This thread topic is about the crisis now going on in the Middle East. I want to talk about it. What are your feelings about what is going on in Lebanon or the Palestinian territories right now? What would you like to see done by our leaders or the leaders of the countries in the region? Would you personally like to do something to help? Would you like to see Friends of Jordan do something? Are you wondering what, as a group, Friends of Jordan could do? I am, and I wonder what your answers are to any of these above questions.
Friends of Jordan members are all over the world, but we have a special common interest - Jordan. Jordan is a great focus for our group, but Jordan is in the middle of a highly changing and, let's face it, volatile area of the world. This is not about to change, and those of us who have lived there know how Jordan is affected by and affects its neighbors. So, just as Jordan interacts with the countries and people around it (see the Jordan Times article http://www.jordantimes.com/tue/homenews/homenews1.htm), so should Friends of Jordan consider its ability to address the region. Maybe it will be by offering our members this forum to talk about how they feel about the various issues affecting the region. Maybe something more will develop. The point is that only through discussion of how you feel, what you think should be done about what is going on in this world, and whether Friends of Jordan can or should get involved, will Friends of Jordan as an organization be able to help or to offer any influence. In essence, Friends of Jordan needs your voice to develop and to act. I'd like to see what voices we have. Please join me in addressing this important topic.
Sincerely,
Rose Kyprianou (Heil) President, Friends of Jordan
I am very glad that a thread was started to address this very important issue. I was concerned when the crisis began to escalate in Gaza and am completely outraged at the current state of affairs. I am personally doing a few things. I have attended peace rallies and am going to another one in two weeks. I have also drafted a letter that I plan on sending to my representatives which encourages our country to pursue peace. I believe that if the United States continues to support (vocally and by providing arms) military incursions that kill innocent civilians it will only create more extremism and violence in our world. We have to give negotiations and diplomacy a chance. Continued violence will not remedy any of the root causes of conflict affecting the Middle East. You asked what I would like Friends of Jordan to do: I think FOJ should promote peace and reconciliation as well as making others aware of the issues affecting the Middle East. However, since we are not a politically motivated organization I don't know to what extent FOJ as an organization can get involved. But if anyone is interested in joining me at the peace rally on August 12th or writing letters to our representatives please feel free to contact me.
Praying for Peace!
Peace/Salam/Shalom,
Gina "Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
> This thread topic is about the crisis now going on in the Middle East. > I want to talk about it. What are your feelings about what is going on > in Lebanon or the Palestinian territories right now? What would you > like to see done by our leaders or the leaders of the countries in the > region? Would you personally like to do something to help? Would you > like to see Friends of Jordan do something? Are you wondering what, as > a group, Friends of Jordan could do? I am, and I wonder what your > answers are to any of these above questions.
> Friends of Jordan members are all over the world, but we have a special > common interest - Jordan. Jordan is a great focus for our group, but > Jordan is in the middle of a highly changing and, let's face it, > volatile area of the world. This is not about to change, and those of > us who have lived there know how Jordan is affected by and affects its > neighbors. So, just as Jordan interacts with the countries and people > around it (see the Jordan Times article > http://www.jordantimes.com/tue/homenews/homenews1.htm), so should > Friends of Jordan consider its ability to address the region. Maybe it > will be by offering our members this forum to talk about how they feel > about the various issues affecting the region. Maybe something more > will develop. The point is that only through discussion of how you > feel, what you think should be done about what is going on in this > world, and whether Friends of Jordan can or should get involved, will > Friends of Jordan as an organization be able to help or to offer any > influence. In essence, Friends of Jordan needs your voice to develop > and to act. I'd like to see what voices we have. Please join me in > addressing this important topic.
> Sincerely,
> Rose Kyprianou (Heil) > President, Friends of Jordan
I am afraid that things will get worse than they are right now. Arabs are frustrated of their governments' reactions to the destruction of Lebanon and the American dream of Lebanon.
Hezbollah must go, I am pro that, but with all the innocent people killed, this is a collective punishment. Hezbollah is represented with 20% of the Lebanese government; it took a decision to take this country to a long term war.
The Lebanese people are the most cultured and most educated in the entire Arab world. It sure hurts me to see all the pictures of dead people and destruction inflicted upon such a beautiful country like Lebanon.
I am terrified by the amount of hatred and fear Lebanese live in. As for my home country, it is suffering a huge flux of refugees. Jordan is a small country and in no mean has the capability to include or suffer another disaster like refugees. But out of this entire crisis, the Jordanian economy is booming right now with hundreds of thousands of rich refugees pouring money into the Jordanian economy. Thus, prices will be going further up which adversely will affect the average Jordanian.
Israel must adhere to the international law. The USA is acting as the world police, let us then put the bandit behind bars, or actually, let us try to beg them to please restrict the killing of civilians. What a mess, what a mess!
This situation makes me feel helpless. I am surrounded here by people who seem to feel, at least a little, that Israel has the right to be bombing an entire country over 3 soldiers. When I think of Israel, I feel sadness that they had the opportunity--still do--to show mercy and compassion and work towards peace and they choose not to.
