Thousands of Jordanians protest rising costs of food, fuel
Demonstrations come amid riots in Algeria and Tunisia over food prices that hit a record high in December.
By The Associated Press Tags: Jordan Israel newsMore than 5,000 Jordanians took to the streets across the country on Friday to protest rising prices for fuel and foodstuffs and demand the prime minister's ouster.
University students, leftists and labor activists staged rallies in five cities - Amman, Irbid, Karak, Salt and Maan - waving Jordanian flags, toting placards and chanting for Prime Minister Samir Rifai to step down.
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Women hold signs, with bread taped on them, demonstrate against the government in Amman, January 14, 2011. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
"Prices, particularly gasoline and food, are getting out of hand," said Buthaina Iftial, a 24-year-old civil servant protesting in downtown Amman. "We're becoming poorer every day," she said, holding a poster with a piece of Arabic flatbread attached.
Police and plainclothes officers formed rings around the demonstrators to contain the protests. There were no reports of arrests or violence.
With deadly economic riots rocking Tunisia and Algeria, Jordan slashed prices and taxes on some foods and fuels on the orders of King Abdullah II earlier this week to help ease the burden on the poor.
Jordan's powerful Muslim Brotherhood opposition did not take part in Friday's demonstrations. It has called the government's measures insufficient, but has said it will stage a sit-in in front of parliament Sunday to voice its criticism.
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If one thinks another got away with it, then they all think everyone will get away with it, and what they are getting with it is their destruction, and back to the sharia law and of oppression.
Palestinian problem solved!
In the middle east, a country's revenue is going to come from 3 different places. 1. Oil, 2. Other Industries and 3. Foreign Aid. Since Jordan doesn't have too much going on in the oil department, that leaves Industries and Foreign Aid. And since Jordan HAS NO industries, then that leaves Foreign Aid. Everyone of Israel's neighbors hate them so much, thinking that if the Jews simply conceded more land to Arabs, then Arabs will have some rosy perfect life on more territory. Jordan being over 70% Palestinian decendants, is proof of what happens even WITH all the land the "Kingdom" has... Nothing. Not a damn thing happens. Just sitting there collecting checks from their cousins in Saudi Arabia, from the U.S., while everyone complains the Jews have a sliver of land that has NO oil, and still thrives from a good economy. Perhaps the people of Jordan should start asking their "King" what has he done for them lately? You want to see why the Palestinians use the phrase "Zionist occupation" as an excuse? Just look at Jordan, and see what "Palestine" barely would have looked like, if there were no Israel... Best of luck East Side Palestinians, OOPS! I meant "Jordanians"...
this is serious implications..... despite Bibi and right wing hallucinations....time is not on ISrael's side to sit and twiddle thumbs and build more settlements.... just look to Tunis and Lebanon and now Jordan....and Egypt coming up soon when Mubarak's son is placed in power....
The Haaretz minions blaming the bad economic situations in despotic Arab regimes on Israel. So what else is new?