship or denying citizenship to a select few) is based on their inability to deal in specifics. all governments are forced to deal in abstractions, and thus public policy tends to be applied with various generalizations in mind, which obviously means some will fall through the cracks as a consequence.
that said, WE, the people, should not follow in these same footsteps and be tied down by these same restrictions – dealing with our fellow citizens also as abstractions. we cannot pretend that everyone who's citizenship is being revoked is a tax-paying, law-abiding, investment-driven citizen. this is not to say that many are not. hence my argument: let's not generalize and/or punish people any more than what is already being done to them.
with that being said, picking up on the argument you post: if this is an issue that will evolve beyond the confines of a conversation (both online and offline) and move in to the realms of advocacy, then there should be some form of a cost/benefit analysis of the situation. few of our government policies (or that of any other nation) are driven by an appeal to empathy or poetic renderings.
they are driven by economics.
“Tribes with flags;” that what the English used to call us when they occupied us and it remains true to this day. It's a sad day.
and we live to fight another day brother, its a cruel world
“It is this small minority of the population that the government views as having a status that threatens the greater good (and I emphasize the word status here; not the people themselves).
I am not sure who defines “greater good”. The entity that has the power to do so can do whatever it wants, thus it becomes,just like religion, mainly a tool not a goal. And using the word minority is no different from ratios. What it does is that it makes the issue at hand sound less serious. It makes the “minority” less relevant.
It is quite interesting that many are not willing to challenge many of the strongly held assumptions by the elite and those who are trying to maintain the status quo. The fact that many leaders are trying to sell us that israel will peacefully allow millions to return is just plain deception, aimed at doping the masses. The fact that our politicians chose bending over as the best approach to foreign policy and we are not even able to challenge them is another proof that they are just playing politics. Whom are we kidding?
“I find irony in anyone who argues their right to a Jordanian citizenship while in the same breath depicting the country he or she so vailently wants to be considered a member of as a lawless state. There's a word for that.”
Again, it depends on how you define the state. I love my country, but I hate some of the policies the regime is pursuing.
Other than that, I agree ;)
This is the first part of my reply. It was eaten when I pressed submit so here is goes:
“It is interesting for me to see this conversation evolve, and I get the slight feeling that most are basing their perspectives on emotions, as opposed to addressing the issue at hand.”
Stripping the issue from its emotional dress doesn't make it less wrong. I am also not sure as to what you mean by emotions. Feeling outraged that some people lives changed over night. Feeling outraged when reading their stories.
“I've read it several times and to be quite frank, it depicts a situation that is far beyond the simple conclusions some of you here are trying to draw or that which the international media has depicted, which is whittled down to the simplicity of: the jordanian government is out to get palestinians by revoking their jordanian citizenship and leaving them stateless. In other words, if anyone's actually read the report they'd know the situation is incredibly complex and obviously not applicable to the overwhelming majority of jordanians of palestinian origin.”
Not really. A speech by a king used as the “legal” reason behind the “correction”. I mean are they a mistake? Or where they given the citizenship by mistake? How do such measures affect the way other Jordanians from Palastenian origin feel? How will it affect their productivity and the contributions they make to Jordan? What kind of message do such measures send to us, the citizens? Or does the government only care about sending messages to israel and the west? Don't forget the fact that the government treat the whole society as an entity incapable of making any decisions, or for that matter to even treat us as a herd who doesn't need to know about what decisions are made and how will they affect us. So it is not only about the issue at hand, it is about a trend, it is about a policy of treating citizens as mere passive numbers.
The “complexity” of the issue at hand doesn't mean that we have to be less “emotional” when discuss.ing it. It is complex not because of the people but because of the politics, thus the people shouldn't pay the price. As simple as that.
“Jordan has forever been in a difficult position regarding the palestinian question,”
Jordan as in? The regime? The government? The east bankers? Who exactly? Then again, the regime made historical decisions which seem to affect every aspect of our lives in the present and the future.
“The right of return is an important issue and cannot be ignored. It is naturally in Israel's long-term interest to see the Jordanian government grant citizenship to all Palestinians, and as someone mentioned earlier, that movement has long ago been established, especially by the Israeli right, which happens to be in power now. This, as I assume most of us would agree, is in no one's interest, except for the Israelis.”
The right of return shouldn't be used as an excuse,even indirectly, to rationalize unfair decision. The historic context of the late King hussein speech must be brought into the discussion,also in the peace treaty the king insisted on the Hashemites having a role in Jerusalem,though I am not sure what was in his mind. To “correct some mistakes” that only became “mistakes” after a speech is just preposterous!
Do you have a single relevant comment to make that has more to do with the issue and the commentary and less with my empathetic deficiency disorder (are there pills for this)?
and you speak of the capacity to counter arguments?!
Seriously ..More empathy will make all these problem go away?
This is an interesting news report on Ammon today regarding this issue: http://ow.ly/14Wow
“What it does is that it makes the issue at hand sound less serious. It makes the “minority” less relevant”
that is a matter of perception…yours to be specific…as opposed to its true meaning, i.e. the number of people who this effects represent a small portion of the whole society. is that not true? if you feel that this fact erodes from its seriousness, then you've missed the tone of my comment.
“The fact that many leaders are trying to sell us that israel will peacefully allow millions to return is just plain deception, aimed at doping the masses. “
mind you, the right of return is a palestinian issue. it is on the table because palestinians want it to be. they have the power to push it or drop it – jordan merely plays the supporting role. to verify this, i would ask any arab of palestinian origin living anywhere in the world whether they believe in the right of return. as for what israel allows, that's another story. if the palestinian leadership feels that this is an unachievable goal then they should drop the issue.
“Feeling outraged that some people lives changed over night. Feeling outraged when reading their stories”
outrage is a common reaction. but when it comes to analyzing a report and the repercussions of public policy, it's usually not a good idea to form perspectives based on purely emotional responses. it erodes objectivity.
“So it is not only about the issue at hand, it is about a trend, it is about a policy of treating citizens as mere passive numbers. The “complexity” of the issue at hand doesn't mean that we have to be less “emotional” when discuss.ing it. It is complex not because of the people but because of the politics, thus the people shouldn't pay the price. As simple as that.”
give me a government that doesn't do that. all your questions are valid, however my argument here specifically is that emotional responses have the danger of simplifying a matter and whittling it down to a simple conclusion, when it is an issue that's as far from simple as can be imagined.
“Jordan as in? The regime? The government? The east bankers? Who exactly? “
all of the above.
“The right of return shouldn't be used as an excuse,even indirectly, to rationalize unfair decision.”
i dont think its an excuse. let me clarify it: if this is truly the reasoning behind it, if this whole issue revolves around this central issue, which has generally been the line of reasoning for the state since i can remember or at least long before this report came about – then it is a valid reasoning. to a government that deals in abstractions as all governments do, this is a policy meant to preserve the right of return issue, which has been at the core of palestinian-israeli negotiations since before time…and by the same measure, it is also a policy that avoids the naturalization of more people within its own borders (although for a population of 6 million, of where at least half are of palestinian origin, i would argue that several hundred people are not going to break this camel's back)
lastly, addressing this over-simplification again…i think you and i both know that this goes well, well, beyond a mere speech.
Or, to put it in your own words: whom are we kidding…?
Israel is also considered a tribe with a flag. in other words, neither the tribe nor the flag make or break a state in this day and age.
Look at the bigger picture
Among 10 other “recommendations” Jordan is expected to “Work toward an equitable and just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem within the framework of international law.” Does anyone have a suggestion? Mohannad can you suggest something other than empathy? How about they amend international law to recognize Palestine as a start.
AND
To the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority
* Pending such a solution, the Government of Israel should ensure that Jordanians of Palestinian origin and Palestinians living in Jordan are not removed from the population registry in the Occupied Territories, including East Jerusalem, and should consider including persons of Palestinian descent born in Jordan in the population registry as a matter of humanitarian concern. (This is the big problem!!)
The world and it's international organizations have done nothing to the Palestinian refugee problem but offer handouts and occasional empathy, instead of exercising any pressure on Israel or the rest of the world to recognize Palestine and Palestinians all over the world and stop kicking Palestinians out of Jerusalem. They are not stateless if you recognize their state. facilitating documents can be issued by Jordan but only after the world recognizes Palestinians.
But hey since international law fails over and over in taking measures against Israel for human right violations then we can do what everyone else does with HRW reports ..Flush it down the toilet. cause again i repeat..Jordan is in compliance with human rights on this citizenship issue if the world recognizes Palestine.
The HRW and apparently many people discussing the issue don't recognize the Jordanian humanitarian efforts on the Palestinian issue.
BTW the HRW report has reviewed a staggering number of revoked citizenship cases.. a total of 11 cases!!!
الى مها
ارجو التوضيح بماذا كان قرار ضم الضفة مشروطا و مؤقتا؟
هل هذا يعني ان الحكومة الاردنية تستطيع سحب الجنسية من الاردنيين من أصل فلسطيني متى شائت
بالطبع لا فهذا مخالف للقانون
يعتبر المؤرخون ان أكبر ضرر لحق بالشعب الفلسطيني هو انضمامهم الى الضفة الشرقية حيث يقطن البدو الصحراويون وهم-الشعب الفلسطيني- حضر بحريون وبطبيعة الحال كان هناك مد وجزر بين البحر والصحراء و ما نشهده الآن هو طغيان التفكير الصحراوي البدوي على المدنية والحضارة ما أدى الى ممارسة التمييز العنصري ضد نصف الشعب الذي من أصل فاسطيني
و هنا يلتقي الأردني والاسرائيلي بتصرف مشترك الا وهو طرد الفلسطينيين اي تطهير عرقي
واجهي الحقيقة يا مها فهكذا ينظر العالم أجمع للأردن و للأسف
بدلا أن نجعل هذه الوحدة بين الشعبين مصدر قوة لنا جعلناها مصدر ضعف وتفكك
ولأسباب الحقيقية لممارسة هذا التمييز الواضح لنا تعليق آخر
مها
لا تنسي بأن الاردن خسرت الضفة الغربية في الحرب وعليها مسؤولية أخلاقية وتاريخية لاعادتها
ايضا, بضم الضفة الغربية منعت قيام الدولة الفلسطينية وهذه مسؤولية أخرى على الأردن
فماذا تفعل الاردن الآن حيال ذلك؟
تسحب جنسيات الاردنيين من أصل فسطيني!!!
هذا لايعني على الاطلاق بأن سحب جنسية 2700 أردني هو تصرف سليم
لعبة الأرقام لا تعني بالضرورة تثبيت العدالة و أخلاقية القرار
الى الجميع
“معركتنا مع امريكا واسرائيل هي حول التعويض وليس حق العودة”
صائب عريقات
هذا ما قاله صائب عريقات في منتدى الدستور بتاريخ 22-6-09
شاهدوا الفيديو للتأكد
http://www.jordandays.tv/video.aspx?VidId=682
مدة الفيديو دقيقتان فقط
empathy deficient heartless pricks how outrageous of them to ask people to file the right paperwork …7aram Palestinians have it so so bad in Jordan
مها
لقد قلت لك سابقا بأن ضم الضفة الغربية كانت رغبة شديدة من الملك عبدالله وبموافقة وترتيب الوكالة اليهودية و بذلك تم تجنيس الفلسطينيين اذن واقولها بكل وضوح الجنسية الاردنية ليست منّة من أحد فلا تشعري للحظة واحدة على المستوى الشخصي بأنك افضل من أي أردني من أصل فلسطيني ولا تنسي معنى المواطنة الحقيقي حول المسؤوليات والواجبات
أكبر ضرر لحق بالشعب الفلسطيني هو انضمامهم الى الضفة الشرقية حيث يقطن البدو الصحراويون وهم-الشعب الفلسطيني- حضر بحريون وبطبيعة الحال كان هناك مد وجزر بين البحر والصحراء و ما نشهده الآن هو طغيان التفكير الصحراوي البدوي على المدنية والحضارة
المتخلفون البدو العنصريون فتحوا أبوابهم للمطرودين من ارضهم الذين اليوم تركوا عدوهم و قاتلوا بعضهم لانهم قمة الحضارة والانسانية. فتحوا أبوابهم للمطرودين من الكويت لانهم خانوا البلد اللي لمتهم
بدو و بنفتخر البلد بلا حما مابتنبنا
قاعد بحضني وبنتف بذقني وبحكي عنا مش متحضرين
يا سيدي خلينا الحضارة لفتح و حماس و منظمة التحرير و اشكالك
الحمدلله انه مش كل الفلسطينيين في الأردن بيفكروا زيك
sarcasm?
wow.
How…predictable.
مها
ما زلت تتصرفين وان الاردن له منّة على الفلسطينيين بتجنيسهم وهذا أكبر خطأ للاسباب التي شرحتها سابقا
فكلمات مثل ان الاردن “فتح ابوبه للمطرودين” او”قاعد بحضني وبنتف بذقني” هي مقولات غير صحيحة على الاطلاق و تدعو لكراهية الاردنيين من أصل فلسطيني و من يقولها , مثلك , فهو عنصري بغيض بمفهوم جميع المجتمعات الدولية المتحضرة.
لماذا برأيك جنّس الاردن الفلسطينيين ومنعهم من اقامة دولتهم الفلسطينية؟ هل بسبب سواد عيون الفلسطينيين ام هناك اسباب أخرى يا مها؟
واضح انك لم تقرأ التاريخ جيدا وان معلوماتك منتقاة و مستوحاة من كلام الجارات وعامة الشعب البسيط لذلك انت لا تستطيعين الرد على تعليقاتي بالمنطق وانما بالعواطف . وبهذا فأنت تناقدين نفسك عندما اتهمتي بعض المعلقين بأنهم يتحدثون بالعواطف بدلا من العقل, حسنا اذن خاطبني بالعقل ميشان الله!
اعلمي جيدا بأن كل اردني يحمل جواز السفر الاردني هو مواطن اردني تماما مثلك بغض النظر كيف حصل على الجنسية و هذا من مصلحة الاردن العظمى
وما علاقة كل هذا بفتح وحماس ؟ اذا اردت النقاش حول من قدّم انجازات أكثر للعالم الفلسطينيون ام الاردنيون فهيا بنا نتحاور ولكن انصحك عدم التورط في هذا الموضوع .
حتى انا ارفض النقاش في مثل هذا الموضوع ولكني ذكرته لأبيّن كيف استفاد الاردنيون من هجرة الفلسطينيين و خسر الفلسطينيون من ضم الضفة
والآن وبعد عدة مليارات من الدولارات تخرج علينا مها وامثالها ليقولوا لنا ارجعوا فانتم لسنا منا
وهل عقاب عدم اتمام المعاملة الورقية هو سحب الجنسية؟؟؟!!!
الا تستطيع الحكومة فرض غرامة مالية ؟
يا مها؟
You are the one who who brought up the discrimination and said Jordanians are backward Bedouins, then said that the uncivilized Bedouins were responsible for losing Palestine, if you were so strong mighty and advanced then why the hell couldn't you protect your land and left it up to el bedo? Then you accused Jordan, your home country, the only country that welcomed Palestinians as equal citizens of ethnic cleansing. Who is blinded by hate and calling for it? i rest my case
And you are attempting to divert the discussion to who is better Palestinians or Jordanians, and who did who a favor.
I totally agree on talking abstractions; but didn't those abstractions generate from the lack of clarity in communication on the Government's part (endemic as we all know), this was what has blown all fears out of proportion. What boggles one's mind is that some people (I know a few of those), who have never been to Palestine except for being born there, have had their passports revoked and had only through big wastas managed to regain their previous Jordanian status. Doesn't this make one wonder who's actually is running the country (law vs. lawlessness)? For investment's sake too, which has been Jordan's favorite subject in the last few years; doesn't government wonder how this would eventually count on the investor confidence index. I mean if you can tamper with such sacred icons as passports without due recourse or legal clarities, investment and other laws are nothing but ink on paper. At any rate I truly hope this mambo jumbo blows over soon and clarity is fully reinstated.
Well said
To the contrary, they sell the tribe bit to us but in reality they are one of the most democratic and liberal “breeds” in this world.
Interesting indeed and one wonders what really is going on? Again lack of transparency is what stirs what possibly is a tempest in a teapot!
I wasn't specifically referring to your comment. Plus, perception is reality, whether we like it or not. Objective reality rarely presents itself in our subjective minds. As such, when intelligent individuals like yourself use the term “minority” to describe thousands of people and their priceless lives, aspirations, and dreams, what it does is that it affects and influences the perceptions of many others who might not be able to comprehend the idea of having your life changed overnight.
” the right of return is a palestinian issue.”
But the actions of our appointed government made it a Jordanian issue.You don't support by destroying lives.
” it erodes objectivity.”
I am not sure as to what you mean by objectivity, especially when one is not talking about variables but rather humans with lives. “Objectivity” when talking about people strips the issue from its humane aspects. It puts us on a slippery slope. I am not sure how to further explain what I am trying to say, but to make it clear: Humans are not simply objects. The complexity,the relevance, and the importance of one human live can't and shouldn't be measured.
“all of the above.”
The above aren't one entity. Different goals. Different routes. Different strategic objectives. Different view of the world. So we can't just lump them together, especially when the regime doesn't represent how the people feel,think,and the way they want things to be run. In the absence of true representation,different entities,are simply different. They work toward differing goals.
I tried my best to forget about it but honestly I couldn’t even sleep so I had to leave this comment. I have so much to say about each comment but I don’t want to delve into details, I don’t want to sound like a racist because I don’t think that anything will harm Jordan like racism.
1. I do understand that it is not a simple issue, there is no black or white and there isn’t a magical solution that can have it solved overnight. But it is important for us to trade places with each other and try to see the issue from other perspectives. Without accusations, without taking one of the extremes, I honestly believe that the majority of columnists who tackle this issue in the press, ( I am not referring to the HRW report, I am talking about the identity’s issue in general), tend to be overwhelmed with some phobias, their fears are often unjustified and the solutions they suggest can only oppress millions as a result. I wish I could read for one writer who can speak of the concerns of both sides without bias, I wish someone would write “ I am a Jordanian of a Palestinian origin, I understand the concerns about the identity’s issue and the implications it may have on Jordan, but I want to say that I am also a Jordanian citizen and I think you should take my account into consideration,…..”, I mean I would love to hear from someone who is actually willing to tackle his/her rights and duties as a citizen while at the same time addressing the other side’s concerns so that we can avoid the endless racist debates ( I am not referring to this particular debate). Similarly, I wish to hear from a person, who is Jordanian of eastern Jordanian origins, I wish some could address their fears and keep in mind that there are Jordanians of Palestinian origins whose constitutional rights must be safeguarded, and all of them (including the political rights).
2. Reading the comments, ( I , again, don’t want to get personal on this ), I have this feeling that some of you still can’t understand that Jordan can be a natural homeland for Jordanians of Palestinian origins, ( apart from “watan badeel” propaganda), so when a Jordanian of a Palestinian origin criticizes Jordan, it’s because he/she is just expressing an opinion, having a say about policies that affect our lives, because we bear the toll of these policies just like any other citizen in the kingdom. I guess you all criticize corruption, the illegal acts and many other phenomena that we suffer from, but you still want to be a member of this country and want to see a comprehensive reform, don’t you?
I mean, why do we always have to trace origins when it comes to criticism? I criticize because I feel pure allegiance towards Jordan and would love to see a prosperous future for this country so I don’t have to see all those looks, ( that I am inferior and don’t have the right to criticize), I am a citizen ( at least I consider myself to be recognized as a citizen ) and I want to see these problems solved and I would love to help, this has nothing to do with my origins.
I still have so much to say, but I don’t want to delve into the details of this issue, I understand it is a complicated one, I understand the difficulties, but again, I am sure that maintaining the status quo isn’t justified, we can always find solutions but if we drop some attitudes, if we leave aside our chauvinistic views, ( from both sides ), if we can actually understand that Jordanians of Palestinian origins acquired the nationality legally and therefore enjoy the rights legally without anyone feeling that they did a favor.
Got a long one, do you wanna hear it ?
Yours is indeed a voice of reason and compassion. Jordanians should be crowned as one of, if not the, the world's most tolerant cultures (and this includes those of Palestinian origins). This has been proven over and over again; with the Cherkasians and Cheshens, the Iraqis, the '67 and '48 Palestinians and others (I'm one of them). Jordanians did keep their doors open to those who found no shelter and were more than willing to share their destiny with the other. When Gaza went under the Israeli hammer and fell under a siege, the Egyptians further suffocated Palestinians while a Jordanian Prince oversaw the delivery of aid in Gaza and when George Galloway led his aid caravan Viva Palestina through Jordan, the Aqabites opened their doors and served them food; the examples abound.
All Jordanians are deservedly mad at the lack of cooperation from this hypocritical world (including some Arab nations), which refuses to move a finger against Israel's never ending atrocities. I have no doubt in my mind that this issue would resolve into a policy that would further empower Jordan in the eyes of the world and as such ultimately also benefit Palestinians. After all we do share one destiny as our consecutive leaderships have always said.
In previous posts I might have sounded rather pessimistic, but I'm recourse-ing as I see more clearly now. With nasty enemies like them Zionists, power through unity is the best remedy.
Jorpalebanesyriraqiandmore: I agree with you, we also have to understand the diverse nature of the Jordanian society, which doesn’t have to be used to arouse tensions, on the contrary, (although their voices are rarely heard ), many people are suggesting solutions to the identity’s dilemma, they’re calling for a unified identity for all of us, so that we can have one identity and diversified sub-cultures, which will ( as I personally believe ) make Jordan move past these tensions.
It is also important to know that these tensions don’t only alienate Jordanians of Palestinian origins, it also harms Jordan because it makes some people feel that their allegiance should be for the tribe, the very original hometown, sometimes a particular neighborhood and they fail to see the bigger image, they fail to see that they should be productive members of the Jordanian society at large. This shall never be perceived as racist, as I don’t have the slightest feeling of racism against any creed, but this is rather a fact which you can conclude from the fights that take place on campus and other manifestations of tribalism.
Note: I am not against feeling pride for being part of any group, entity, anything, I am just talking about an entirely different and unacceptable manifestation of improper values, so please don’t start attacking me personally for this. Analysts do realize and some are tackling this issue on a regular basis to show the public that we need to change ( for the better ).
I am not an expert on any issue, I don’t have the ultimate solution but I am just saying what I think I have a responsibility to explain because at the end of the day, I am Jordanian and I have a responsibility to contribute to its development, I can’t shut my mouth when I know that these conversations will have a great impact on people’s mindsets and their decisions which will also have an impact on the future of the kingdom (my homeland ).
Maha: yes, I would like to hear it, but I kindly ask you to think of what I wrote, think of my perspective and keep in mind that I am not attacking Jordan, I am not even criticizing any person of any creed, I am trying my best to stay objective and please remember that Jordan is my country just like it is yours, I am equally irritated when anyone starts attacking it.
No one should attack you for voicing your opinion. Part of the dilemma for all Arabs is that they're not used to or allowed freedom of expression. What goodness is there in any identity if you can't be free to think. Jordan is still a young nation and as such is going through soul searching and as such we as Jordanians have got to walk the line carefully so we don't spoil it for everyone. If you think and write so well and a country doesn't see in you an asset, believe me, you're better off no being within its borders any way. Jordan isn't that and does appreciate and minds and it is by far a better place to live and work in than any of the Arab countries; I say this from having lived in different Arab countries. Give it time.
By revoking citizenships; the seeds of civil war are being spread. Just as what happened in Lebanon, Aljeers and Iraq. Every country of these was prepared for civil war using a unique tactic. For Jordan ; it's the palestinian vs jordanian approach.
إستمرارية النظام بشكله الدكتاتوري الشمولي الحالي يقتضي وجود كتلتين سكانيتين محايدتين تماماً. فيتم إقناع احداهمها أنها المستفيدة من النظام الحالي فتتغاضى عن فساده وإقناع الاخرى أن فساد النظام لا يعنيها بإعتبار وجودها مؤقت ومشروط. ومن حين لاخر يتم تهديد الكتلتين الواحدة بالاخرى لإظهار النظام بمظهر المدافع عن حقوق (ومكاسب المنتفعين والطفيليات من كلا الكتلتين) كل منهما في وجه الاخرى. هنا تنشأ مناظرات عبثيه معظمها تنزلق إلى مستوى السخف تؤدي إلى غض النظر عن التحدي المشترك الذي يواجه كل السكان من شتى الاصول والمنابت. تحدي ينحصر في قدرتهم على توفير مستوى معيشي للنظام (وتحديداً لرأسيه وحاشيتهما) لا يتناسب نهائياً مع موارد الدولة أو امكانات هؤلاء السكان والإستمرار بدعم وإعالة ودعم نظام كليبتوكراطي يفتقر إلى الحد الأدنى من المصداقيه تحت اي معيار.
Jordan is not Lebanon, Iraq or Algeria. simple as.
the problem with the above arguement , is the following, remove this nitham, what will happen?
one only has to look at the institutions and individuals that the govt or the regime has no control over, such as the big private sector companies and how little they do to benefit soceity ,the low wages they pay, the way we treat foreign workers and the poor, the way we liter the street, the way we drive, the way we close roads to pray on fridays, the way we marry, the way we vote , they way we organize,the way we cheat , lie, backstab and corss over each other. the shooting at wedding , the carnival each time the tawjeehi results are out.
look at the way that opposition leaders were treated in jordan , specially back in the day, officers and politicians who conspired to over throw the regime, what used to happen to them? they were usually rewarded with high positions in the govt , and what did they do when they got there???
Dear Lina,
As a Jordanian, i will present you with some of my issues with some groups who are Palestinian Jordanians like many indiv that commented here. When I've met Palestinians outside of Jordan, they always introduce themselves as Palestinians, which is great, until I learn that many of them only hold a Jordanian citizenship and have lived there their entire childhood, never have been to Palestine and don't have a single good thing to say about Jordan, some are even offended by being called a Jordanian. Why? do they have no respect, appreciation, or tiny bits of belonging to a place that has given them a home and a citizenship? When these same individuals visit Jordan they are offended by the policeman who stops them and asks them where they're from, and complain about racism, and how they should be equals cause they hold the passport. How hypocritical is that? If you behave that way then you are not a Jordanian you are a Jordanian passport holder. Unfortunately i've had to defend my country in too many discussions from vicious criticism by Palestinian Jordanians too many times, my default is no longer “this is constructive criticism by a concerned fellow citizen” Prove your loyalty first then i will hear you criticize the country, and this has happened enough times for me to generalize.
Just think how a Jordanian feels when he shares his homeland with people who curse it.
Another thing that pisses me off, go ahead bash the government and everyone in it,BUT respect the men and women who are the sons and daughters of those backwards Bedouins who serve and protect the country, cause they are doing their job well, and they have every damn right to crack down on recruitment holes that breed youth that just wants to blow stuff up and stick it up to the man. If it wasn't for all those privacy invading jerks we would've had so many attacks and threats, it's not a phony scare tactic.
Why does a Jor-Pal has to prove his loyalty and a Jordanian doesn't? a Jordanian has no interests any where else and is less swayable by parties that play the emotional card of “Alquds 7orra” “Americans are raping iraq” every occasion they get, operating from Jordan without a single meaningful item on their agenda that has to do with a general Jordanian issue like economics or healthcare, Ya seedi inshallah falas6een 7orra wil iraq 7orr, bas ma tekhreb baity in the process, don't lose perspective of what harms Jordan in light of other causes you believe in.
Most of my resentment is a backlash to comments from Palestinians. If you want an example read the many comments by zeidinio. these same comments can be read all over Arab and Jordanian forums and news sites. Jordan and the Royal family are the reason we lost Palestine they are traitors in bed with the Jews, Jordanians are racist like the Jews, Jordanians benefit from the plight of the Palestinians, Palestinians are more civilized than Bedouins, Palestinians alone built this country. How do you expect a Jordanian to respect a fellow Jordanian who says all that, Why should i respect and trust a fellow Jord who would sell Jordan for the Palestinian cause. It is never an either or dilemma unless you're one of the extremists who will jeopardize the security of Jordan for floaty dreams of Jerusalem. We have a shared history together some of it is black, the poison runs decades later, i've seen the profanity that bag3awi drunks target Wasfi el Tal's place with. We almost had a civil war in Jordan because groups have different priorities. If you want to be a citizen of a place you're priority should be Here first, There later. Wherever here and there may be. Love Palestine as much as you can but love Jordan too and keep in mind that today Jordan comes first cause that's where you live. Palestinians and Jordanian Palestinians in Kuwait were kicked out in less than 48 hours for sacrificing their homes in Kuwait and not respecting the country they are in. Simply cause Kuwait wasn't their priority.
Over and over I hear it from Jor- Pali old and young if we were in our homeland our lives would be better and I will make my country a paradise. They mentally live a temporary life here, look at the great success some Palestinians families have had here financially and politically, those people lived here like this is the only place they can be, giving and taking, not just taking till further notice. A poor Palestinian will resent Jordan whereas a poor Jordanian is more likely to resent poverty first. There are Jordanians who live in conditions worse than those in refugee camps but are loyal to this country.
If you want to be here, be actively and positively here not just cause you can’t be anywhere else. If you feel that you were forced to come to Bedouin land and hate this backwards place, then you are a second class citizen that only holds Jordanian travel documents emphatically given to you by the backwards backstabbing Hashemites and Bedouins on chivalrous whim ma3 ta7meel jmeeleh. Seriously if you can’t love this country then get the hell out and see who else is going to be kind and tolerant enough to take you in. Your Nakbeh was being forced out of Palestine NOT being welcomed into Jordan. Legally giving Palestinians equal citizenship to Jordanians is above and beyond the Casablanca protocol and beyond what anyone else has given, it is not something they are historically entitled to, Jordan is not responsible to compensate Palestinians for the Israeli occupation. Start talking to us with more appreciation and less entitlement and we won’t say that as a favor we give you citizenship, the door swings both ways.
Maha,
Would you please be so kind as to address the issue of, the Palestinian-Jordanian who is not allowed to call himself Jordanian. When they introduce themselves as Jordanian they are asked “but where are you from originally?”
Thanks,
Dear Maha,
I also have a long post to tell you about my version of the story and why I always say that yes we are all guilty, I haven’t said that Jordanians of Eastern Jordanian origins are guilty and responsible, I repeatedly say that we are all guilty.
As a start, I would like you to know that I am always arguing with Jordanians of Palestinian origins who don’t introduce themselves as Jordanians, to your surprise ( maybe), I argue and mention the same points you have mentioned, that you have lived your entire life, you have been given a home, citizenship, equality in some aspects and a lot more, you have everything it takes to call it home and that never means you have to forget about your origins.
I used to say I am Jordanian, but when people insist on knowing my original hometown, I say I am Jordanian of a Palestinian origin, I never say I am not Jordanian, you have to believe me when I say that I am infuriated by people who say no I am not Jordanian, I only hold the passport and cite examples or reasons to justify this feeling. I always tell them that yes, we do experience inequality but that is a problem that both sides have created and both sides have been feeding, then we argue endlessly about what is action and what is a reaction, which is pointless because we are all guilty.
Yes, as a Jordanian of a Palestinian origin, before expecting to be treated equally I must say that I am Jordanian, I have been talking about this issue for ages, I have been convincing people of my point for ages, but again, if I tell you I am Jordanian and I apply for a governmental job and you trace my origins, that’s where you start making mistakes.
If I say I am a Jordanian and I am willing to contribute to its development and you don’t give me a chance, you keep on arguing and making me feel inferior, if you think I shouldn’t criticize anything that you are constantly criticizing, because I have been taking advantage of what I am not entitled to, then here is another mistake.
If I say I am a Jordanian, then a Jordanian of a Palestinian origin commits a sin and you start generalizing, saying that I am not appreciating what you give me, then you’re making a mistake.
My point is, if I say it is my homeland, stop giving me the looks, because it means I am Jordanian too, it is my homeland and no one is doing me a favor.
So what I want you to understand is that I have been following your advice and still on a daily basis, I interact with people who make me feel inferior, again, I am not generalizing but I mean that you have to understand that even if some people refer to themselves as Jordanian, they’re still treated as inferior, their allegiance is questioned every day, I mean since I say I am Jordanian, it means I do feel allegiance so why do you have to be this skeptical? Why do I have to be accused before committing any mistake?
I am not justifying anything, I am irritated by those who don’t say they are Jordanian, who don’t show the tiniest bit of respect, I argue endlessly with them, I do that on almost a daily basis but I also understand that they have encountered so many situations that have shaped their perspectives, sometimes oppression, sometimes inequality and a lot more, again, I am not saying that they are right but I am only saying that they have their experiences but still they shouldn’t react this way.
I also want to add that during the elections for the students’ council, I wanted to vote for a candidate who didn’t run for these chauvinistic views, I found a candidate and started approaching people to tell them that we need to move forwards, we need to move past these tensions and he was a Jordanian student who is from al Tafilah and I absolutely had no problem with it, I had too many discussions with complete strangers, they kept on asking me why I was exerting that effort and if I am from al Tafilah, I used to answer “ No, I am Jordanian of a Palestinian origin, if you love Jordan, we have to overcome the tribalism issue, you have to look at the bigger image, you have to serve the entire community, etc. “. While so many people agreed with me secretly, they had to show different interests publicly because of the pressure they encounter from people who hail from the same hometowns.
I guess I am doing my part and engaging in productive debates whenever I have the chance to serve Jordan ( my country) and to share my version of the story so that you don’t have to keep on holding to misconceptions about Jordanians of Palestinian origins, yes they should say they are Jordanian but Jordanians should accept that fact and should treat them as fellow Jordanians without again reminding them every day of what they call favors and I call my natural right because I am Jordanian. I have a duty to fulfill and it must serve the interests of Jordan and not a certain segment because they did a favor, that’s what I mean, I hope you’ll understand the point.
Now, as for the Casablanca protocol, as far as I know it was in 1965, while the East bank and West bank formed one country in 1950. The constitution for this united country was issued in 1952 and they became Jordanians, article 6 of the constitution safeguarded the rights of all citizens because it prohibited any discrimination that is based on origin, religion, gender, etc.
Again, I am just saying that these people are Jordanians, now if they realize and admit this, this is a different story, if they’re being the ideal citizens, that’s an entirely different topic. If you really believe that they’re being treated equally, please drop the favors’ issue.
About the Palestinian question, I believe that it is something that we can all identify with because it is a cause of justice, Jordanians do realize this and I can name a long list of people who are serving the cause. So there is also another dimension, because Jordanians of Palestinian origins also bear responsibilities towards Jordan and Palestine, they have to contribute in Jordan but in their case, they also have to do something for Palestine, Jordanians can do something also and they have been doing so for decades, any Arab, any citizen of any country can help and that is actually happening, people from all over the world are expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
One last note, I am not attacking you personally, trust me, I do understand your point, but please take the time to listen to my version of the story, I can’t say that you’re not wrong on so many points because you’re definitely right, but you don’t have the whole story, I lend you a part so that we can overcome this issue.
I still have so much to say about the civil war, etc, but that is enough for now.
Please think of what I am saying, I guess that others can identify with this. Thank you for expressing your concerns, you’re also giving me the chance to express mine so that we can all have an equal chance to overcome this dilemma.
The problem Jordanian Palestinians have with the “Where are you originally from” is that they think they are the only ones asked, that they are targeted unlike anyone else and make a big deal out of the question. Walk a mile in my shoes.
My Jordanian ID card has the words امريكا and مسيحية on it.I have much more explaining and convincing to do than your average Palestinian Jordanian, not only do i get “where are you from” i also get “what the hell are you doing here” ? it doesn't cause me an identity crisis or offends me at heart, I'm Jordanian and i know where my allegiances are. i even have to deal with “you are not Jordanian you technically can't even call yourself Arab”. Imagine 900 years later and i have to discuss whether I'm a crusader or Arab, and you think it's horrible that 60 years later you have to answer a question and maybe deal with someone looking at you funny. There is a lot of ignorance from all kinds of people. The question or your technical answer to it doesn't define if you are a Jordanian or not neither does your ID card, where your allegiance lies does.
Congratulations. This is your first step toward a slow,but hopefully, full recovery. You offer us a good insight into the psychology of a disgruntled Jordanian with a skewed view of reality.I won't be able to educate you, but maybe a bit of history reading with an open mind will set you free.
do u seriously have any other responses besides calling people name and u calling on them to go read history.
what a diva
watevaa..
Could you please elaborate?
mate did you hear that all of the Palestinians holding the Jordanian national number and have been taken from them is because that they sold their lands in al quds al sharqeyeh to the jews ,,,,, if you want to sell your lands and come to jordanian dont sell them to the jews.
And tell abbas to stop calling the king and telling him the number of Palestinians have decreased send me some back !!!!!!
everything i said can be found on the dirty game called politics..
Could you please elaborate?