Jordanian solidarity aid to Gaza, but relations with Israel remain fundamental

The auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem and patriarchal vicar for Palestine comments on the protests in Amman. “Diplomatic relations are what also allow aid to be sent to the Strip today.” The support of the Patriarchate to the parish of the Holy Family, from where some students are arriving in Amman. “Pope Francis is the only balanced voice.”

Rome () – The protests that began on March 24, when a crowd gathered in front of the Israeli embassy, ​​closed for months, continue in Amman. Protesters are calling for the revocation of the 1994 peace treaty with Israel and accusing the Hashemite administration of not doing enough for the suffering people of the Gaza Strip. “Protesters are a minority in Jordan,” he tells Bishop William Shomali, auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate, in connection from Jerusalem -. They also ask that a passage be opened to the West Bank, in order to support the Hamas guerrillas. That cannot be done.” On the other hand, the majority of the population agrees with the solidarity actions that King Abdullah II has carried out in recent months.

The protests currently taking place in the capital cannot be compared to those in any other Arab country. Indeed, there are many Jordanians of Palestinian origin, whose relatives fled Palestine between 1948 and 1967, and who feel the anguish of their “brothers” in Gaza as their own. While Tehran threatens to take action against Israel after the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Shomali believes that Jordan would not support a possible offensive. “It is difficult to predict an evolution in this sense. The answer may come from Iran or its satellites, the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon – he says -. “It is unlikely that it comes from Jordanian soil, there are no good relations with Iran.”

The difficult economic situation that Jordan currently finds itself in is also fueling demonstrations in the streets. “International aid (1.5 billion US dollars per year, ed.) is not enough to support so many refugees in the country, from Syria, Iraq and Palestine itself. Furthermore, tourism has been reduced, as in the entire Middle East, and the lack of oil also has an influence,” continues Bishop Shomali, who was vicar for Latin Catholics in Jordan. That is why diplomatic relations with Israel are fundamental. But also They are to continue guaranteeing aid to the population of Gaza, as well as to facilitate the evacuation through Rafah of people with residence permits in the Hashemite Kingdom. “Thanks to the continuity of ties with Israel, every two days Jordanian planes “They fly over Gaza dropping food and medicine. If relations are interrupted, all this cannot be done.”

Jordanian solidarity with the Palestinian people living in the Strip has also involved the country's Catholic communities who were already helping the Holy Family parish in Gaza before October 7. “They organized a collection. Although what they have collected is not much, it is an important sign of closeness. Many Christians come from Jerusalem, from Bethlehem, some even from Gaza,” she continues. There are students from Gaza who attend the AUM (American University of Madaba) in Jordan under the tutelage of the Latin Patriarchate. “Today, five of them crossed the Rafah crossing and will take the plane from Cairo to Amman, after seven months of absence. They are excellent students; “We offered them scholarships and we are very satisfied with the result,” he adds. Twenty other people arrived with them in Rafah on a bus.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is playing two roles in this time of crisis: spiritual and humanitarian. “We pray for peace, we believe in the power of prayer, although for the moment it has not borne all the fruits we desire,” affirms the auxiliary bishop to . But, above all, it brings into play all possible resources to facilitate the primary needs of the Holy Family community in Gaza, which currently hosts 100 Catholics and another 480 people, mostly Orthodox. Many faithful were evacuated, others lost their lives. “Thanks to the humanitarian aid that came to us from all over the world at the beginning of the crisis, we were able to send them a large sum of money when the banks were still functioning. With that money you can buy food,” he explains. Indeed, although the humanitarian aid that the planes have been launching in recent weeks comes from donations, it is often collected by people who then put it up for sale, at the expense of the most vulnerable sectors of the population. “Yesterday our parish purchased a thousand frozen chickens, which must be consumed before the expiration date. 80,000 shekels (about 20,000 euros, ed.) were paid, a significant sum. It is approximately ten times the normal price – continues Bishop William Shomali -. For now there is no alternative to feed the faithful; There are mothers who are breastfeeding, children who have to grow up. Bread, which fortunately is not lacking, is not enough.”

It is a Christian community that is giving proof of its faith in this Easter season. “The parish continued the liturgy throughout Lent. Along with the Catholics, the Orthodox also participated, we have seen many photographs,” Shomali continues. “They sang Hallelujah even in the midst of the bombings. It seems a paradox to sing Hallelujah and light the Easter candle in the middle of a war where people are dying, where they dress in black for the dead. That is our faith.” Now they want the message of peace of Easter, celebrated despite the war, to be translated into concrete actions. At this moment, the words of Pope Francis are of great support. “He continually repeats that every war is a defeat. No one can claim to win from it. Call for a two-state solution. It is the only balanced voice – affirms the bishop -. He often calls our Gaza community, a beautiful gesture. “It shows closeness, but it is also a lesson for the world: that this small community cannot be left alone.”