How Jordan Came To Be Under Arabia's Umbrella and Britain's Partner

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

                                    Abdullah I in 1942 Reign 25 May 1946 – 20 July 1951

On 8 March 1920, Abdullah was proclaimed King of Iraq by the Iraqi Congress but he refused the position. After his refusal, his brother Faisal who had just been defeated in Syria, accepted the position.  In fact, Abdullah I was never King of Iraq. He was initially proclaimed King of Iraq by the Iraqi Congress in 1920, but he declined the position. His brother, Faysal I, accepted the Iraqi throne instead. Abdullah later became the Emir of Transjordan, which later became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 

 Chaim Azriel Weizmann 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born Israeli statesman, biochemist, and Zionist leader who served as president of the Zionist Organization and later as the first president of Israel. He was elected on 16 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952.

Chaim Weizmann, chemist:   His acetone production method was of great importance in the manufacture of cordite explosive propellants for the British war industry during World War I. It helped greatly the British who then won the war.   Weizmann was instrumental in obtaining the Balfour Declaration of November 2, 1917 and convincing the United States government to recognize the newly formed State of Israel in 1948.  Weizmann became the 1st President of Israel May 14,  1948.  Chaim is the one wearing a dark tie.  The Balfour Declaration was written on November 2, 1917.                                  

 It was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, expressing the British government's support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Lionel Walter Rothschild was born in London as the eldest son and heir of Emma Louise von Rothschild and Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild, an immensely wealthy financier of the international Rothschild financial dynasty and the first Jewish peer in England.

                                                                                                      Balfour above on left; and on right is Rothschild.  

Faisal was the son that was first thought to become friend of Israel. The individual who met with Chaim Weizmann in Paris was Emir Faisal ibn Hussein, son of Sharif Hussein of Mecca. They signed an agreement on January 3, 1919, during the Paris Peace Conference, known as the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement.  

How Jordan became a country of an Arabian son was an event that was very fast.  Abdullah I became Emir of Transjordan in April 1921. He upheld his alliance with the British during World War II, and became king after Transjordan gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1946. In 1949, Jordan annexed Judea and Samaria  (the West Bank), which angered Arab countries including Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.  Israel was also angered, as that piece of land had already been promised to the Jews as the eastern part of the Jewish Homeland, discussed in the Balfour Doctrine in writing.  With the attainment of independence, Abdullah became the first monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan, which later became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 

King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein (Arabic: عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين, ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯanī bin Al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of the Hashemites, who have been the reigning royal family of Jordan since 1921, and is considered a 41st-generation direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad.

 Abdullah II, son of King Hussein of Jordan, became the king of Jordan in 1999 after his father's death. Abdullah had been named heir apparent just weeks before his father's passing. His father was Hussein bin ali Sharif. 

                                  Hussein ibn Ali Sharif of Mecca

Hussein bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca, primarily aided Great Britain by leading the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He initiated the revolt in 1916 after securing promises of British support for Arab independence, as detailed in the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence. In exchange, the Sharif of Mecca's forces fought against the Ottomans, contributing to the Allied cause in the Middle East. This was the founding father of the king of Jordan today.  

 

• 
  Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca (1853–1931), the founder of the modern dynasty.  
  
       
           The Hashemites were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925 which was the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca),..and 
 Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921–1958). The family had ruled the city of Mecca (which we know is in today's Saudi Arabia)  continuously from the 10th century, frequently as vassals of outside powers, and ruled the thrones of the Hejaz, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan following their World War I alliance with the British Empire.

The family belongs to the Dhawu Awn, one of the branches of the Ḥasanid Sharifs of Mecca, also referred to as Hashemites. Their eponymous ancestor is traditionally considered to be Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Talk about having pull!  

His problem is the other relative also claiming closeness to Muhammad, and this one was the impedus of Shia Islam.  Another claimed ancestor is Ali ibn Abi Talib, the usurped successor of the prophet Muhammad according to Shia Islam.  He must have settled in Persia (Iran).                                

Mohammed Amin al-Husseini (Arabic: محمد أمين الحسيني; c. 1897 – 4 July 1974) was a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader in Mandatory Palestine. Al-Husseini was the scion of the al-Husayni family of Jerusalemite Arab nobles, who trace their origins to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.😠

A Shia Muslim relative of Ali ibn Abi Talib was Mohammad Amin al Husseini, who had never been a friend of the Jews.  He's the one who was Samuel's designated Grand Mufti of Jerusalem because of his family lines, though he was from the opposing side, the Shia. The irony is that Samuel was Jewish.  Husseini was the agitator who told the Arabs to riot against the Jews. 

Today's Prince Faisel of Jordan Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein (Arabic: فيصل بن الحسين; born 11 October 1963) is a Jordanian prince who is a son of King Hussein and Princess Muna, and the younger brother of King Abdullah II. Periodically he has served as regent during his brother's absences abroad.

The Hussein-McMahon Correspondence refers to a series of letters exchanged between Sharif Hussein of Mecca and Sir Henry McMahon (British High Commissioner in Egypt) in 1915-1916 during World War I. The correspondence promised British support for an independent Arab state in return for Arab assistance in the war against the Ottoman Empire. 

Balfour Doctrine:  “His Majesty’s Government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

In 1915, towards the beginning of the war, the Brits were really feeling the pressure to defeat the Ottomans. They wanted to enlist the support of the Arabs against the Ottomans who were in control of much of the Middle East. The Arab leadership was against the modernizing, secular Ottomans.

Enter Sharif Husayn bin Ali of Mecca. Sharif is Arabic for “noble” and describes the descendants of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson al-Hassan ibn Ali. Basically, he was a primary leader in the Arab world. He had a need — to get rid of the Ottomans. The Brits had the same need — so like any good OL’ fashioned transactional relationship, the Arabs and Brits started talking. “I scratch your back. You scratch mine” sort of thing. In 1915, he began correspondence with Colonel Sir Henry Mcmahon, and essentially made a deal: if the Arabs joined the fight against the Ottomans, the Brits would recognize Arab independence in specific areas, which would include the region of Palestine. These would later be called the M-H correspondence.

Then, in May of 1916, the British and French started dividing up the Middle East like it was a game of fantasy football or something. It was called the Sykes-Picot agreement and it was TOP SECRET (until it wasn’t).The Sykes-Picot Agreement, also known as the Asia Minor Agreement, was a secret agreement made in May 1916 between the UK and France, with the assent of Russia, to divide the Ottoman Empire's Arab territories into British and French spheres of influence after World War I. This agreement aimed to carve out specific regions for each power's control, influencing the future of the Middle East.  Representing the UK, coming in at 5’10 (I MADE UP THAT HEIGHT) was Mark Sykes, and repping team France was Francois Georges-Picot. As they divvied up the Middle East, they decided that Palestine (remember, that’s what the region was called then – NOT A STATE BUT THE REGION) would be under “international administration.”  British got Palestine and French got 
Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and  the Kurdistan region.  
on the 30 year mandate.  

And then, the following year, the Balfour Declaration of 1917 was composed, which gave official British support for a “Jewish national home in Palestine.”

So, you know when you’re dating someone and then you find out they’re kind of dating a few other people? (pause)…hopefully not but if you do or if you can imagine it,, that’s basically what the United Kingdom was doing at the time.

Some people look back at Britain’s negotiations as deceitful… and humorously, or maybe not so humorously, – refer to the Land of Israel as “the much too promised land” or the “twice promised” land, AS OPPOSED TO THE PROMISED LAND.s

Arabs helped to win the war with the Arab leader fighting; and the Jews also had helped to win the war by giving the special umph to the ammunition with Weizmann's bio-chemical ingredients of which without, they would not have won.  

Dead Sea Area: Jordan and Israel Competition

 Nadene Goldfoot                                               

Kibbutz Kalya in Dead Sea Area since 1929

The Dead Sea is a salt lake is bordered by Jordan to the east and   Israeli-occupied Judea-Samaria (West Bank) and Israel to the west. It is an endorheic lake, meaning there are no outlet streams. 

DEAD SEA — It is an unparalleled wonder of the world: the lowest exposed spot on Earth, its therapeutic waters are so full of salt that bathers float right to the top. This natural spa is a source of rich minerals used by the ancient Egyptians for mummification, and fabled to be the biblical site of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

 Its eastern shore belongs to Jordan, and the southern half of its western shore belongs to Israel. The northern half of the western shore lies within the Palestinian Judea-Samaria (West Bank)  and has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The Jordan River, from which the Dead Sea receives nearly all its water, flows from the north into the lake.

At the initiative of ministers Israel Katz and Betzalel Smotrich, the Political-Security Cabinet approved the establishment of 22 Judea-Samaria (West Bank)  settlements  including the Dead Sea  region, and other places.  There are existing towns and settlements along the shore, including Kalya, Mitzpe Shalem, and Avnat.  Additionally, the Dead Sea region is a major focus for development, with significant investment in tourism and real estate projects. 

The Israeli settlement near the Dead Sea you are referring to is called Kalia, or Kaliya. It's a kibbutz located on the northern shore of the Dead Sea, within the West Bank. The international community generally considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law, although the Israeli government disagrees. Kalya (Hebrew: קַלְיָה) is an Israeli settlement organized as a kibbutz in the West Bank. It was originally established in 1929 but was occupied and destroyed by the Jordanians in 1948; it was later rebuilt in 1968 after the Six-Day War. Located on the northern shore of the Dead Sea, 360 meters below sea level, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megilot Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 490.

Several new towns and tourism projects are planned or underway in the Dead Sea area, both in Israel and Jordan, with a focus on developing tourism and expanding settlement in the region. These projects include new hotel complexes, mixed-use development zones, and the establishment of new communities. 

The Dead Sea Development Zone is a region around the Dead Sea that is undergoing development, with a focus on tourism, industry, and agriculture. The development efforts are being led by the Jordanian government, aiming to revitalize the area and promote sustainable growth while addressing the challenges posed by the shrinking Dead Sea.                          

      Crystal City:  lies on a superb site at the mouth of the Wadi Ma’in at the Dead Sea, with views into a dramatic gorge and over the sea. A mixed-use development, it is planned as a major tourist destination for Jordan.

The Jordanian city being built on the Dead Sea is called Crystal City. It is a mixed-use development planned as a major tourist destination, featuring residential areas, a 5-star hotel, waterpark, and a beach club. The city is located at the mouth of the Wadi Ma'in, with views into a gorge and over the Dead Sea, according to Chapman Taylor. 

• The Dead Sea area is known for its unique natural beauty and the healing properties of the Dead Sea's salty water and mud. The development includes the establishment of industrial zones to utilize the Dead Sea's resources, such as potash and other minerals. The development aims to support sustainable agriculture in the area, utilizing innovative irrigation and farming techniques to address water scarcity. The shrinking Dead Sea poses a significant challenge to the development efforts, requiring careful planning and management to ensure the long-term sustainability of the region. 

• Recent visitors, including Dead Sea researcher Yael Kiro from Israel's

  Ofir Berman for NPR

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea#:~:text=bacteria%20and%20archaea.-,Human%20settlement,to%20the%20port%20of%20Aqaba.

The Meaning of Jihad and How It Affects The Jews

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                 

Map showing expansion of Islam by 632 (the year Muhammad passed away),  as the Muslims would soon take over much of the Middle East and Persia.

After 632, Islam rapidly expanded, particularly during the 7th century, conquering vast territories from the Arabian Peninsula to North Africa, the Middle East, and even parts of Europe. These conquests led to the establishment of large Islamic empires and the spread of Islamic culture and influence throughout these regions.   

 In 1516, the Ottoman Empire —founded by Turkic tribesmen in Anatolia , who then established their capital on the ruins of the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople, Muslims —moved against the Mamluk rule in the Levant . The Ottoman forces defeated the Mamluk armies;, followers of Sunni religion of Islam,  and conquered Bilad al-Sham, including Palestine.  Most Mamluks were initially captured and enslaved, then converted to Islam and trained as soldiers. This practice was especially prominent in regions like Egypt and Syria, where Islam was deeply rooted in the culture and language. The Mamluk rulers also followed the Sunni sect of Islam.   

Jihad - from Reliance of the Traveller (Shaji'ite Islamic Law), means to "war against non- Muslims ... to establish the religion (of Islam)." Also understood as "just war" or "holy war." No other definition of 'jihad'' has ever existed at any point in history in any authoritative Is lamic Law.

Islam is not just a religion, hut a complete. way of life governed by Islamic Law (Shari 'ah). " Islam is the social, cultural, military, political, and religious life of a Muslim governed by Islamic. Law. Theology is subordinate to the requirement to adhere to the Shari'ah. Islamic Law was formed from the Qur'an and the Sunnah (the 'way' of the Prophet) as detailed through the Hadiths. 

 From John L. Esposito:   The concept and practice of jihad have been critical in the history of Islam. From the rise of Islam and the creation and expansion of the Muslim community, jihad has played a central role in Islam. Jihad (exertion or struggle) is sometimes referred to as the Sixth Pillar of Islam. Throughout history, (as in other faiths) sacred scripture has been used and abused, interpreted and misinterpreted, to justify resistance and liberation struggles, extremism and terrorism, holy and unholy wars. The importance of jihad is rooted in the Quran’s command to struggle (the literal meaning of the word jihad) in the path of God and in the example of the Prophet Muhammad and his early Companions. In its most general meaning, jihad refers to the obligation incumbent on all Muslims, individuals and the community, to follow and realize God’s will: to lead a virtuous life and to extend the Islamic community through preaching, education, example, writing, etc. Jihad also includes the right, indeed the obligation, to defend Islam and the community from aggression. Throughout history, the call to jihad has rallied Muslims to the defense of Islam. 

I could say the same thing about Judaism.  We are not the aggressors in this present-day war but the defenders of our ancient land and people and by association, our Jewish religion. It has been the Muslims who have been aggressors since Mohammad's death in 632 CE to take over Christian lands and now to rebel against and fight Jews for their Return to their land as a country, for Jews have never actually left the land in body or even in spirit. Muslim's reputation has been that of an aggressor, not a people of peace.

While Jihad in Islam involves a struggle, whether internal or external, Judaism doesn't have a direct equivalent. The concept of striving for good and following God's commandments is central to Jewish life, but it's not framed in the same way as Jihad; not at all.  Here's where interpretation of "The Book" falls short by the history of the interpreters.  It's why rabbis clung together during the Dark Ages meeting together to get a consensus on meaning of bible phrases, and writing the two Talmuds, Palestinian and Babylonian, the  Talmuds Christians were so eager to burn in demonstrations  because, as Jesus so aptly once said, forgive them as they know not why.  Sadly, they knew not why many times throughout history. 

One of the biggest anti-Semite teaching to kill Jews and drive them out of Israel is Qaradawi.  Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a radical Muslim Brotherhood ideologue based in Qatar, has garnered worldwide appeal through a wide network of associations and by making use of various media outlets. Through his speeches and writings, Qaradawi has demonstrated consistent support of terrorist groups that seek to undermine a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  But instead of Jihad,  Qaradawi encourages a "middle way" conception of jihad: "solidarity" with the Palestinians and others on the front line, rather than violence, is an obligatory form of jihad. Financial jihad, which corresponds with the obligation of alms giving (zakat), counts as well.

Several Muslim groups have employed "jihad" in their armed struggles, including Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State (IS), Hamas, and Hezbollah. These groups have justified their actions as "jihad" against perceived enemies, whether foreign powers, other Muslim governments, or internal dissenters. 

Since the late 20th century, the word jihad has gained remarkable currency: used by resistance, liberation, and terrorist movements alike to legitimate their cause and motivate their followers. The Afghan Mujahiddin, the Taliban and the Northern Alliance, have waged a jihad in Afghanistan against foreign powers and amongthemselves; Muslims in Kashmir, Chechnya, Daghestan and the southern Philippines, Bosnia and Kosovo have fashioned their struggles as jihads; Hizbollah, HAMAS, and Islamic Jihad Palestine have characterized war with Israelas a jihad; Algeria’s Armed Islamic Group has engaged in a jihad of terror against the government there and Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda have waged a global jihad against Muslim governments and the West. 

1998 Bin Laden's statement:

    Hamas giving up to IDF

Praise be to Allah, who revealed the Book, controls the clouds, defeats factionalism, and says in His Book: "But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war)"; and peace be upon our Prophet, Muhammad Bin-'Abdallah, who said: I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders.

The Arabian Peninsula has never -- since Allah made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas -- been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone:  3,  Third, if the Americans' aims behind these wars are religious and economic, the aim is also to serve the Jews' petty state and divert attention from its occupation of Jerusalem and murder of Muslims there. The best proof of this is their eagerness to destroy Iraq, the strongest neighboring Arab state, and their endeavor to fragment all the states of the region such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Sudan into paper statelets and through their disunion and weakness to guarantee Israel's survival and the continuation of the brutal crusade occupation of the Peninsula.

Fighting  against such jihadists who have set a mind-set are Israel's :

• Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency): This agency is at the forefront of counterterrorism efforts in Israel, including those related to jihadist groups, according to Reuters. The head of Shin Bet is a key figure in this area.
• Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman): This directorate is responsible for providing intelligence on threats, including those from jihadist organizations, according to Wikipedia. The head of Aman would be a high-ranking officer with expertise in this area.
• Special Forces: Units like Sayeret Matkal and Shayetet 13 are involved in counterterrorism operations and hostage rescue, which may involve confronting jihadist elements.  
• Netanyahu should be the expert on fighting jihadists since he was in Sayeret Matkal!
  
  
  

Jews are waiting for the time when their enemies love their own children more than they hate Jews. (Golda Meier).  So far was we see, Hamas as little feeling for their people's  babies.  

 

Resource:

https://irp.fas.org/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm

https://www.unaoc.org/repository/Esposito_Jihad_Holy_Unholy.pdf

https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/Sheik-Yusuf-al-Qaradawi-2013-5-3-v1.pdf

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/Joint_Staff/13-F-0117_DOC_07-course-materials-perspectives-on-Islam_and_Islamic_radicalism.pdf