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WH Announces Massive $10 Billion Aid Package For Jordan
Posted on: September 19, 2022 at 12:36:11 CT
pickle MU
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https://news.antiwar.com/2022/09/16/white-house-announces-massive-10-billion-aid-package-for-jordan/
The Joe Biden administration rolled out a new assistance agreement with Jordan. Washington will send Amman $10.15 billion over the next seven years. The new deal will make Jordan the third largest recipient of American aid, following only Ukraine and Israel.
The White House signed the new memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday. The Biden administration first discussed the new agreement with Jordan on the sidelines of the Jeddah summit in July. The MOU is the largest aid package the US has ever signed with Amman.
Jordanian officials celebrated the aid, and claimed it was essential. "It’s an extremely important MOU. It speaks to the strong friendship the two countries have," foreign minister Ayman Safadi said. He added, "The US has gone above and beyond for Jordan."
The State Department stressed Amman’s strategic importance to America’s foreign policy goals in the Middle East. "The MOU represents a major commitment to Jordan’s stability and the durability of the strategic partnership," the press release said.
While the US sees Jordan as an important partner in the Middle East, Washington and Amman do not see eye-to-eye on Syria policy. Jordan recently endorsed the Russian presence in Syria as "stabilizing." Some of the aid will help Amman manage the 1.3 million Syrian refugees. The reconstruction of Syria is currently being stifled by American sanctions.
The MOU that grants Amman over $10 billion from US taxpayers was signed even though the State Department claims Jordan’s monarchical government commits disturbing human rights abuses. According to the State Department, Amman has consistently committed major violations of human rights. "Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment in government facilities; arbitrary arrest and detention; political prisoners or detainees; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including the existence of criminal libel laws and censorship…." the 2021 Human rights report said.
Like Jordan, other top recipients of American aid have tarnished human rights records. Israel receives $3.8 billion annually and is accused by Western NGOs of being an apartheid state. Egypt will take in over $1 billion in aid in 2022, and several representatives believe Cairo is guilty of carrying out extrajudicial killings. The top recipient of aid, Ukraine, has nationalized its media and banned nearly all political opposition parties in the past six months.
AAAAND
Jordan quashing civic space by cracking down on dissent: Report
Authorities detain, harass citizens who express opinions in 'downward spiral' on rights, says Human Rights Watch
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jordan-quashing-civic-space-cracking-down-dissent-report
Jordanian authorities are quashing civic spaces by persecuting and harassing citizens engaging in peaceful political dissent, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) published on Sunday.
The New York-based NGO investigated 30 cases between 2019 and 2022 in which criminal defamation provisions were used to arrest and charge Jordanians expressing political opinions, and spoke to 42 activists about their experiences with law enforcement.
It found that authorities detained, interrogated and harassed journalists, activists, trade unionists and members of political parties, as well as their family members.
"There is an urgent need to address the downward spiral on rights we are seeing in Jordan today," said Lama Fakih, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "'Maintaining stability' can never be a justification for abusing people's rights and closing space that every society needs."
The report documented 10 cases in which the General Intelligence Department, Jordan's main security agency, arbitrarily detained activists between 2018 and 2021.
Several family members of those activists said plain-clothed officers were among those to carry out arrests. In three of the cases, activists were held in solitary confinement with limited light and no visits from family or lawyers.
Of the 42 Jordanian activists who spoke to HRW, 41 said they had been quizzed by security authorities about their campaigning. Twelve said they had been summoned in some form on more than 10 occasions.
Nineteen of the activists said they had lost their jobs due to harassment by security agencies, while 16 said that friends or relatives had been threatened with job losses or further harassment.
Seventeen said they had difficulties in obtaining a certificate of good conduct, a document that is required for work, visa and residency applications. Nine said they had problems with renewing official documents such as driver's licences and passports.
'Reverse closure of civic space'
The report also noted that Jordan's government had dissolved political parties and independent trade unions after members expressed political opposition.
It cited the example of the Jordan Teachers Syndicate, whose board members were arrested in July 2020 following a high-profile dispute between the government and the union over salaries. The syndicate was subsequently dissolved.
In December, CIVICUS Monitor, which analyses the situation for civil society across 197 countries, downgraded Jordan's rating from "obstructed" to "repressed".
"Jordanian authorities should take urgent steps to reverse the closure of civil space and allow Jordanians to fully participate in the social and political life of the country without hindrance," said Fakih.
Earlier this week, Middle East Eye reported that young Jordanians were becoming increasingly frustrated with what they see as limits being placed on the country's democracy, and the targeting and harassment of political party activists.
It follows dozens of Jordanians protesting in front of the headquarters of the Independent Election Commission last Sunday, accusing the state of taking actions "to silence mouths, restrict freedoms and exclude young people from participating in [the] political environment".
The Joe Biden administration rolled out a new assistance agreement with Jordan. Washington will send Amman $10.15 billion over the next seven years. The new deal will make Jordan the third largest recipient of American aid, following only Ukraine and Israel.
The White House signed the new memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday. The Biden administration first discussed the new agreement with Jordan on the sidelines of the Jeddah summit in July. The MOU is the largest aid package the US has ever signed with Amman.
Jordanian officials celebrated the aid, and claimed it was essential. "It’s an extremely important MOU. It speaks to the strong friendship the two countries have," foreign minister Ayman Safadi said. He added, "The US has gone above and beyond for Jordan."
The State Department stressed Amman’s strategic importance to America’s foreign policy goals in the Middle East. "The MOU represents a major commitment to Jordan’s stability and the durability of the strategic partnership," the press release said.
While the US sees Jordan as an important partner in the Middle East, Washington and Amman do not see eye-to-eye on Syria policy. Jordan recently endorsed the Russian presence in Syria as "stabilizing." Some of the aid will help Amman manage the 1.3 million Syrian refugees. The reconstruction of Syria is currently being stifled by American sanctions.
The MOU that grants Amman over $10 billion from US taxpayers was signed even though the State Department claims Jordan’s monarchical government commits disturbing human rights abuses. According to the State Department, Amman has consistently committed major violations of human rights. "Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment in government facilities; arbitrary arrest and detention; political prisoners or detainees; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on free expression and media, including the existence of criminal libel laws and censorship…." the 2021 Human rights report said.
Like Jordan, other top recipients of American aid have tarnished human rights records. Israel receives $3.8 billion annually and is accused by Western NGOs of being an apartheid state. Egypt will take in over $1 billion in aid in 2022, and several representatives believe Cairo is guilty of carrying out extrajudicial killings. The top recipient of aid, Ukraine, has nationalized its media and banned nearly all political opposition parties in the past six months.
AAAAND
Jordan quashing civic space by cracking down on dissent: Report
Authorities detain, harass citizens who express opinions in 'downward spiral' on rights, says Human Rights Watch
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jordan-quashing-civic-space-cracking-down-dissent-report
Jordanian authorities are quashing civic spaces by persecuting and harassing citizens engaging in peaceful political dissent, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) published on Sunday.
The New York-based NGO investigated 30 cases between 2019 and 2022 in which criminal defamation provisions were used to arrest and charge Jordanians expressing political opinions, and spoke to 42 activists about their experiences with law enforcement.
It found that authorities detained, interrogated and harassed journalists, activists, trade unionists and members of political parties, as well as their family members.
"There is an urgent need to address the downward spiral on rights we are seeing in Jordan today," said Lama Fakih, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "'Maintaining stability' can never be a justification for abusing people's rights and closing space that every society needs."
The report documented 10 cases in which the General Intelligence Department, Jordan's main security agency, arbitrarily detained activists between 2018 and 2021.
Several family members of those activists said plain-clothed officers were among those to carry out arrests. In three of the cases, activists were held in solitary confinement with limited light and no visits from family or lawyers.
Of the 42 Jordanian activists who spoke to HRW, 41 said they had been quizzed by security authorities about their campaigning. Twelve said they had been summoned in some form on more than 10 occasions.
Nineteen of the activists said they had lost their jobs due to harassment by security agencies, while 16 said that friends or relatives had been threatened with job losses or further harassment.
Seventeen said they had difficulties in obtaining a certificate of good conduct, a document that is required for work, visa and residency applications. Nine said they had problems with renewing official documents such as driver's licences and passports.
'Reverse closure of civic space'
The report also noted that Jordan's government had dissolved political parties and independent trade unions after members expressed political opposition.
It cited the example of the Jordan Teachers Syndicate, whose board members were arrested in July 2020 following a high-profile dispute between the government and the union over salaries. The syndicate was subsequently dissolved.
In December, CIVICUS Monitor, which analyses the situation for civil society across 197 countries, downgraded Jordan's rating from "obstructed" to "repressed".
"Jordanian authorities should take urgent steps to reverse the closure of civil space and allow Jordanians to fully participate in the social and political life of the country without hindrance," said Fakih.
Earlier this week, Middle East Eye reported that young Jordanians were becoming increasingly frustrated with what they see as limits being placed on the country's democracy, and the targeting and harassment of political party activists.
It follows dozens of Jordanians protesting in front of the headquarters of the Independent Election Commission last Sunday, accusing the state of taking actions "to silence mouths, restrict freedoms and exclude young people from participating in [the] political environment".
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WH Announces Massive $10 Billion Aid Package For Jordan - pickle MU - 9/19 12:36:11