Jordan opposition protest Israeli fruit imports
Jordanian Islamist, leftist activists demonstrate against import of Israeli produce. Anti-normalization advocate says, ‘We are protesting because these fruits are planted in our Arab land that was taken by Zionist settlers by force’
Hundreds of Jordanian Islamist and leftist activists on Saturday staged a sit-in at the country's wholesale food market to protest against exotic Israeli fruits and vegetables being sold.
The protesters, holding anti-Israeli banners, urged merchants to suspend imports from Israel of a variety of exotic fruits from mangoes, pineapple, avocado, to kiwi along with carrots and tomatoes sold in groceries and supermarkets.
The protest organizers, powerful professional associations who represent over 170,000 doctors, nurses, engineers and others, have been long-time bastions of dissent and opposition to the kingdom's pro-Western policies.
They have led popular opposition towards normalization with Israel after the treaty in 1994 that ended a 46-year state of war.
"We are protesting because these fruits are planted in our Arab land that was taken by Zionist settlers by force," said Badi Al-Rafiah, head of a committee against normalization in the 14-member Professional Associations Union.
The association has threatened to expel any member who contacts Israelis or visits Israel but the authorities say their threat has no legal basis as the treaty has become law after parliament endorsed it.
Crowds of protestors, including Islamist deputies in parliament, burned Israeli flags and empty cartons of Israeli mango, avocado and carrots and other produce. Imports are trucked daily by land from a northern border crossing and taken directly to the wholesale market.
"Buying Israeli products helps support Israeli farmers who pay taxes to the military effort to crush and oppress Palestinians," said Abdullah Yusef, a protester.
The feeling of enmity towards Israel is widespread among Jordanians, many of whom are of Palestinian origin, who fled or were evicted after the creation of Israel in 1948.
Jordanian businessmen remain reluctant to do business with their Israeli counterparts, either due to ideology or fear of being exposed to the public as, "friends of the enemy."
Anti-normalization activists often run campaigns against companies that deal with Israel and urge the public to boycott their products.
Jordanian trade figures show bilateral trade is in fact on the rise, with the volume of exchange jumping from $1.6 million in 2003 to $14 million in 2007; representing a nine-fold increase.
