Many in Jordan blame Israel, not Qaeda, for attacks

The Maktoum Mosque was crowded with worshippers for Friday Prayer as the imam criticised the attacks on three hotels in Amman, saying those ...

The Maktoum Mosque was crowded with worshippers for Friday Prayer as the imam criticised the attacks on three hotels in Amman, saying those who committed the crimes were not Muslims, no matter what they called themselves. Afterward, on the street, people agreed—whoever committed such an act could not be a Muslim. But many meant this literally, that the attack must have been carried out by outsiders, namely Israeli agents.

“Who said it is them?” asked Ahmed al-Zawahrah, referring to claims that a radical Islamic group was behind the blasts. “It could be Israel.”

Zarqa is the birthplace of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. One could imagine that it might be hard for his relatives and neighbours to accept that he had taken responsibility for so many deaths. But the sentiment heard here is echoed across the country.

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While most Arabs have long viewed Israel as their enemy, the extent to which Israel weighs on the regional psyche and diverts attention away from social, political, religious and economic issues cannot be ignored, many analysts say.

“People don’t blame Israel out of a vacuum,” said Rami Khoury, a Jordanian political commentator based in Lebanon. “There is a very strong historical reason, because Israel has caused a lot of grief for Arab people one way or another.”

Former prime minister Tahir Masri who said it was clear that Israel was not involved in this attack, said he understood why so many people blame Israel.

“You have to understand, Baghdad was the capital for Arabs and Muslims for 1,000 years,” Masri said. “It is occupied by Americans now. Jerusalem and Baghdad are both occupied. It is too much for ordinary people to bear. If you add to it the misery they face because of the lack of democracy and humiliation by their rulers, that kind of scapegoat we have to have.” —NYT

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