Gazans heading to Qatar turned back at Jordan
Gazans heading to Qatar turned back at Jordan
Around 116 Palestinian teachers travelling from the Gaza Strip for potential teaching positions in Qatar have been turned back by Jordan authorities.
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Qatar has given significant amounts of aid to the Gaza Strip [Facebook]
Over 100 Palestinian teachers travelling from the Gaza Strip for potential teaching positions in Qatar have been turned back at Jordan.
Two buses, covered in banners praising Qatar, dropped off 116 teachers Tuesday afternoon at the Gaza side of the border crossing with Israel.
Although Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip generally prevents travel, authorities had granted permission for the teachers to pass through Erez crossing and Allenby bridge, which connects the West Bank with Jordan.
However, the group was subsequently denied entry into Jordan by the country's authorities.
The group, which included 69 women, were due to undergo tests and job interviews in Amman for possible future work in Qatar.
Director of the Palestinian crossings authority, Nathmi Mhanna, told Maan news that the decision to turn the teachers back was due to "a lack of coordination" adding that the authority would instead grant permission to the Qatari committee to enter the Gaza Strip and carry out the relevant tests and interviews.
However, sources told al-Araby al-Jadeed that the denial of entry was due to "Jordanian allegations" that the teachers were a "threat to the country's security".
Jordan has a close relationship with the Palestinian Authority but strained ties with Hamas. Earlier this week, Jordan's State Security Court sentenced 12 people to prison for "belonging to a Hamas cell".
A deal late last year between Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, and Qatar allowed around 20,000 Palestinians living in occupied territories to apply for working visas.
The group of teachers were intended to be the first in the cohort, as Qatar has a shortage of Palestinians working in its education sector.
Qatar is home to around 20,000 Palestinians who have been residing in the country, before travel restrictions came into place.
Two buses, covered in banners praising Qatar, dropped off 116 teachers Tuesday afternoon at the Gaza side of the border crossing with Israel.
Although Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip generally prevents travel, authorities had granted permission for the teachers to pass through Erez crossing and Allenby bridge, which connects the West Bank with Jordan.
However, the group was subsequently denied entry into Jordan by the country's authorities.
The group, which included 69 women, were due to undergo tests and job interviews in Amman for possible future work in Qatar.
Director of the Palestinian crossings authority, Nathmi Mhanna, told Maan news that the decision to turn the teachers back was due to "a lack of coordination" adding that the authority would instead grant permission to the Qatari committee to enter the Gaza Strip and carry out the relevant tests and interviews.
However, sources told al-Araby al-Jadeed that the denial of entry was due to "Jordanian allegations" that the teachers were a "threat to the country's security".
Jordan has a close relationship with the Palestinian Authority but strained ties with Hamas. Earlier this week, Jordan's State Security Court sentenced 12 people to prison for "belonging to a Hamas cell".
A deal late last year between Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, and Qatar allowed around 20,000 Palestinians living in occupied territories to apply for working visas.
The group of teachers were intended to be the first in the cohort, as Qatar has a shortage of Palestinians working in its education sector.
Qatar is home to around 20,000 Palestinians who have been residing in the country, before travel restrictions came into place.
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