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Massive demonstrations in Jordan against Israel gas deal 

January 18, 2020 at 6:30 pm

Jordanians stage a protest march to drop a gas purchasing agreement with Israel signed in 2016, in Amman, Jordan on January 10, 2020 [Laıth Al-jnaıdı/Anadolu Agency]

Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets of Amman on Friday, demonstrating against the gas deal signed between Jordan and Israel, Quds Press reported.

Quds Press reported that demonstrators called for ousting the government, and holding the officials accountable for signing the “shameful” deal.

Prominent national, youth and Islamic leaders took part in the demonstrations, where placards displaying anti-Israeli occupation slogans were raised.

The slogan placards read: “Together against the gas deal with the occupation. The gas deal is an occupation. The gas of the enemy is occupation. Down with the attempts to wipe out the Palestinian cause.”

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The gas deal has been widely condemned in the streets and in parliament. The country saw tens of demonstrations and protests since the deal was signed.

In March 2019, parliament took a unanimous ruling against the gas deal, but the Constitutional Court decided that the deal did not need the agreement of the parliament, because it was signed between two private firms, not between governments.

On 15 December 2015, at least 58 MPs out of 130 signed a petition calling for the cancellation of the deal.

According to the deal which was reached in September 2016, Israel is to supply 45 billion cubic metres of gas within 15 years, commencing in January 2020.

Demonstrators told Quds Press that the gas deal represents “a knife stab in the chest of the Palestinian people” and expressed their “shock” with the persistence of Amman to buy gas from Israel, while Arab countries, including Algeria and Qatar, announced that they were ready to trade.

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