MEN
enneth Core
May]
Michael Kors
Lacoste
Tommy Hi
Sherrn
The Terrorist
Tipping Point?
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WOMEN
Michael Kors
'Anne Kiev,
Lacoste
7 For Alt Mankind
C:tizens Of Hume- -,.
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or once, it was
All the bombers were
refreshing to see
from Iraq and led by
angry Arabs
Iraq's Al Qaida leader,
protesting in the
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
streets, calling for
who hails from Jordan.
blood.
His latest "action" video
On Nov. 10 — one
was taken last year
day after three suicide
beheading an American
bombers killed 57
Harry Ki rsbaum volunteer worker.
people in Amman,
As gleeful as al-
Colum nist
Jordan — those in the
Zarqawi and Al Qaida
streets were chanting,
are right now, could
"Death to Al Qaida," which took
they have reached a tipping point
credit for the killings.
— could they have gone one step
The three hotels were "retreats
too far?
[for Westerners] that were plant-
If you're an Arab in Arab land,
ed in the land of the Muslims in
you can almost explain away sui-
Amman," said a statement on an
cide bombings and other vio-
Al Qaida Web site, according to
lence against Western and Jewish
CNN. Jordan was "a back yard for targets in other countries as
the enemies of faith — the Jews
"harsh" political statements by
and the crusaders?'
religious zealots.
Well, there weren't many cru-
When Islamic fundamentalist
saders or Jews killed in the
suicide bombers are taking their
attacks, unless you call Maj. Gen.
deadly toll on Arabs in Arab
Bashir Nafeh, the head of
lands, it becomes less political
Palestinian military intelligence,
and much more personal.
a crusader. He died in the blast in
Sure, Osama bin Laden has
the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
attacked his native country of
Or what about the 38 members Saudi Arabia, too.
of a wedding party who died in
He's blown up buildings and
the Radisson SAS Hotel, includ-
killed Saudi citizens in the name
ing the fathers of both the bride
of Islam, but other than the harsh
statements by the Saudi royal
and groom?
family, did we ever see mass
In fact, most of the dead and
wounded were Jordanian or
protests in Riyadh?
Muslim, which explains the
No, because even though the
chants the next day by hundreds
royals rule the oil, the Wahhabi
fundamentalists rule the people.
of Jordanians, many of them
It's different in Jordan.
children.
"The hand of justice will get to
Although reporters could still
find a few Amman residents to
the criminals who targeted inno-
blame Israel and the United
cent secure civilians with their
States for the root cause of the
cowardly acts;' said Jordan's King
attacks, the overwhelming
Abdullah II in a statement short-
response was against Islamic
ly after the attacks.
fundamentalism.
His sense of "justice" may for-
Thousands more protested
tunately be a bit harsher than
against Al Qaida in the streets of
ours.
Amman over the weekend.
And with the backing of thou-
sands of his subjects, the King of
Iraqi Saijida Mubarak Atrous
Jordan's words have much more
al-Rishawi confessed on televi-
weight.
sion on Nov. 14 to being the
Islamists blowing up Jews in
"fourth b6mber." Showing off her
belt that malfunctioned, al-
cafes is one thing — blowing up
Rishawi still managed to express
Arabs at a wedding in an Arab
joy that her husband was able to
country is quite another. ❑
take out so many in the wedding
Harry Kirsbaum's e-mail address is
party.
hkirsbaum@thejewishnews.com .
November 17 . 2005
att