Amman, Jordan – Anti-normalisation activists on Monday burnt the Israeli flag in front of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in protest against organised tours to Israel.
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The protest was held by the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) as part of its campaign to discourage normal ties between Jordan and Israel and in light of increased numbers of organised trips from the Kingdom to Israel over the past few months.
“Visiting Jerusalem and other parts of Palestine while it is under occupation is haram (forbidden) and a blatant act of normalisation,” the Anti-Normalisation Committee at the Professional Associations Council said in a statement distributed during the one-hour protest.
Activists chanted anti-Israeli slogans and called on citizens to support “Palestinian resistance” rather than “squandering resources on leisure trips to Israel”.
“Visiting Jerusalem is very harmful. It helps Israel cement its grip on Palestine and gives the impression that its occupation is legal,” added the statement, made available to The Jordan Times.
A number of Jordanian travel agencies have recently started advertising competitively priced package tours for three-day stays in Jerusalem and other parts of the West Bank and Israel. The highlight of the tours is a visit to Al Haram Al Sharif and Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where Muslims believe Prophet Mohammed made his ascent to heaven.
Visitors are not asked to acquire visas from the Israeli embassy in Amman themselves, but travel agents coordinate with Israeli officials by providing all needed documents for entry approval, according to tour operators.
Badi Rafayah, president of the Professional Associations Council Anti-Normalisation Committee, called on the government to stop companies from advertising what he described as “dubious religious trips”.
“We call for boycotting all travel agencies that advertise visits to Israel. We also call on daily newspapers to refuse advertising such trips,” Rafayah told The Jordan Times.
The professional associations have been leading a campaign against normalisation with Israel since Jordan signed the 1994 Wadi Araba peace treaty.
Association members who make contact with Israelis or have any ties with Israel risk losing membership in their respective association. Under Jordanian law, professional association membership is a requirement to carry out various professions including doctors, engineers, journalists and pharmacists.
The professional associations have yet to revoke a membership over normalisation with Israel, officials have previously told The Jordan Times.
Did NK participate?
Good, who needs them. Besides, as long as there is money in it, Jordan will continue the tours.
and we are to sign agreements with these countries that can not control and re educate there populace we are on a slippery slope and its not good
stupid people if they go and stay in the west bank they bring income for the Palestinians but they don’t understand that is too too deep
Let them not go to Jerusalem!!