AMMAN – For over a decade, Amman’s Kalouti Mosque has become a local landmark for anti-Israeli activism.

Situated a few kilometres from the Israeli embassy in the fancy Rabia neighbourhood, the mosque is today a main meeting point for pro-Palestinian activists in the capital, where they have for years demanded an end to the Kingdom’s 1994 peace treaty with Israel and the expulsion of Tel Aviv’s ambassador.

Kalouti first gained this political significance following the eruption of the second Palestinian uprising (Intifada) against the Israeli occupation in September 2000, as people used to organise anti-Israeli demonstrations following the Friday noon prayers at the mosque, as well as at other places in Jordan, according to activists.

Many say the empty plot of land beside the mosque has naturally become a hub for pro-Palestinian activism, especially after authorities barred protesters from approaching the Israeli embassy’s premises for security reasons. read more