From : Jim Johnson
Sent : Sunday, December 26, 2004 5:08 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : Re: Zkaria Husam @ Riadh AL-umosh


Dear Arabtimes,

Please publish my reply to Mr. Zakaria Husam and Mr.Ryadh Al-umosh and unpublish my email address:

First of all I would like to say I am a Jordanin living in the US. I am originally from Irbid in north Jordan. I was amazed that we still do not know how to discuss, agree or disagree in a civilized way. I read3 or 4 replies from palestinians and jordanians in which there was no substance at all, only curses, insults and distasteful comments. For Mr. Zakaria Husam, I read your article and it seemed to me like you were translating from one of the articles of the Likud. I did not see any difference between what you are advocating and what Sharon and the Likud are advocating for years. I agree with you that there are no differences between palestinians and jordanians and that all families are related and connected by blood and marriage. Since I came to the US I found that palestinians are the closest to me as a jordanian. I did not notice any distance between me and my brother from Tulkarem, Jenin or Naplus for example. I think Jordan is Palestine only when defending the palestinains cause, we are all palestinians when defending Jerusalem and we are all jordanians when defending Jordan and palestinians when others plot to transfer paletinians from Palestine to Jordan. We are all on the same ship and if we do are not aware of what is planned for us, we will be like the story of the three bulls which we all read when we were in elementary school. As for Mr. Ryadh Al-umosh I do not think it is fair to brand a country or a people as good or bad, among palestinians there are good and bad people and the same is true for jordanians and all other people in the world. I think Jordan benefited a lot from palestinian migration to JOrdan and also palestinians. I served in Jordanian Army for a short time and there were a lot of officers from palestinian origins (although I refuse to distinguish but just for the sake of this argument).

I grew up in a small town in Irbid and there were a lot of families from palestinian origins (48 and even before). I never heard it at my home or at play ground or among the elders that this paletinain and this is Jordanian, we all played and made friends with eachother as sons of the same town (wlad al balad).

last but not least I love Palestine as much as I love Jordan and Jerusalem has a higher level of love even
more than my own home town.

At the end best regards to Mr. Muhannad Darweesh on his positive attitude and polite and civilized discusions.

regards,
Iyas