Jordanian hotels shun Israel's Independence Day

Not one hotel in Hashemite kingdom agrees to host traditional reception held by Israeli ambassador
Itamar Eichner

Almost 13 years after Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty, not one hotel in the Hashemite kingdom agreed to host the traditional reception held by Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Ya'akov Rosen for the Jewish state's 59th Independence Day.

 

In addition, it was impossible to find a hotel which would agree to provide catering services to the Israeli Embassy, forcing the embassy to bring in food from Israel.

 

Ambassador Rosen did not give up and decided, for the first time, to hold the Independence Day reception at his official residence, located near the embassy.

 

Due to the current security situation and the negative attitude toward Israel among the Jordanian public opinion, Rosen feared that only few people would arrive at the reception. But contrary to the predictions, some 280 guests arrived at the event, most of them members of the diplomatic staff serving in Amman.

 

The Jordanian royal family sent a bouquet of flowers to the event, which was attended by head of the Jordanian master of ceremonies at the Foreign Ministry, the Jordanian army's senior intelligence officer and other senior officers.

 

The reception was also attended by Jordanian citizens who have taken part in the past in Foreign Ministry courses in Israel and Jordan.

 

The ambassador's wife, Annette, and the embassy's administration officer, Hagit Mualem, had a delivery of Israeli wine, cheese, hors d'ouvre and sweets brought in from Israel.