NEW YORK – The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly opposes the Bush administration’s plan to sell sophisticated AMRAAM missiles to Jordan.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports (Aug.2, 2004) that Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz “has personally asked the Pentagon to cancel its planned sale of AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to the Hashemite Kingdom.”
The ZOA points out:
* With the fall of Saddam Hussein, Jordan does not face threats from any of its neighbors. It has no need for such sophisticated missiles.
* Although Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel, Jordan’s government is a dictatorship and if its is overthrown, those U.S. missiles could end up in the hands of anti-Israel, anti-American regime — which is what happened when the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979.
* The Jordanian regime is unreliable. During the 1991 Gulf War, Jordan supported Saddam Hussein. In a time of crisis, there is no way of knowing whose side Jordan will take.
* Jordan has failed to cooperate in the U.S. war against terrorism. Last year, Jordan assured the Bush administration that it was freezing the bank accounts of six Hamas terror leaders and five Palestinian Arab groups that back Hamas. Shortly afterwards, however, the pro-PLO Jerusalem Times reported (Sept. 18, 2003) that the Jordanian government “retracted its decision.”
* Jordan allows Fatah terrorists to operate in its territory. Middle East Newsline (Jan.20, 2004) quoted Israeli security sources as saying that “after a lull of several years Fatah agents have resumed the use of Jordan as a base for operations planning, recruitment and the transfer of money from Iran to Arafat loyalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. According to the report, the Fatah terror network in Jordan is “led by Fuad Balbisi, [who] works in the PLO’s Political Department in Amman, headed by PLO ‘Foreign Minister’ Farouk Kaddoumi. The Jordanian government has taken no action against either Balbisi or Kaddoumi.”
* In violation of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty, anti-Jewish incitement continues in the Jordanian government media. For example, Jordan Television Channel 1 ed a sermon by
Sheikh Jamal Shakir from the King Abdullah Mosque in Amman, in which he said: “O Allah, destroy your enemies, the Jewish and Crusader enemies of Islam.” On November 28, 2003, Jordan Television Channel 1 broadcasted a sermon by Sheikh Muhammad Khayr al-Isa from the King Abdullah Mosque in Amman, in which he said: “O Allah, support mujahidin [jihad fighters] everywhere. O Allah, have mercy on our kinfolk in Palestine. O Allah, strengthen them in their homeland. O Allah, help them defeat their enemy.” On September 12, 2003, Jordan Television Channel 1 broadcasted a sermon by Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghul from the King Abdullah Mosque in Amman, in which he said: “O Allah, deal with the Jews for they are within Your Power. O Allah, deal with Your enemies everywhere for they are within Your Power. O Allah, make their plots destroy them. O Allah, support the mujahidin [jihad fighters] everywhere, in Palestine and every land where Your name is mentioned.” (Translations courtesy of FBIS.)
* Also in violation of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty, Jordan has not had a full ambassador in Israel since 2000.