Jordan: Islamist movement holds demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians, Sudanese president IAF Secretary General Zaki Bani Rsheid (left) and overall leader of the Muslim Brotherhood movement Hamam Said attend a demonstration on Saturday (Reuters photo by Ali Jarekji) By Mohammad Ben Hussein AMMAN - The Islamist movement on Saturday staged a sit-in to protest Israeli plans to demolish 88 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Bashir. The protest was held in front of the Abdali headquarters of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, after the government did not grant to the movement permission to organise a public rally, according to IAF Secretary General Zaki Bani Rsheid. Under the Public Gathering Law, no party is allowed to organise an event in public without the written approval of the governor. “Why do we have this modest sit-in where protesters are surrounded by security forces? This is because the government refused to grant us permission to hold a rally in support of Jerusalem. If a request was made to open a bar, permission would have been granted easily,” added Bani Rsheid, who called for political reform in the Kingdom. He decried the government’s “shameful stance” regarding Israel’s measures in Jerusalem, calling for an amendment to the Constitution under which “people can govern themselves”. “Today’s question is who aborted the efforts to take Israel to court for its war crimes? If it was the government, then it should be dismissed. If it was the Parliament then we are better off without it,” Bani Rsheid told dozens of supporters. Following the Jerusalem Municipality’s announcement late last month, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nabil Sharif, who is also government spokesperson, strongly denounced the plans to demolish 88 Palestinian homes in Al Bustan. Stressing Jordan’s rejection of the “measure”, Sharif said it is a breach of international law and a violation of UN resolutions which state that all measures taken by the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem are null and void as they seek to change the legal situation of the city as an occupied territory. He said Jordan and all other concerned parties will work together to stop this move, warning that unilateral steps would only increase tensions and disrupt Arab and international efforts seeking to achieve Middle East peace. At the time, Fakhri Abu Diab, a member of the Committee for the Defence of the Territory of Silwan, was quoted by Reuters as saying the demolition orders had been issued on the pretext that the homes had been built without the required zoning and construction permits. He said the real motive was ethnic cleansing and part of Israel’s plan to gradually drive the Arab population out of the city which Israel claims as its undivided capital. At yesterday’s sit-in, Bani Rsheid also called for scrapping the 1994 peace treaty with Israel. “It is time to end this dirty Wadi Araba peace treaty and someone ends it with a pen, not a sword,” he said. He saluted the people of Silwan and Jerusalem “as they stand defiant against Israeli measures to uproot them. We are supporting you and God willing, liberation of Palestine will start from Jordan”, Bani Rsheid added. Protesters chanted slogans expressing support for Jerusalemites and condemning Israel for its actions in the city. Bani Rsheid also called on Bashir to remain defiant in the face of the conspiracy by the West against his country: “We are supporting you in your position like we supported Hamas and people of Gaza in the war.” “Sudan is paying the price of its independence. They want Sudan to be a follower of Western policies and normalise with Israel,” he added.