Jordan ‘reconsidering Israel ties’
PM says Amman will not “remain silent” after protesters demand government action.
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But with public criticism mounting, the government is facing pressure to rethink those diplomatic links.
Earlier thousands of students from universities across Jordan marched to the parliament in Amman demanding the freezing of diplomatic relations with Israel and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
Jordan is home to nearly three million Palestinian refugees, the majority of whom have been naturalised as Jordanian citizens but who remain strongly attached to their homeland.
One female student protester told the Reuters news agency that “we’ll continue taking to the streets, otherwise we’ll be like Egypt that is doing nothing”.
The protesters said they would stay on the streets until their demands were met.
Jordanians have held street protests and rallies nationwide since the Gaza offensive.
On Friday around 60,000 protesters, with some chanting “No Jewish embassy on Arab land”, answered an opposition call for a show of support for Hamas.
Security forces have been bracing for violence but have largely allowed demonstrations to proceed.
Riot police did, however, fire teargas and make arrests as they pushed back hundreds of protesters marching on the Israeli embassy after Friday prayers.