Iraq: A Direct U.S. Role in Government Formation?
July 28th, 2010 by Jennifer
Kenneth M. Pollack writing at The National Interest online suggests that the U.S. may need to take a stronger role in addressing the political deadlock in Iraq. Pollack points out the dangers of allowing the current situation to continue indefinitely, including the risk of Iraq sliding back into civil war. Commending the administration’s cautious, hands-off approach thus far, Pollack argues that it is “crucial that any greater American involvement be seen as bolstering Iraq’s democratic processes and institutions, not subverting them,” and advises close coordination with the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) in that regard. He outlines three potential options for the U.S. and UNAMI: 1) calling for the party that won the most seats of the March 7 elections to be given the first chance to form a government; 2) declaring that the Iraqi government should reflect the outcome of the election and include both Allawi and Maliki’s parties; or 3) calling for amending the Iraqi constitution to clarify ambiguities relating to elections and government formation, and to correct the over-concentration of power in the office of the prime minister. According to Pollack, each option presents advantages and disadvantages. Noting the “fragility of Iraq’s nascent democracy, and the importance of this particular transition—which will set precedents for decades to come,” he argues that if the Iraqi parliament has not succeeded in forming a government by the end of Ramadan in September, “the United States and our UN partners would do well to seize that moment to give Iraq one last, best chance to develop into a stable democracy.”
Posted in Iraq, Political Parties, Sectarianism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Lebanon: No Interference in the STL
July 28th, 2010 by Jennifer
Parties in the March 14 Alliance yesterday rejected Hezbollah’s call to form a committee to investigate alleged false witnesses in the probe into former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, following controversial remarks by Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah condemning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). Future Movement MPs argued that the Lebanese national government should not interfere with the work of the STL, an independent, UN-backed tribunal. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized the allegations, asking, “Who said there are any false witnesses?”, and commenting that Hezbollah “did not back its claims with any judicial authorities or tribunal.” Meanwhile, Minister of State Adnan al-Sayyed Hussein said that political parties were in talks to form a ministerial committee to follow up on the STL, and also suggested that the tribunal could be discussed at the August 19 meeting of the National Dialogue committee. Stating that the STL issue “is important and directly related to a national defense strategy because it relates to national security, which is not restricted only to facing Israel but also security threats, terrorism and preserving national unity,” Hussein called for all political parties– including Hezbollah –to fulfill their responsibility of ensuring Lebanese stability and to engage in “rational rhetoric away from tensions and accusations of treason.”
Posted in Hezbollah, Judiciary, Lebanon, Political Parties, United Nations | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Perspectives on Reconciliation Options in Afghanistan”
July 28th, 2010 by Jennifer
The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing to discuss reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan. Touching on issues of governance and civil institution building, the hearing was twelve in a series the Committee has held on Afghanistan in the past 18 months. The Committee—chaired by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA), with ranking Committee member Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-IN) in attendance—requested the testimony of three individuals: the Honorable Ryan C. Crocker, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Pakistan; Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International; and Dr. David Kilcullen of the Center for a New American Security.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Afghanistan, Elections, Foreign Aid, Taliban, Terrorism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Iran: Sweden Too Lenient On Iran?
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
Describing Iran as the “most dangerous threat to peace in the Middle East,” Mats Tunehagen criticizes the Swedish government, specifically its Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, for giving Tehran “diplomatic cover.” Tunehagen says, “In this post-Christian Scandinavian country, the UN has replaced God as the new Supreme Being,” adding that it is uncommon for Sweden to disagree with international institutions’ decisions, as it did with the recent sanctions on Iran. Additionally, Tunhagen– who recognizes Sweden as traditionally a promoter of democracy around the world –argues that Bildt and President Barack Obama are alike in that neither of them “proactively” supports the democracy movement in Iran, nor do they take “human rights, including religious liberty, seriously in Iran.” Tunehagen accuses Bildt of failing to promote democracy and human rights in the regions, saying that when it comes to the Middle East, “Bildt has tendency to be rather lenient to its many dictatorships, while attacking its only true democracy—Israel.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Human Rights, Iran, sanctions | Comment »
Lebanon: The Future of Hezbollah
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
According to Paul Salem’s recent commentary at Project Syndicate, Hezbollah’s fate “has never looked more uncertain.” While Israel is growing less patient with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, both Israel and Hezbollah are preparing for a potential proxy war, Salem explains. Nevertheless, Hezbollah faces the task of justifying its military actions to the Lebanese public, as it has led the country into two “ruinous wars in the span of five years.” In addition, “Syria might be asked by the Arab countries and the international community to take greater responsibility in Lebanon,” Salem predicts. However, due to Hezbollah’s popularity among Shi’a Muslims in Lebanon, Salem argues that it has an opportunity to continue its role as an influential political party, but to do so it would have to separate itself from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Salem also mentions that Daniel Bellemare, prosecutor for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, “might conclude his investigation and issue indictments in the fall” against five members of Hezbollah for their role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. However, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has rejected the indictments, calling the tribunal “part of an Israeli plot to undermine the Islamic resistance in Lebanon” and alleging that it “has no credibility.” Salem suggests that though Hezbollah’s future may appear bleak, the party “is not likely to relinquish its power without a fight.”
Posted in Hezbollah, Lebanon | Comment »
Egypt: Is the End of Mubarak the End of Egypt?
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
In a recent piece in Al-Masry Al-Youm, Issandr El Amrar argues that in spite of speculations regarding President Hosni Mubarak’s health, including reports that he may have a form of terminal cancer, not only does Mubarak have “access to excellent medical care that can prolong his life,” but even if he does have a serious deteriorating disease, no one will find out. Rejecting “vague” predictions of what will happen to Egypt after Mubarak, such as an “alliance of the Muslim Brothers and Mohamed ElBaradei bringing about a new Iran-like rogue state” or inner-regime strife, El Amrar argues that Egypt is “too big to fail” and will not be allowed to “spiral into chaos.” According to El Amrar, “The regime’s trump card when under pressure has been invoking its status as a turbulent region’s quiet spot, its center of inertia,” a strategy that has allowed Mubarak to receive bailouts from allies, including Washington. With greater investments in local as well as global markets, the world will not let Egypt crumble, El Amrar says. However, he argues that Egypt’s assumption that it will be rescued can also be regarded as a “curse,” as the country has become “too ready to choose the path of least resistance and just muddle along,” he says.
Posted in Egypt, Reform | Comment »
Lebanon: What Does the Future Movement Recommend?
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
During its recent two-day conference, the Future Movement issued political recommendations, including its “commitment to achieving justice in the assassination of its founder, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri” and creating a positive relationship with Syria. In regard to liberating Lebanese occupied territories, the recommendations said that there are no alternatives to “diplomatic resistance” and “military action,” if needed. The movement stressed that it will not align itself with religious sectarian groups and specifically emphasized that “defending the Christian presence is an Arab and Muslim responsibility as much as it is a Christian one.” In addition, the conference stressed the importance of granting humanitarian rights to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Posted in Lebanon, Political Parties, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Mubarak Has Lost Control
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
Writing at The Huffington Post, Adel Iskander argues that on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the Egyptian republic which occurred on July 23 of this year, “it appears the regime has little control of political dissent in the country.” While most articles describe Egypt as a nation with “reluctant dissent” and “political passivity,” and assert that “presidential hopeful Elbaradei seems to monopolize coverage of the opposition movement,” Iskander explains that it is the “online framework of dissent” that is leading the opposition. According to Iskander, the Facebook group “We are all Khaled Said,” created in protest against the brutal death of Khaled Said, “is a bustling metropolis of public expression and activism.” Praising the group’s ability to mobilize the opposition, Iskander states that the group’s strength is also derived from its reliance on democratic procedures, such as creating strategies based on opinion polls and online surveys.
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, Protests, Reform | Comment »
Iraq: A Stolen Election Like Iran?
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
Assessing the current political impasse in Iraq, Sultan Al-Qassemi writes in The Daily Star that many in Iraq feel that their votes were stolen and believe that those who were responsible for the electoral fraud in Iran last year, also played a role in Iraqi elections. While the United States is avoiding addressing the problem, Al-Qassemi describes neighboring Gulf states as sitting on the “sidelines” since the 2003 war, a passivity that Al-Qassemi argues has opened up avenues for Iranian meddling. He compares Iraq to a “driver” and Iran to a driving “instructor” with its “foot on the brake pedal, poised to stop any forward movement at will.” Also, describing Nouri al-Maliki’s efforts to consolidate his power through non-democratic means and his display of “tendencies usually associated with Arab dictators,” Al-Qassemi argues that al-Maliki is widely unpopular with the Gulf states. While skeptical of al-Maliki’s leadership, Al-Qassemi argues that “the next government must take into consideration that two major parties won a similar number of seats and that both their representatives should be included.”
Posted in Elections, Iraq, Political Parties | Comment »
Lebanon: Arab Summit Can Preemt Potential Crisis
July 27th, 2010 by Farid
Jamil K. Mroue writes in The Daily Star that the Arab summit scheduled to be held in Lebanon on Friday this week provides a historic opportunity for Arab states to “preempt potential crisis” in Lebanon. While Mroue recognizes that the Arab leaders may not be able to agree on everything, “they can make two things clear in a unanimous voice”: First, they can declare that Arab states “will not tolerate an unwarranted Israeli attack on Lebanon,” and second, they can clearly state that Lebanon will not be used as an “arena” for intra-Arab conflict. According to Mroue, Lebanon is an “infectious” place, whose instability can spread to the rest of the Arab world.
Posted in Diplomacy, Lebanon | Comment »
Iran: The IRGC & the Green Movement
July 26th, 2010 by Farid
Writing at RFE/RL, Golnaz Esfandiari reports that General Mohammad Ali Jafar, commander of the IRGC, has made public the fact that some members of the IRGC are in fact supporters of the opposition movement. However, Jafar said that it is better to convince these members of their wrongful stance rather than “physically deal with them and eliminate them.” Nevertheless, many questions remained to be answered regarding the implications of this phenomenon. Meanwhile, in his blog, Scott Lucas describes the assessment of the Green Movement offered by Ayatollah Mohajerani, former Minister of Culture under the Khatami administration, which claims that three groups exist within the movement:
A) Revolutionary: Those who are against the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Imam Khomeini, and Islam. They want to overthrow the Islamic Republic and have been of this opinion for 30 years.
B) Revolutionary-Reformist: Those who want to change the Constitution and remove velayat-e faghih (ultimate clerical supremacy).
C) Reformist: Those who want to implement parts of the Constitution that have not been implemented, bringing out its full potential and following up on the post-election protest of “Where is My Vote?”. Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, Mohammad Khatami, and most of the political prisoners fall into this category.
While applauding Mohajerani for his stance against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Lucas questions some elements of his analysis, including Mohajerani’s first category (Revolutionary), remarking that “it sounds as if Mohajerani is saying that anyone who is against the revolution and Khoemini is also against Islam.” He also emphasizes that the three groups are a testimony to “the opposition’s strength,” arguing that the movement “includes a range of people” encompassing both those who favor the Islamic Republic and those who oppose it.
Posted in Iran, Reform | Comment »
Pakistan: Shift in Military-Civilian Power?
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has decided to extend the term of his military chief, Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, by three more years, in light of Pakistan’s ongoing campaign against the Taliban. The extension is the first of its kind with a civilian government in power, and has sparked concerns that the decision may undermine the authority of the parliament. Talat Masood, a retired Pakistani Army general and a military analyst, dismisses such concerns, arguing that “the extension has been given not for political reasons but for professional reasons,” and adding that Kayani has “been a supporter of democracy.” However, according to Rasul Baksh Raaes, a political analyst at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, the decision shows that “the civilian leaders have failed to establish their constitutional supremacy over the military and the military remains a very powerful institution.” According to Omar Waraich writing in Time, the decision represents an indication that “the civilian government is too unpopular and too weak to resist a powerful army chief’s whims” and has made Kayani “the most powerful man in the country.” Waraich explains that although Kayani has avoided overtly interfering in political affairs, he nevertheless holds enormous clout, quoting the analysis of editor-in-chief of the Friday Times Najam Sethi, who has argued that “‘when it comes to policy in regards to the U.S., Afghanistan and India, it is General Kayani who is calling the shots.’” Arguing that the U.S. will likely support the decision given the critical stage of the conflict in Afghanistan, and noting that a previous extension on military leadership in Pakistani history led to a series of dictatorships, Waraich says that “the episode repeats a familiar cycle, in which the geopolitical agendas of others inevitably put military men in power.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Military, Pakistan, US foreign policy | Comment »
Egypt: Presidential Movements in the Making
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Ali Eddin Helal, media secretary for the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), said in a speech to university students over the weekend that the absence of political pluralism in Egypt generates “fascism and tyranny.” Nevertheless, Helal went on to criticize the “obsolete discourse” and “feebleness” of the political opposition, and refused demands to amend the Constitution to allow independent candidates such as Mohamed ElBaradei to run in presidential elections. At the same time, Egyptian Minister of Information Anas el-Feki invited ElBaradei to appear on state-run television for the first time, but criticized the potential presidential candidate, whom el-Feki called a “romantic dreamer who has not presented a manifesto which would help solve Egypt’s problems.” In contrast to such remarks, the opposition persisted in its reform campaign, with the Muslim Brotherhood reporting last week that it had collected over 100,000 online signatures for ElBaradei’s list of seven demands for change, while the Brotherhood and the National Assembly for Change (NAC) also added a nation-wide door-knocking campaign to their efforts. At a signature-gathering event in Port Said, George Ishaq, NAC coordinator, reportedly stated, “We can surely save our country if we gather a million signatures” for the petition by October. Further political movement occurred within the opposition, as a Wafd delegation headed by elected leader El Sayed Badawy met with Muslim Brotherhood chairman Mohamed Badie over the weekend. The two groups affirmed their mutual call for political and constitutional reform, but announced no decision regarding how opposition parties should handle upcoming parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, an organization calling itself the “Popular Support Coalition for Gamal Mubarak,” led by ex-opposition member Magdi el-Kordi, began coordinating a campaign calling for Gamal’s nomination in next year’s presidential elections, hanging posters throughout the streets in Cairo. NDP member Nabih el-Alkamani responded with a cautionary statement that “only President Mubarak can choose the party’s candidate for next year’s elections,” while NAC coordinator Hassan Nafea announced that “the plot to bequeath power to the president’s son has been launched.”
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Parties, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Khalid Said Case Continues
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Protests over the June 6 death of Khalid Said continued over the weekend, as several groups organized events in advance of the opening of the first trial of the two policemen involved, which is set to begin tomorrow. In Alexandria, about 2,500 Egyptians assembled on the Corniche, including members of the National Association for Change (NAC), Eksab Haqak, Egyptians Against Corruption, and Egyptian Women for Change. The group held banners with the slogans “We Are All Khaled Saeed” and “No to the Emergency Law, No to Torture.” In Cairo, police broke up a protest by black-clad members of the Facebook group “We’re All Khaled Saeed” as well as a demonstration along the Nile Corniche, in which two NAC activists were arrested. Attorney Mohamed Abdel Aziz cited 5 goals to the protests: to force the Egyptian government to sign an anti-torture protocol; to institute mandatory dismissal of any police officers accused of torture; to monitor police stations; to expand the definition of torture in Egyptian law; and to institute more severe penalties for police brutality against citizens.
The protests also came following a new development in the Khalid case, as Ali Qassem, Said’s uncle, alleged last week that nine men joined by Egyptian security forces attacked and threatened one of the witnesses, Tamer el-Sayed Mohamed, trying to coerce him into altering his testimony.
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, NGOs, Protests | Comment »
Iran: A Green Movement “Re-Revolution”
July 26th, 2010 by Farid
Addressing criticism against the Green Movement for its lack of “strong leadership,” Michael Singh argues in Foreign Affairs that the movement “may yet survive.” According to Singh’s assessment, three fundamental factors support his claim: “increasing popular anger at the regime’s corruption, a rupture between the ruling and clerical classes, and dissatisfaction with Iran’s foreign relations,” factors that have been present during previous periods of Iranian domestic political turmoil that have brought about change, as Singh describes. Applying these three factors to the current trends in Iran, Singh mentions the popular displeasure of “Ahmadinejad’s apparent theft of the 2009 presidential election,” the clergy’s disapproval of governmental management and allegedly un-Islamic governance, and finally Tehran’s mismanagement of foreign affairs. While the opposition movement has successfully established a coalition between liberals such as Mohammad Khatami and Mir Hossein Mousavi, and hardliners such as Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iranian history has shown that reform movements in the past have all crumbled. To demonstrate this point, Singh describes the aftermath of the Constitutional Revolution, the ousting of Mohammad Mossadegh, and the Islamic Revolution. Therefore, Singh suggests that the “international community should not worry that the Green Movement is doomed,” but it should realize that the movement’s success will not necessarily guarantee democracy and peace in Iran.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Jordan: Defining Democracy
July 26th, 2010 by Farid
Journalist Rana F. Sweis attempts to define democracy in a recent piece at The Huffington Post in which she argues that while the culture of democracy is “not always fully practiced in American society,” people search for truth, which cannot be attained without avenues such as “free discussion and related freedoms of inquiry of thought and opinion.” Assessing upcoming Jordanian parliamentary elections, Sweis argues that due to a lack of understanding of “political choice and accountability” as well as “true political reform,” Jordanians may end up voting for candidates based on kinship rather than “policies and values.” According to Sweis, “Parliament does not represent the people if the people do not vote on values and public policies.” Claiming to be an “optimistic” person, Sweis argues that in the Middle East “there is a fine line between optimism and denial: the difference between cleaning the dirt, and hiding it” adding that “until we begin the fundamental process of creating a ‘culture’ of choice, ownership, leadership, critical thinking and creativity, we will continue hiding the dirt.” In conclusion, Sweis explains that “democracy is an evolving culture” that “begins at home” and “evolves at school.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Jordan, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Stagnation and Succession
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Fouad Ajami writing in The Wall Street Journal describes the last 30-plus years of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s term as one of stagnation and empty autocracy. Ajami suggests that Mubarak has played the roll of “the cop on the beat,” maintaining stability and accepting Sadat’s peace with Israel while failing to make any dramatic moves forward on regional or domestic issues, and accepting American aid while attempting to keep the U.S. at arms length to preserve his independence. According to Ajami, a once-dynamic Egypt has given way to anti-modernism, anti-Americanism, and anti-Semitism and has become “an unhappy, bitter place” under the repressive Mubarak regime, which “rules by emergency decrees and has suffocated the country’s political life, reducing the political landscape to something barren… the authoritarian state on one side, the Muslim Brotherhood on the other… No democratic, secular opposition [has been] allowed to sprout.” In this environment of unmoving repression, Ajami notes that “no great upheaval has taken place,” proposing instead that Egypt has “stagnated” and fallen behind in the march toward modernity. Ajami states, “There are ideas of a big country at the crossroads of three continents, but the reality of an unimaginative autocracy,” arguing that “Egypt needed and deserved something better, more ennobling, than a tyrant’s sterile peace.”
In another opinion piece in The Washington Times, Chuck Freilich offers a viewpoint of the Mubarak regime based on U.S. strategic interests. According to Freilich, ”Egypt has been the linchpin of American strategy in the region, as well Israel’s - the pillar of their efforts to forge a more stable and peaceful Middle East,” arguing that the Egyptian government has played a critical stabilizing role and fulfilled a crucial support function for U.S. initiatives in the region. Freilich expresses concern that the upcoming succession issue could destabilize the country and endanger the U.S.-Egyptian alliance through an opposition takeover by the Muslim Brotherhood, a scenario he terms a “nightmare” for both Egyptian and American interests. However, Freilich proposes that the U.S. can do little to impact coming events, suggesting that increasing aid and renewing democratization efforts “would only have an impact long after the succession.” If Mubarak’s son Gamal gains the premiership, Freilich advises the U.S. and Israel to “help solidify his rule by affording him some early successes,” while noting that their ability to do so may be limited.
Posted in Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood, Reform | Comment »
Syria: Sentence Begins for al-Maleh
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
Almost 30 human rights groups– including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Syrian League for the Defense of Human Rights, as well as organizations based in Bahrain, Belgium, Egypt, France, Jordan and Sweden –have petitioned Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to release Haytham al-Maleh, a 79-year-old rights lawyer and activist who had worked for Amnesty International since 1989 and also helped found a Syrian rights group. Al-Maleh was sentenced to 3 years in prison earlier this month under the charge of “publishing false information that could weaken national morale,” and was jailed on Sunday. The rights groups expressed “deep concern” over the activist’s “deteriorating health,” joining the U.S., France, and Germany, who have also demanded his release.
Posted in Human Rights, Syria, US foreign policy | Comment »
Iran: Sakineh’s Case and Universal Human Rights
July 26th, 2010 by Farid
Author Azar Nafisi writes at The Huffington Post that in spite of their generational differences, just as Neda Agha Soltan’s death last year “entered the homes and hearts of millions around the world,” so the question of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtian’s fate has penetrated the hearts of people across the world. The case of Ashtiani– who was charged with “adultery while being married” –has sparked heated criticism of Iran’s human rights record and judicial procedure. While the court recently retracted a ruling sentencing her to “death by stoning,” the chief of Iran’s judiciary in East Azarbiajan has said that Western propaganda will not “deter him from carrying out Sakineh’s execution,” Nafisi explains. Also, Mohammad Javad Larijani, head of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights, has rejected Western criticism of stoning, saying that “any issue which hints of religious law is always opposed by them.” In response to such claims by “apologists for the Islamic regime in Iran,” Nafisi poses a fundamental question: “When he and other officials of the regime call human rights a Western entity, do they think that the Iranian people are less desirous of choice and diversity, of freedom of expression than say the Americans or Europeans?” adding, “Is it not in fact a backhanded compliment to the very West they claim to revile and an insult against the Islam they claim to represent, to say that the right to choice, freedom of expression and religion, and equality of women, in short the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, is in fact a western phenomenon, determined by geography and so-called culture?” Nafisi argues that the universal support for people like Sakineh and Neda is not just political, but an issue of existentialism derived from a very simple concept: empathy.
Posted in Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Judiciary | Comment »
Jordan: Disenfranchising Palestinian Citizens
July 26th, 2010 by Jennifer
In a recent op-ed at The Jerusalem Post, Mudar Zahran criticizes the Jordanian government’s “on-going process of striping Palestinians in Jordan of their citizenships.” Noting that Jordan has instituted an official policy of revoking the citizenship of Jordanians of Palestinian decent– so far resulting in the denaturalization of over 2,700 individuals, according to a Human Rights Watch report – Zahran quotes Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Nayef al-Qadi as defending the decision, stating, “Jordan should be thanked for standing up against Israeli ambitions of unloading of the Palestinian land of its people.’” Zahran argues that the regime has established an “apartheid system” that discriminates against Jordanian Palestinians, who he says are allowed “little or no involvement in any political or executive bodies or parliament,” and have suffered from “decades of systematic exclusion in all aspects of life expanding into their disenfranchisement in education, employment, housing, state benefits and even business potential.”According to Zahran, the rise of radical conservative nationalist groups since 2008 has exacerbated this situation; the nationalists are calling for turning Jordanian Palestinians into refugees and thus creating a “Palestinian demographic bomb” to send to Israel. Zahran characterizes this trend as “a serious threat to regional stability and Israeli national security,” and calls on the international community to “make it clear to Jordan that both peace and integration of its own citizens are not privileges it is giving away to Israel or any other country.“
Posted in Human Rights, Jordan, Mideast Peace Plan, Palestine | Comment »
