There can be no peace in Jordan until the world appreciates the country’s true ethnography
There is so much misunderstanding regarding Israel and its neighbouring states, most importantly, Jordan. What is the relationship between Jordan and the so-called Palestinians? Anthropologist Geoffrey Clarfield and Political Science prof at Canada’s Western University Salim Mansur responded to the Pope’s recent recognition of Palestine as a state. This article will ruffle many feathers and be considered dangerous by some. It helps explain the great antipathy to voices calling out that Jordan is Palestine.
The article begins thus:
Arab nationalism is dead. It lasted for 100 years and it has suddenly disappeared. In the former states of now war-torn Libya, Syria and Iraq, speaking Arabic now means nothing. However, being a member of a family, lineage or clan of either the Shia, Sunnis, Christians, Druze, Yazidi, Tuareg or Bedouin means everything. The “Arab League” The “Arab League” is now totally dysfunctional.
From Morocco to Malaysia, Islamic jihadis go from one place to another in support of recently created political entities like the Taliban, al-Qaida, or ISIL. Nations and their borders now count for nothing. Yet the new Pope has just recognized yet another Arab state, “Palestine.” Perhaps this is because he has critically misread how Arab entities really rise and fall.
