PrintJune 21, 2010
Geert Wilders and King Hussein agree that location is everything
Whenever Geert Wilders is ready to write his memoir, I've got the perfect title: A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity on Steroids. As if we needed another reason to love the refreshingly bold Wilders, he gives the sane, logical, knowing-right-from-wrong crowd another huge one. Hitting a grand slam out of the tell-it-like-it-is park, Wilders declared, "Jordan is Palestine."
Wilders, who leads the right-wing political party in Holland, said he believed Jordan's name should be changed to Palestine. He stated, "There has been an independent Palestinian state since 1946, and it is the kingdom of Jordan. Changing its name to Palestine will end the conflict in the Middle East and provide the Palestinians with an alternate homeland." Brilliant! Place the problem child right back in the lap of the nation who threw it under the bus.
Just in case that wasn't enough to rile the Arab world, Wilders also said, "If Jerusalem falls into the hands of the Muslims, Athens and Rome will be next. Thus, Jerusalem is the main front protecting the West. It is not a conflict over territory but rather an ideological battle, between the mentality of the liberated West and the ideology of Islamic barbarism."
On a roll, Wilders also called on the Dutch government to refer to Jordan as Palestine and to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
As you probably guessed, Arab leaders were a bit miffed at Wilders and "summoned" him to give an explanation. Jordan's minister for media affairs and communications, Nabil Al Sharif, asked for clarification.
Well Mr. Sharif, since Wilders is busy fighting the Islamization of his country, I've got a better idea. Ask your own king to explain. Wilders is simply letting out the genie that revisionist historians and politicians have tried to keep bottled. Jordanians, for decades, were avid proponents of the "Jordan is Palestine" position. They used that position as justification for the annexation of the West Bank, arguing that Palestine was one single, indivisible unit, and that Jordan was the legitimate governing body of Palestine. Your government, Mr. Sharif, including your king's father and grandfather, espoused the "Jordan is Palestine" claim that you are now so enraged by:
"We are the government of Palestine, the army of Palestine and the refugees of Palestine." Prime Minister of Jordan, Hazza' al-Majali, 23 August 1959
"Palestine and Transjordan are one." King Abdullah, Arab League meeting in Cairo, 12 April 1948
"Palestine is Jordan and Jordan is Palestine; there is one people and one land, with one history and one and the same fate." Prince Hassan, brother of King Hussein, addressing the Jordanian National Assembly, 2 February 1970
"Jordan is not just another Arab state with regard to Palestine, but rather, Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan in terms of territory, national identity, sufferings, hopes and aspirations." Jordanian Minister of Agriculture, 24 September 1980
"The truth is that Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan." King Hussein 1981
Thank you, Geert Wilders, for echoing voices from the past and reminding us what revisionists want us to forget. The entire farce of the Palestinian cause is literally a house built on Hashemite sand. If only your words would commence the crumbling.
Camie Davis can be followed on Facebook at Wake Up and Smell the Falafel.
