“It is time for Jordan to stop this double game. Just as Israel condemns terrorist attacks in Jordan, Jordan must condemn attacks in Israel,” Netanyahu demanded.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Jordan after the Hashemite Kingdom accused Israel of “murdering” one of its citizens, when in fact he was shot while committing a terror attack in Jerusalem.
The terrorist, Muhammad Abdullah Salim al-Kasji, 57, on Saturday stabbed and moderately wounded an Israeli policeman at the entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem before being shot dead by Israeli security forces. The injured police officer was transported to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
Al-Kasji was in Israel on a tourist visa.
Following the attack, Jordanian Minister for Media Affairs and government spokesman Mohammad Momani stated that Israel, “as the occupying power, bears responsibility for the shooting and killing of a Jordanian citizen.”
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs said it was following up on the incident and demanded explanations, “to find out the details and circumstances of the incident.”
In the statement, Jordan condemned as “terrible” the “crime committed against the Jordanian citizen and demanded Israel to reveal the full details of the crime.”
Jordan’s State TV reported the incident as a “murder” of a Jordanian citizen in Israel.
In Israel, the Prime Minister’s Office released a statement condemning the Jordanian government’s response.
“It is outrageous to hear the backing of the Jordanian government spokesman for the terrorist attack in the Old City of Jerusalem,” the statement read.
“A security video clearly shows a Jordanian tourist stabbing an Israeli policeman with a knife. It is time for Jordan to stop this double game. Just as Israel condemns terrorist attacks in Jordan, Jordan must condemn attacks in Israel,” Netanyahu demanded.
In December, after terrorists assaulted Jordanian police in a series of attacks – killing seven officers, two local civilians and a Canadian tourist – Netanyahu condemned the attack. “On behalf of the people and government of Israel, I strongly condemn yesterday’s terrorist attack in Jordan. We send our sympathies to the families of the victims and wish the wounded a speedy and full recovery,” he stated.
Israel was expecting Jordan to reciprocate with a similar statement or an apology, or at least to remain silent.
Speaking to IDF Radio on Sunday, Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz said the Jordanian accusations were “truly extreme, baseless and unfounded.”
“Instead of apologizing for the terror attack – they are blaming Israel,” he added. Israel “rejects this [the accusations] forcefully.”
In November 2014, after a Palestinian terrorist massacred five Israeli worshipers and wounded several more at a Jerusalem synagogue, the Jordanian parliament offered prayers for the souls of the terrorist “heroes.”
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel
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