Stupid News Stories

I honestly don't know what Alghad editor was thinking when he approved this news story which is now placed in the front page of their website. The entire news piece basically describes the life story of Areen, a 24 year-old born in the Israeli occupied Joulan, and is leaving her family and home to wed her cousin in Syria.

سارت عرين بخطى حذرة في ثوب زفافها الابيض عبر الأسلاك الشائكة التي تحيط بهضبة الجولان لتلتقي زوجها في الجانب الآخر من الاراضي السورية. وقبل ان تبتعد التفتت بعيون ملؤها الدمع لتلقي نظرة اخيرة على ارض مولدها التي لا تعرف ان كانت ستعود اليها يوما

ولدت عرين الصفدي قبل 24 عاما في قرية عين قينيا الدرزية في منطقة تشرف على الاراضي اللبنانية والسورية على هضبة الجولان الاستراتيجية التي تحتلها اسرائيل منذ 1967.وقبل عدة ايام، بدأت عرين الاستعداد للرحلة التي تقودها الى سوريا حيث تتزوج الاحد ابن خالها ربيع الذي يعيش في بلدة جرمانا القريبة من دمشق.

اما تحضيرات الزفاف فبدأت قبل اكثر من اسبوعين. ولدى مصفف الشعر قالت عرين التي كانت ترتدي بنطلون جينز ضيقا "انا بالطبع سعيدة لاني ساتزوج، ولكني حزينة لاني ساغادر عائلتي". ووسط زحمة تحضيرات العرس تمكنت عرين من زيارة صالون للتجميل للعناية بزينتها وطلاء اظافرها الطويلة. ولكن رغم انشغالها وفي حين كانت اخصائية التجميل تكحل عينيها السوداوين بدا عليها القلق. "كلما اقترب الموعد احسست بصعوبة الامر لكني احبه وهذا خياري".واضافت "سأبدأ حياة جديدة. من الصفر".

كل ما تعرفه عرين عن سوريا هو ما سمعت عنه او شاهدته على شاشة التلفزيون، وهي تعرف ان "حياتهم بالطبع مختلفة عن طريقة حياتنا". ولا يزال اهل الجولان يحافظون على تقاليدهم مع بعض الانفتاح بسبب التواصل مع المجتمع الاسرائيلي.

في اليوم المحدد للسفر، استيقظت عرين في الرابعة صباحا وتوجهت الى اشهر محل لتصفيف الشعر في بلدة مجدل شمس المجاورة من حيث خرجت وهي تضع تاجا وترتدي طرحة العرس وثوب الزفاف. كان جميع الاهل والاصدقاء مجتمعين في منزل العروس لوداعها. بكت النساء وانطلقت حناجر بعضهن بالزغاريد. ولم يتمكن بعض الرجال من مقاومة دموعهم. تم تحميل امتعتها وملابسها واغطية السرير المطرز في شاحنة سترافقها الى دمشق. وقف ابوها يحيى بعينين دامعتين صامتا في ركن من باحة البيت. قال ودموعه تخنقه وهو يشاهد افراد العائلة يقتربون منها لوداعها، "لم انم طيلة ليلة البارحة. لقد ربيتها وشاهدتها تكبر".

حانت ساعة الرحيل فتحرك موكب طويل من السيارات باتجاه مركز القنيطرة الحدودي. وقف جنود اسرائيليون مسلحون يضعون نظارات سوداء على عيونهم لحمايتهم من الشمس يلتقطون صورا للعروس والموكب. حتى تتمكن من مغادرة ارض آبائها المحتلة كان على عرين ان توقع مضطرة على ورقة تقول انها تتنازل عن حقها بالاقامة في الجولان. قالت الشابة بعدما وقعت تلك الوثيقة المؤلمة "اتخلى عن حقي واعرف اني قد لا اعود الى اهلي في غياب علاقات دبلوماسية بين سوريا واسرائيل".

لقد انتهت اقامة عرين في الجولان فبدأت رحلتها الجديدة عبر الاسلاك الشائكة وابراج المراقبة المموهة باللون الكاكي لملاقاة ربيع عند نقطة العبور في المنطقة العازلة بين البلدين. التفتت عرين وهي تحمل باحدى يديها باقة زهر ولوحت بالاخرى مودعة. اجتازت عند الساعة الحادية عشرة والنصف صباحا البوابة الكهربائية الصفراء التي اغلقها الجنود خلفها ببطء

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Seriously? I would understand if this was a story in a magazine perhaps, but to run it in a daily newspaper? This is just an attempt at sensationalized journalism to attract readers. Like what good could it possibly do me to know that the bride-to-be was wearing tight jeans as she told her sad sad story? Are you kidding? And then we talk about improving the quality of journalism in the country. Scoff.

Here We Go Again!

The past week, head of the Royal Court, the very controversial Bassem Awadallah was once again under attack, this time for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking case that led to a lawsuit. I say once again because back in May, Awadallah was also viciously attacked by Parliament member Nariman Roussan for the land sales issue, who went as far as to compare him to Israeli spy Eli Cohen. And well, if you thought she won't be making another appearance amidst the chaos, you were highly mistaken.

This time, Roussan had questions for the government regarding an Independence day celebration that was aired on Jordan television. Apparently she is angry over cameras' focus on Awadallah during the event, and also because she's wasn't shown on television while greeting the King. The government sent her a detailed response saying that the cameras' positions are not determined on who will be standing in front of them, and that while a number of attendees (including Roussan) were coming in, one of the cameras encountered an error, which is why she wasn't shown on television. But she remains unconvinced.

Following what happened with writer Nahed Hattar, she may want to consider toning down her attacks on Awadallah a bit. See in the same week Hattar went on TV and attacked Awadallah, he also "resigned" from his post at a bank, stopped writing in his column in the newspaper and then suffered a health crisis that put him in the hospital. One of the commentators suggested that next news piece will read "Roussan suffers unfortunate car accident"!

You gotta love Jordanian politics.

Action Alert | Ramadan Food Drive!

So it’s that time of the year again folks and hopefully we can rally together to make a difference in the lives of a few citizens. The Action Committee has started its food drive for Ramadan and your help is needed! The Ramadan food package is going to cost 20JDs and will contain:

• 3 kg Rice
• 3 kg Sugar
• 2 kg Beans
• 2 kg Lentils
• 6 Packs of Pasta
• 2 Cans Tomato Paste
• 1 kg Tea
• 2 A’mar Eldin
• 1 Oil
• ½ kg Dates
• 12 packs Maggie

The drive is underway and will last for the next week or so, depending on the donations. The Action Committee is targeting the last 10 days of Ramadan for distribution.

So tell a friend, tell a family member, tell the neighbor, tell the people at work, even the weird guy who sits in the corner of the office and who no one talks to; this could be your chance.

For bloggers: Forward this message. Post about it. Spread it. Mobilize!

You can contact Sara at 079-5154498

Facebook group

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Matrix Aborted!

Hilarious Hajjaj cartoon about the recent developments with the investment company Matrix.

Now That's What I Call Irony

Check this. Did they call for an ambulance for the ambulance? Hmmm....

Back in Jordan!

After a month spent in Bremen, I am back again in beloved Jordan. Apologies for the lack of blogging, but I had no time to post anything. The course was great, the group I went with was great and the city itself was really nice. The weather was mostly cold, which in comparison with Amman's weather now is considered pretty good! Anyway, here are some pictures from the trip:


The Weser River, along which Bremen lies:

A statue at the City Centre representing die Bremer Stadtmusikanten, or the Town Musicians of Bremen, a Brothers Grimm fairytale about a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster who set off for Bremen to escape the abuse of their masters. On their way they enter a house and find a bunch of robbers, so they stand on each other's backs and make noises that scare off the robbers. The four animals have become the symbol of the city:

Pictures from the City Centre:

Hamburg:

























A trip to Heidepark, one of the biggest amusement parks in Germany and Europe:

The largest drop tower in the world, appropriately named Scream, drops 71 m in 2 seconds (at a speed of about 98km/h). I rode it twice :D

....and the steepest wooden roller coaster:

The island of Neuwerk on the North Sea. During low tide, the island can be reached by foot, which is what we did. 12 KM walking barefoot, to return later by ship. Hectic, but the scenery was breathtaking to say the least:

Some of the parks in Bremen:

All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Few observations:

• No food on the planet can measure up to Arabic food. Ever.
• Out of of a group of 20 people from Jordan, only 4 actually came from Jordan. All 20, however, were proud to say they're from Jordan :)
• Meeting people of different nationalities not only broadens your horizons, but makes you realise how similar people around the world are.
• You will actually miss hearing fireworks, honking cars and trucks in the streets.
• People around the world have immense respect and admiration for our King and Queen. Even if they don't know Jordan, just mention Queen Rania and they'll know where you're from.
• I really do suck at directions. I should never be allowed to lead groups of people around.
• When forced, I can manage to clean, shop for food, do laundry and iron. Therefore, contrary to my mother's beliefs, I will not die should I live alone.
  

Oh and Ramadan Mubarak lil jamee3! May it be a wonderful month with as few traffic accidents as possible!