Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, February 02, 2003
Jordanians Hold Anti-Iraqi War Rally
Thousands of Jordanians marched through the streets in capital of Amman on Saturday, protesting against a possible US-led war against Iraq and Israeli incursions in the Palestinian territory.
Thousands of Jordanians marched through the streets in capital of Amman on Saturday, protesting against a possible US-led war against Iraq and Israeli incursions in the Palestinian territory.
Chanting "No war on Bagdad," and "Sharon stops bombing houses inGaza and Jennin," thousands of men and women gathered at the Abdullah Gardens in the afternoon and later began to move into the streets.
A witness said the procession was expected to head for one of the UN centers in Amman, which is about a kilometer away from the starting point.
Bassan Smadi, a father of eight, came with his whole family. "Weare all here against war, against Bush," he said while his wife stood by with a 2-year-old son in her arms.
The aim of the looming war against Iraq is for "petroleum and protection of Israel," an Islam University's engineering professor only named Jabali told Xinhua.
He denounced that the stated intention of the expected US-led military action against Iraq, which is to disarm Saddam Hussein of weapons of mass destruction, is an excuse because the United Statesand Britain have much more such weapons.
Organized by the Opposition Higher Cooperation Committee and approved by the Jordanian authority, the rally was the latest in a series of anti-war demonstrations in nations surrounding Iraq.
It was also the first popular march in Amman in recent months, according to the Jordan Times.