Jordan, the Moderate Arab Regime
You know what I like? Nowadays, the Arab countries that Israel has normalized relations with (in exchange for Israeli land and American money) don't even try to pretend like they're living up to their side of the treaties. So Egypt can say "political normalization - umm, no thanks, we'll keep our ambassador over here" and Jordan can say "cultural normalization - umm, not as long as you're still so Jewish." The World Cup for fencing is being held in Jordan, and the Jordanian Fencing Federation has banned Israel's participants. Israel says:
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom yesterday criticized Jordan's decision. "Countries that have peace agreements cannot behave this way," Shalom said, adding that his ministry was holding contacts with senior Jordanian officials in an attempt to enable Israeli fencers to participate in the competition.
Jordan says, naah:
At an emergency session last night, the Jordanian Fencing Federation decided to uphold its decision not to allow Israel's fencers to take part in a World Cup meet. The head of the JFF, Halad Atiat,told Haaretz last night that the decison had been taken against his recommendation. "I am sorry that the move passed. We are aware of the possibility that we will be censored."
This is nothing short of the rankest sort of anti-Semitism. It may seem like nothing, but this kind of exclusionary behavior is exactly how Jews are routinely dehumanized all over the Muslim world. It is precisely what legitimizes the violent terrorism and anti-Semitism that Jews all over the world - from Morocco to Paris to New York to Jerusalem - suffer every day. And it's coming from the regime that is supposed to be Israel's greatest friend in the Arab world. The sadder thing, of course, is that, for all this, Jordan really is the most moderate Arab regime.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom yesterday criticized Jordan's decision. "Countries that have peace agreements cannot behave this way," Shalom said, adding that his ministry was holding contacts with senior Jordanian officials in an attempt to enable Israeli fencers to participate in the competition.
Jordan says, naah:
At an emergency session last night, the Jordanian Fencing Federation decided to uphold its decision not to allow Israel's fencers to take part in a World Cup meet. The head of the JFF, Halad Atiat,told Haaretz last night that the decison had been taken against his recommendation. "I am sorry that the move passed. We are aware of the possibility that we will be censored."
This is nothing short of the rankest sort of anti-Semitism. It may seem like nothing, but this kind of exclusionary behavior is exactly how Jews are routinely dehumanized all over the Muslim world. It is precisely what legitimizes the violent terrorism and anti-Semitism that Jews all over the world - from Morocco to Paris to New York to Jerusalem - suffer every day. And it's coming from the regime that is supposed to be Israel's greatest friend in the Arab world. The sadder thing, of course, is that, for all this, Jordan really is the most moderate Arab regime.
