In a parliamentary address that aired last week on Jordanian television, Jordanian MP Ghazi al-Hawamleh said the Jordanian people oppose the country’s “shameful and unjust” gas deal with Israel. The country’s leadership, said al-Hawamleh, is not listening to the public on the matter.
“The main issue today, about which we have been talking in parliament for the past three years, is the shameful and unjust gas deal [with Israel]—whether the gas is stolen or not,” said the Jordanian lawmaker.
“A lot has been said, but we cannot find a solution for it. The leadership, the government and the people do not want it. We say it in literary Arabic, we say it in colloquial Arabic, and we say it in every dialect, but the message does not get through. How can we get the message through? No to the Israeli gas! No to the gas of the Jews!”
Al-Hawamleh called on the government to annul the 15-year, $10 billion deal, regardless of the Jordanian Supreme Court’s rulings on the matter.
“Oh Jordanians, you are 7 million people! Since the parliament stands beside you and has announced its position on this issue, the government must annul this deal, regardless of the Supreme Court’s decisions. We say to you: ‘No!’ And in English also: ‘No!’ Oh people, oh government, oh prime minister, oh Your Majesty ... Do you want me to say it in Hebrew? [In Hebrew:] No gas! No gas! No Israeli gas in Jordan! No gas! No gas!”
