Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Scores of anti-normalisation activists demonstrated outside the Prime Ministry on Wednesday calling for expelling the Israeli ambassador from Amman and cancelling the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel.

The protest, organised by the Professional Associations Council’s Anti-Normalisation Committee to mark the 17th anniversary of the treaty, included the participation of political party representatives including Islamic Action Front Secretary General Hamzah Mansour.

The protesters chanted slogans denouncing the peace treaty and called for shutting down the Israeli embassy.

Bashar Assaf said the treaty represents surrender to the “Zionist enemy” and condemned statements by Israeli officials suggesting that Jordan become an "alternative homeland" for the Palestinians.

"Israelis must know that Palestine is the home for Palestinians and they will go back sooner or later," the 22-year-old told The Jordan Times during the protest.

Rafiq Malhi, the head of the National Anti-Normalisation Committee in Zarqa Governorate, agreed, noting that such protests help teach the current Palestinian generation about the significance of Palestine and encourage them to fight for their right to return.

"These demonstrations further enhance the bond of the younger generation with Palestine and their love for their homeland," he said.

Denouncing all forms of normalisation with Israel, Assaf called on Jordanians to boycott all Israeli and American products.

"When I see people having a coffee at Starbucks, I get irritated because they should know that sitting in this café is part of normalisation," he said.

Samar Mahmoud, a member of the Jordanian People’s Democratic Party (Hashed) said Jordanians should stand against all forms of normalisation and called for closing down the Israeli embassy.

"Israeli-Jordanian ties must come to an end by expelling the Israeli ambassador from Amman, closing down the embassy and cancelling the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel," she told The Jordan Times.

Mahmoud added that Jordan must stop importing goods from Israel because it represents normalisation and affects the local market.

Addressing the protesters, Mansour decried normalisation and called on the government to cancel the peace treaty and adopt a hard-line policy against Israel.

He encouraged Palestinians to be more attached to Palestine and not give up their right to return.


* Jordan Times