Just noticed this: has removed Palestinians completely from the Middle East. It used to be Palestinian territories or the Palestinian Authority. Now, Palestinians don't exist state.gov/bureaus-office
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Aaron Magid
@AaronMagid
Former Amman-based reporter | Bylines & | Writing book on King Abdullah | On Jordan podcast 
Aaron Magid’s Tweets
After Biden assailed Trump for months on the campaign trail about ignoring human rights overseas, White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain retweets message dismissing "human rights abroad" in US foreign policy
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells reporters today: "Onto the second stop, Tel Aviv, home of Judaism."
"If the President ().. is going to have no preconditions sitting down with the Iranian President, then he certainly should have no preconditions with Robert Mueller" --
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"No one is above the law. ... As a former prosecutor, defendants don't get to set preconditions, so the President shouldn't be setting any preconditions." - Rep. Ted Lieu on a potential Trump-Mueller interview cnn.it/2LBdfrE
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The engagement of King Abdullah's daughter, Iman, to Thermiotis brings attention to a law barring women married to foreigners from passing down Jordanian citizenship to their children. Without a change, the king's grandchildren won't be Jordanian citizens hrw.org/news/2018/05/0
US refused to condemn Israel for killing of 55+ Palestinians.
US declined to call on Israel to act with restraint.
US praised Israel today for its support for human rights
What message is the White House sending before tomorrow's protests?
It's easy to report a big exclusive when you break an embargo after a White House press briefing
Yediot Ahronot reports that after Jordanian Prince Ali's tweet against the UAE-Israel deal, MBZ personally called King Abdullah to warn him that 250,000 Jordanians working in the UAE may be immediately expelled. Prince Ali quickly removed the tweet yediot.co.il/articles/0,734
Here is a page for the Palestinian Territories during the Obama administration in the archived version 2009-2017.state.gov/p/nea/ci/pt/in
Israeli interrupts state-owned TV broadcast saying in Hebrew: "Only Bibi. Death to Arabs!" twitter.com/GonenMontyP/st
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The Palestinian Authority has decided to cancel the COVID-19 vaccine agreement with Israel
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السلطة الفلسطينية تلغي اتفاقا مع إسرائيل يجعلها تحصل على مليون جرعة لقاح #العربية_عاجل alarabiya.net
"King Abdullah has privately told people he is frustrated by the fact that despite having numerous meetings with senior Trump administration officials, he's never been given any detail about the core political issues" --
🚨 Some personal news: I'm writing a biography on King Abdullah.
The book will discuss Abdullah's studies in America & his service in the British and Jordanian armies.
It'll examine the King's economic policies, Hamzah sedition affair, ties with Assad, and his views on Trump 🧵
John Bolton: Time to Abolish UN’s Palestinian ‘Refugee’ Agency
Post that has gone viral on Twitter after the Jordanian parliamentary brawl last week //
: "A picture entitled: 'Women aren't suitable for leadership positions, as they're overcome by emotion.'"
Never seen so much airtime by Israeli-Arabs on prime time Israeli TV (, Mansour Abbas & among others). Something is definitely changing and for the better
Israel can learn from UAE in terms of public diplomacy. After blow of Biden suspending arms sales, UAE stays positive & stresses bilateral ties. If this happened to Israel, easy to see Netanyahu going on & calling Biden an Iran-loving anti-Semite
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Follow this thread for Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba’s response to the announcement that the US will review F-35 sale to the UAE. (1/7)
Mowaffak al-Rubaie, a former Iraqi national security adviser, said Pompeo had “tunnel vision” when it came to the Middle East.
“They are obsessed with Iran. If two fish fight in the Tigris River, it is because of Iran.”
- video shows incident of Israeli soldiers killing 11-year old Palestinian boy. The Palestinian vehicle is seen not showing any danger to the Israeli troops and is driving away from the soldiers when the boy is shot -- (start at 0:20)
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הירי במוחמד בן ה-11 בבית אומר | תיעוד ממצלמת האבטחה מאשר: הרכב הפלסטיני לא סיכן את החיילים שירו לעברו. הדיווח של @carmeldangor ב-#חדשותהערב
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Jordan has said Embassy move is a "red line."
But, since US gives Jordan $1.6 billion per year, what leverage does Amman have over Trump?
Jordanian security forces use tear gas to break up teachers' protest over poor salaries in Amman, via @AreejAllou #مع_المعلم
Former Israeli Ambassador to the US suggests Israel cut off electricity and water from the US consulate in Jerusalem should Washington reopen the Consulate israelhayom.com/2021/10/22/the
Fascinating that mainstream western media outlets still portray King Abdullah as an economic wizard when Jordan suffers from 23% unemployment
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COMING UP: Jordan announces a plan to put over a MILLION people to work over the next decade as the country copes with high energy costs and the fallout from Russia’s conflict in Ukraine
Catch my EXCLUSIVE interview with His Majesty King Abdullah II @CNBCi #jordan
New video of Jordanian security forces forcibly dispersing protest in Amman, via .
This could lead to a dangerous escalation #اضراب_الأردن
The French yellow vest protests have reached Jordan with unemployed demonstrators in the southern city of Aqaba demanding jobs, via
After Dead Sea flooding two weeks ago killed 21 Jordanians, the country is facing today more intense flooding in Petra. (Video: )
Palestinian Authority wishes "our neighbors" the Israeli public a happy Passover asking also that freedom be granted to Palestinians
"The Iraqi health ministry on Tuesday said at least 31 people had died following a stampede in Iraq's Shi'a city of Karbala."
I'm late to the game but following is a must for those trying to understand the Trump Administration
IDF soldiers among those seen dancing in the so-called “hate wedding" celebrating murder of Dawabsheh infant timesofisrael.com/ex-shin-bet-ch
Palestinian sermon in Gaza today where preacher holds a knife to encourage attacks against Israelis, via
I'm excited to be back in Jordan. Big fan of the direct flight from Washington to Amman. Please reach out if you'd like to meet up! And yes, I've already had two meals at Hashem restaurant since I arrived last night.
"Noted Twitter user , who responds with a cow's cry to tweets it alleges are antisemitic, was one of the first to make the connection between the article and the canard, retweeting the article, accompanied by its signature 'moo.'" jpost.com/diaspora/antis
Spoke with a Democratic activist yesterday who said she was "sad" that Trump freed the three Americans from North Korea.
Highlights how toxic and awful the discourse in America is now
Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen (2016-2021): "I don't understand what the Americans want from China. If anyone understands, explain it to me. China is not against us and it is not our enemy." --
Noteworthy given Congressman Lieu is one of the Trump administration's harshest Democratic critics
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has ordered authorities to return the COVID-19 doses to Israel
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عاجل| الناطق باسم الحكومة برام الله إبراهيم ملحم: "اشتية يوعز لوزيرة الصحة بإلغاء الاتفاق وإرجاع جرعات اللقاحات التي استلمتها من الاحتلال".
Israel killed over 100 Gazans during the weekly Friday protests.
You didn't condemn or even critisize a single Palestinian death,
Spare us the fake moral outrage. twitter.com/jdgreenblatt45
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Now: Senate Foreign Relations Committee (16-5) passes the Taylor Force Act and advances it to a floor-wide vote (Shaheen, Booker, no)
It's amazing that George W. Bush (!) had a more progressive policy on Palestinians in 2008 that the Biden administration's nominee for Secretary of State in 2021. theguardian.com/world/2008/jan
"The staying power of the United States is being questioned in a very, very serious way," Iraqi President told . "And allies of the United States are worried about the dependability of the United States.
Crown Prince Hussein's fiancé Rajwa al-Saif and potentially Jordan's next queen was born in Riyadh in 1994. She graduated from Syracuse University in New York with a degree from the School of Architecture
Might not be a great idea to send a US envoy now and try to end this violence. There is virtually no chance Israel will end the fighting after suffering such a tough first day, and it doesn't boost US credibility to have US envoys ignored. Better to wait
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NEW: The Biden administration plans to send envoy to the region as Israel and Hamas escalate toward war. My story on @axios
axios.com/biden-send-env
My latest article analyzing the time bomb on Jordan's border of 80,000 trapped Syrian refugees
Favorite part of 's interview with former Trump campaign adviser JD Gordon is when he said Trump isn't racist because said "nice things about Kim Jong Un."
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So, on this week's @AJHeadtoHead, I ask former Trump campaign adviser JD Gordon not just about Russia and collusion but also whether he accepts Trump is a racist - check out his astonishing answer in this preview clip (and my refusal to let it go!):
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King Abdullah of Jordan with his 3 Jewish Arab bodyguards, via
Frank, What do you concretely suggest that the United States do differently now?
"Jordan’s King Abdullah recently [said] that what keeps him up at night is just one thing — and it’s not ISIS or Al Qaeda. It’s the fact that 300,000 Jordanians are unemployed and 87% of them are between the ages of 18 and 39, prime working years." nytimes.com/2019/03/19/opi
-: "Many would say it's not that bold to allow women to drive in the only country on earth that doesn't allow it. It's not a sign of being in the 21st century. It's a sign of being in the early 20th century. It's a very low bar."
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Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is touring the world touting his anti-corruption and pro-women changes in his country, but is he really a reformer?
Watch: bit.ly/2DQyzRc
Flooding in Jordan continues on Friday. Here's a video from the popular tourist site Wadi Rum, via
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz considered being one of the first world leaders to congratulate Joe Biden on his apparent victory but decided against doing so after concern of Trump retaliating against Israeli security interests, reports
It's a shame CNN couldn't ask single question to King Abdullah about the large protests in Jordan this month
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In an exclusive interview, @KingAbdullahII says Jordan is willing to work with "anybody and everybody" in Israel to bring peace, but won't allow his “red lines” over Jerusalem to be crossed. He told me why he's keen to preserve and develop Christian holy sites in the Kingdom.
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This is true, but critics are saying that US presidents shouldn't congratulate Putin following a sham election. Was the 2012 race really free and fair?
Jordanian Intelligence targeted – a media outlet staffed mostly by Syrian refugees that has covered Syria from Amman since 2013. The campaign ended with the outlet’s forced closure in August apparently under orders of Jordanian Intelligence
PICTURE: Israeli officer who beat US-Palestinian teen says he felt his life was in danger
timesofisrael.com/cop-who-beat-u
Same stale clichés from Kushner's interview:
• No support for a Palestinian state
• No backing of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem
• Blasts Palestinian leadership
• No criticism of Israel. Even once
-> No chance of success
Jordan's FM attacks Netanyahu for "absurd celebration" with return of Israeli security guard & calls for justice
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Said @CNN #Jordan upheld law. Israel has legal, ethical obligation 2ensure justice served in embassy incident. snappytv.com/tc/5335561/344
Congressman @RepRohrabacher asks at House Foreign Affairs Committee if Hezbollah is comprised entirely of Palestinians. Appears confused
Bahrain's FM says Iran "controls" Iraq, but the torching of Iran’s consulate in Basra, stalled legislation to expel US troops, and the failed nomination of a Shi’a militia chairman shows the limits of Iran’s domination over Iraq. My article
Jordanian protests against tax hike are intensifying-- (pictures via state-owned newspaper , which suspended one of its top columnists for backing the protest)
How has Jordan successfully prevented large-scale ISIS attacks?
My article attempts to explain
The next US Ambassador to Jordan is Yael Lempert, reports . Lempert previously served as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
"Was Assad any less of a war criminal when he was bombarding and besieging stateless Palestinians at the Yarmouk refugee camp, a few miles from his presidential palace, in 2012, 2013, and 2014?" -- theintercept.com/2018/04/19/dea
Fox News notes how long it takes Obama to call leaders after elections, some non-democracies--via
This is the most tangible Palestinian victory after the Gaza protests this week. Until now, Egypt has refused to open its border for such a lengthy period helping contribute to Gaza's misery
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Egypt’s president orders border with Gaza to stay open through Ramadan. Rafah crossing is Gaza’s main gate to the outside world. It remained mostly closed since Hamas took over Gaza in 2007.
Hamas rockets aimed at destroying Israel, doing a really bad job. Hamas rockets destroying Israel's peace camp, a tragic success.
Important to keep perspective. UN Security Council passed an anti-settlement resolution in 1980. Nothing changed. Settlements kept growing
It's a tough week for the US with Rouhani's celebratory visit to Baghdad so how does try to counter the message with Iraqis?
By posting on its Twitter feed quotes slamming Palestinians & applauding Netanayhu.
That will win over Iraqis
“Trump asked him how much Israel was charging the PA for those (Israel's) security services,” former US Ambassador Friedman wrote. “Abbas looked stunned. He replied that Israel was performing those services at no cost to the Palestinians.” -- jpost.com/arab-israeli-c
Horrific scene in piece describing Myanmar soldiers throwing babies into a fire & gang-raping the mother nytimes.com/2017/10/11/wor
Credit to for this excellent deep-dive into Ayatollah Sistani. Lots of great in-depth reporting. Well-worth the 10 minute read to better understand Iraq-Iran dynamics al-monitor.com/pulse/original
Despite beginning its strike against poor salaries, Jordanian teachers used the time to paint schools on Sunday, via #مع_المعلم #اضراب_المعلمين
Dozens of US Jewish community centers have received bomb threats since January. Why hasn't FBI arrested suspects? cnn.com/2017/02/16/liv
Is it just me or does placing Israel above all other interests for US foreign policy in the Middle East seem deeply problematic?
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Officials tell @FT: "It’s being made clear to the Sudanese that the road to the White House goes past Israel. Americans are tying the removal of Sudan from state sponsor of terror with normalisation with Israel"
- tells : Biden is "surrounded by people who are scary.. Sanders, [Sen.] Elizabeth Warren, [Rep.] Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, [Rep.] Ilhan Omar frighten me.”
While he may have been kind in your personal interactions, Jason endlessly castigated Palestinians of all political factions and parts of society. He was especially hostile to Palestinian rights. He didn't fail just because the process is hard but helped provoke this outcome.
Chairman : The Senate Foreign Relations has been united in not wanting to tear up the Iranian nuclear deal
Terribly unfortunate Trump retweeted tweets of Iraqi torching of Iranian consulate in Kabala. This is a domestic Iraqi revolt; inserting Trump's toxic brand legitimizes Iranian conspiracy theories that these demonstrators are tools of Washington.
- just reported that Saudi Arabia also denied permission for Netanyahu's plane to fly over the kingdom and reach the UAE
Jordan is in a tough spot with the upcoming Bahrain summit. Amman has repeatedly punted about the Kushner initiative, saying it can't judge the plan without seeing it. This allowed to not anger Trump or his domestic population. Now action is required (Thread)
Certainly, trip went well for pro-Israel folks. For Palestinian activists, no mention of two states, settlements & occupation is worrisome
I wish there were a way in to filter out all of the Michael Jordan shoe references when trying to find news about the country Jordan. Not the biggest deal in the world, but it would be nice
Pictures of a school in Dhiban, Jordan. asks, where are citizens' taxes being invested amid such poor educational infrastructure? #اضراب_المعلمين
Reports that Jordanian King Abdullah, himself a pilot, will fly combat missions on ISIS targets, via &
King Hussein's son, Hamzah, relinquishes the title prince in a new post
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Just as liberals would say attacking a mediator because of his Muslim faith in your theoretical situation would be inappropriate, I don't see here blaming Kushner's faith here as helpful. Kushner's policies have been awful and disastrous toward peace. Let's focus on that
With Jordan's King meeting Trump this morning, maybe Amman was the one who pushed Trump to send this message
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Exclusive: Donald Trump supports a two-state solution and is warning #Israel to cease settlement announcements. bit.ly/2kv3FIm
But, Corbyn is far weaker on Assad's brutality. Like almost every other leader, he plays politics with human rights dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5
Remember when reading about Jordanian protests:
• Unemployment has jumped to 18%
• Amman is the most expensive city in the Arab world
• Bread prices have nearly doubled
• 21% of Jordanians below poverty level
• Jordan hosts +656,000 Syrian refugees
Due to US pressure, Israel changes its policy and voted at the UN Human Rights Council to condemn China for human rights abuses, reports
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בעקבות לחץ אמריקני: ישראל שינתה מדיניות ותמכה בהודעת גינוי לסין על הפרות זכויות אדם. כל הפרטים בכתבה שלי ב-@WallaNews
news.walla.co.il/item/3443641?u
- is reporting that Jordanian Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki will resign tomorrow. Major victory for the protestors. twitter.com/RoyaNews/statu
#إضراب_الأردن
