I just received this press release from the owner of the Radisson SAS hotel bombed earlier today:
We are the owners of Radisson SAS Jordan. As the owners we want to send deep condolences to all the staff and guests.We are deeply shocked and obviously condemn such acts. We very briefly want to set the record straight on 2 points. Firstly, news reports have been indicating that the Radisson SAS was specifically attacked because it is an American hotel and has hosted Israelis. I want to make it clear that the Radisson SAS is a Scandinavian chain and owned by Palestinian-Jordanians. Furthermore, the Radisson SAS owners and staff represent the strongest supporters out of all the hotels in Jordan for the Palestinian and Iraqi people. We have expressed our support throughout the decades and will continue to do so.
In deep sadness,
Mary Nazzal, Owner Representative for Radisson SAS Hotels Jordan
A number of media outlets have been referring to the hotels targeted in the bombings as "American hotels." CNN is one of those doing so. This press release directly disputes this claim. I just hope they get a copy of it.
Chaya, it find your expression of symbathy to be rather nasty when your army kills arab innocents all the time. Don’t add inslut to our injury by trying to score political and hasbara point at a time when we are still counting our dead.
The very concept of explosive belts was designed and implemented by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka in the early 1980s.
The Tamil Tigers are not Muslim.
Actually, Chaya, the Haaretz article DID say Israelis were evacuated several hours prior to the bombings.
About eight hours later, Yoav Stern, the writer of that article, retracted his earlier statements and said Israelis were not evacuated prior to the bombings but immediately after.
He rewrote the article and added updates including statement of responsibility from Al Qaida in Iraq, the outfit run by Zarqawi.
He used the term “contrary to earlier reports”. Those earlier reports came from HAARETZ itself.
So Fawaz and Chaya don’t start assuming libel.
It was HAARETZ which first reported pre-bombing evacuations and in the same URL several hours later retracted its story.
Sakhafaat merely pasted the early version.
I just read the Ha’aretz article, too. Sakhafaaf (if I copied it correctly) is spreading another libel, similar to the one that stated that Jews were warned about the 9/11 attack. STOP THIS!
My condolences all of those in Jordan who were affected by this outrageous act. Natasha, I hope your family is okay. And to think that a wedding could be attacked like that makes me sick!
The bombers were the best examples of unbelievers/apostates out there. No one who specifically targets men, women and children of any nationality is a believer. Not in Islam or any religion.
I have just read the press release from Haaretz and it specifically says that its NOT true that Israelis were evacuated…!!
The situation is very sad and disturbing and I don’t think it serves anyone to add to the confusion.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/643661.html
THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME VERY ANGRY!!!! THE AUTHORITIES KNEW BUT DID NOT WARN US.
Israelis evacuated from Amman hotel hours before bombings
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
A number of Israelis staying on Wednesday at the Radisson hotel were evacuated before the bombing by Jordanian security forces, apparently due to a specific security alert. They were escorted back to Israel by security personnel.
The Foreign Ministry stated Wednesday that no Israeli tourists are known to have been injured in the blasts. Representatives of Israel’s embassy in Amman were in contact with local authorities to examine any report of injured Israelis, but none were received. There are often a number of Israeli businessman and tourists in Amman, including in the hotels hit Wednesday.
Israel’s counter-terror headquarters on Wednesday recommended Israeli citizens not travel in Jordan. Travel warnings regarding Jordan were tightened a few months ago, but many Israelis still visit the country. Many also visit other regions such as the Jordanian Arava and the ancient city of Petra.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/643661.html
natasha thanx for publishing the press release. i noticed that too in the american coverage. the other annoying thing was that american coverage was like, “Oh i hope americans did not get hurt.” i guess an arabs blood is not the same worth as an american.
and amal, lets not say something thats gonna cause a bunch of people to call you things that will make you look bad.
remember, only tolerance can bring peace, not ignorance or violence.
Excuse me Amal?? “only Muslims could have carried out such an act” Was Timothy McVeigh a Muslim? Are the IRA Muslim? Those are two counterexamples to your premise – I am sure we could find even more.
First of all, thank you for publishing the hotel’s press release. But it pisses me off that they need to even defend themselves like that!! So what if they hosted Israelis-Jordan signed peace with it’s neighbour and these groups that carried out last night’s terrorist attacks should GET OVER IT. They should do something useful with themselves like ensure better schooling for their Muslim communities because as ashamed as I am to admit it, only Muslims could have carried out such an act.