Israel Matzav

Rump king continues to seethe

Two months ago, MK Aryeh Eldad, who is not a member of the government, introduced a resolution in the Knesset declaring a simple truth: That the solution to the 'Palestinian' problem lies in the only country in the world with a population that has a majority of 'Palestinians.'

Since then, the rump king of the 'Palestinian' state has whined and seethed like a baby at the prospect that someone might actually expect him to take responsibility for the nomadic tribes whose members make up 70% of his country's population. And unfortunately, Israel has joined the crowd in attempting to soothe the brat's ego.

Last week, an Israeli security delegation visited Jordan to reassure the little boy king that it is not cooking up a plan with the United States to declare Jordan the 'Palestinian state.' But the spoiled little boy is still throwing his tantrum.

Defense officials said this week that despite Israeli assurances that the Netanyahu government was not planning on evicting Palestinians to Jordan, Amman's anxiety was still high, likely an indication that "the Jordanians are still concerned that Israel is considering Jordan as an alternative for a Palestinian state," one official said. "The visit was aimed at assuaging those fears and ensuring that strategic relations between the countries stay on track."

Alarmed by rumors regarding a US-backed scheme to turn Jordan into a homeland for Palestinians, Abdullah is planning a series of steps to foil any attempt to resettle Palestinian refugees in the kingdom.

The rumors were triggered by talks about a plan to establish a decentralized government in Jordan, where local communities would enjoy some form of autonomy.

The Jordanian authorities' decision to revoke the citizenship of Palestinians in Jordan - who make up more than 70 percent of the kingdom's population - added fuel to the fire by giving substance to the rumors.

At least 40,000 Palestinians are believed to have lost their status as Jordanian citizens in recent months.

Jordanian Interior Minister Nayef al-Kadi explained that the decision to rescind the citizenship of Palestinians was taken to preempt ostensible schemes to transform the kingdom into a Palestinian state.

"Jordan is not Palestine just as Palestine is not Jordan," the minister said in defense of the measure. "We want to help the Palestinians return to their homeland."

But many of the 'Palestinians' have lived in Jordan for 60 years or more, and it is difficult to describe any other country as their 'homeland.' Many of the 'Palestinians' who used to live in Israel are members of nomadic tribes who came from Jordan (and Syria) in the first place. The little boy king's own father said that Jordan is 'Palestine.' And it is at least 78% of 'Palestine.'

"No power can impose a position on Jordan that contradicts its interests," he said. "I stress again and clearly that there is no power that can dictate to us anything that is against the interests of Jordan and Jordanians."

Then why do Abdullah and his fellow Arabs believe that the United States and the Saudis can impose the 'Saudi plan' on Israel? Aren't we entitled to the same autonomy to which the little boy king believes that he is entitled?

Political analysts in Amman said the monarch was "extremely nervous" because of the growing rumors. They said that the king and others members of the royal family were convinced that the new government in Israel was quietly pushing for the idea of transforming Jordan into a homeland for the Palestinians.

One analyst said that the king was planning to form a new government that would be able to "confront the grave challenges" facing Jordan.

He said that the fact that the king visited the army headquarters without being accompanied by Prime Minister Nader Dahabi was a sign of his dissatisfaction with the performance of the present government with regards to the rumors.

"The king is taking the rumors too seriously," the analyst said. "He's probably justified in doing so because many Jordanians are beginning to believe in the conspiracy theory according to which the future Palestinian state will be established in our kingdom."

Jordanian newspaper columnist Yasser Abu Hilaleh expressed fear that Israel had already begun carrying out a policy of transfer against Palestinians living in the West Bank.

"Many Palestinians have also lost their rights after leaving the West Bank to study or for medical treatment and did not return home," he noted. "The essence of the problem is how to help the Palestinians stick to their lands."

So the 'king' of 'Jordan' is an insecure egomaniac. I believe that we should play on that insecurity. Let's find another MK to re-introduce Eldad's resolution in the Knesset.

Any takers?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:02 AM