Thursday, November 10, 2005

Tale of a Flag

When I recently approached Eilat via the mountain road, I was greeted by what must be one of the largest flags in the world: Mounted on a giant pole in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, it could be seen all across the bay, dominating the whole view. Interestingly, that 136m x 44m flag is not the banner of the state of Jordan, but the royal flag of the ruling Hashemite dynasty. According to Debka, the flag is sending a message to Al Qaeda and its Wahhabist mentors in Saudi Arabia, namely: "The true and historic messengers of the Prophet Mohammed and his teachings are not Al Qaeda but the Hashemites by virtue of shared ancestry and long rule in holy places."

Today we salute the spirit of this flag and the royal house of the Jordanian Hashemites, who have been allies to Israel and the US for decades. Last night, this alliance cost Jordan dearly. But we are certain that King Abdullah will stay firm - and the flag of Aqaba will go on waving.


Eilat, August 2005

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