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Musings from the Merse
Friday, June 16, 2006
 
This is said to be the most important academic conference about the Middle East everheld in the region: to discuss its problems and grope for solutions. But as far as Jordan is concerned it is invisible. Not because of the competing attractions of the World Cup but as a result of a decision by local Unions to boycott the gathering and to urge Jordanian academics to stay away. Why? Because of the presence of a handful of Israeli academics which is another example of what is known as 'normalisation' (of relations between Israel and the Arab World, in this case Jordan) and thus bitterly opposed by a signifcant number of people here who still persist in a state of denial about their neighbour and oppose all contacts with the Jewish State with which the Hashemite Kingdom has had a treaty since 1994.

The Israeli government has certainly behaved with great insensitivity, shortsightedness and often barbarity in the on going dispute with the Palestinians. But the Israel academics here have strongly opposed many aspects of their govenments policy-two at least of them have been in trouble with the authorities over their actions. But of course no one knows about this here as the press seems determined to neither to look for positive aspects of the conference nor to find out what is actually going on. Close your eyes and when they are open again the bogeymen will have gone and you can assure yourself they were never ever here. And that is all right then. If you don't want to talk to anyone pretend they don't exist. Talking might lead to a marginal opening of your mind-and that is just too dangerous.

I am told that 53 Jordanian academics were registeredto attend WOCMES. Since the Boycott was announced 55 have turned up. Bully for them.

And England can still come 16th in the World Cup. The Cup is coming home-part of the distance at least.
 
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