Jordanian rage against Iraqi Embassy in Amman

by Hussam D'ana

A fist/chair hurling fight erupted last week during an event at the Royal Cultural Center organized by the Iraqi embassy in Jordan to discuss the mass graves in Iraq, between hecklers (Jordanian citizens and members of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party) and embassy staff.

A video of the fight surfaced on YouTube and other social media networks, sparking public outrage in Jordan and protests outside of the Iraqi embassy in Amman denouncing the Iraqi ambassador and his personnel for "insulting the dignity" of Jordanian citizens in their own country. The fiasco has escalated into calls to dispel the Iraqi ambassador and his staff from the country.

The hecklers, who appear to have been chanting pro-Saddam slogans, were promptly asked to leave  by security personnel but the men retaliated immediately by hurling chairs at embassy staff.

The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hoshyar Zebari issued an apology to Jordan yesterday on behalf of Iraqi government, according to Jordanian local newspaper, Al Ghad. The Iraqi government pledged to investigate into the incident and hold accountable those involved, possibly recalling them from the embassy in Jordan.

The days following the event witnessed an array of extreme reactions on behalf of politicians, journalist and citizens.

Protestors outside of the Iraqi embassy chanted sectarian, anti-Shi'ite slogans, and glorified the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. While a Jordanian 'journalist' working for the pro-government daily, Al Rai, wrote a lengthy status on his Facebook page recalling an incident he faced at a local gas station in Amman, where an Iraqi had parked his car to buy "whiskey" from the liquor store at the gas station, blocking the exit. Al Majali writes: "As long as the Ministry of Interior will remain a public relations bureau at the service of Iraqis, whoever want to live in this country should walk around with his weapon, before they point their weapons at us… I call upon every Jordanian to walk around with his weapon." The post has been shared 1,662 times on Facebook as of this moment.

MP Khaled Al Hiari threatened to burn the Iraqi embassy if the Jordanian government did not take action against the Iraqi ambassador and his security personnel within 48 hours, according to Rum News Agency.