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Jordanian Mourners Demand Shutdown of Israeli Embassy in Amman

  • The father of 16-year-old Mohammed Jawawdah mourns over his son's body. Jawawdah was killed by an Israeli embassy guard in Amman, Jordan on Sunday.

    The father of 16-year-old Mohammed Jawawdah mourns over his son's body. Jawawdah was killed by an Israeli embassy guard in Amman, Jordan on Sunday. | Photo: AFP

Published 26 July 2017
Opinion

Funeral attendees of 16-year-old Mohammad Jawawdah, who was gunned down by an Israeli embassy guard on Sunday, also chanted "death to Israel."

“No to an Israeli embassy or ambassador to Jordan!” 

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Palestinians Demand Total End to Israeli Imposition in al-Aqsa

This was one of many slogans chanted on Tuesday by thousands of Jordanians who attended the funeral ceremony for 16-year-old Mohammad Jawawdah, one of two Jordanians killed by an Israeli embassy guard on Sunday.

“Death to Israel!” was another, more familiar chant. 

Funeral attendees urged Amman to shut down Israel's diplomatic mission in the capital city. They also insisted that Jordan shred to pieces a highly unpopular peace treaty signed between Amman and Tel Aviv in 1994, according to Press TV.

Jawawdah's father stated that his son was no “trouble-maker or a terrorist” and had made his way to Israel's embassy to deliver furniture.

Initial attempts by Jordan to ban Israel's diplomatic mission from leaving the country pending a probe was averted by U.S. intervention. U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt secured safe passage for all embassy personnel back to Israel, including the guard who killed Jawawdah.

The gesture of “close cooperation” was acknowledged by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and even Jordan's King Abdullah.

Netanyahu was also captured on Israeli media smiling as he hugged the guard. He reiterated that the government had a “commitment to get you out."

"That was never a question," he added.

RELATED:
Keep Protesting Israeli Aggression at Al-Aqsa: Muslim Group

In response to the events, Jordan's main political opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood, harshly condemned Jordanian authorities. In a public release, the group noted that the “Jordanian people were shocked by the death of two Jordanians in cold blood and instead of the government doing its duty toward its citizens, we were appalled by its protection of the killer and returning him without punishment.”

Events in Jordan come on the heels of heightened tensions focused in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem due to the installation of security cameras and metal detectors at al-Aqsa Mosque, a holy site in Jerusalem revered by Muslims worldwide.

Al-Aqsa Mosque was the scene of a shootout that left three Palestinians and two Israeli police officers dead on July 14. Soon thereafter, Israeli police forces occupied the compound and closed it. Two days later, they reopened the compound, only after installing metal detectors and heightened security at its entrances.

Muslim leaders and the thousands of Palestinians who visit the site have said that Israel is using the attacks to justify the enforcement of greater control over the site. Current agreements allow Muslims control over al-Aqsa Mosque and do not allow other religious activity to take place there.

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