Jordanian MP Khalil Attieh: I Will Take Up Arms against Israel, Slap Israeli Soldiers with My Shoe, Spit in Their Faces... When Jihad Is Declared

Jordanian MP Khalil Attieh said in a June 2, 2019 interview on Jordan Today TV (Jordan) that he is sometimes tempted to burn an Israeli flag in the Jordanian parliament again, as he had done once before. The interviewer challenged Attieh, saying that burning the Israeli flag is only a "bogus victory" over a powerful enemy, and he asked Attieh if he would ever take up arms against Israel. Attieh said he and his children would be the first to go fight if there was a call for Jihad in Palestine, but when the interviewer pressed him to answer if he would take up arms against Israel even without a call for Jihad, Attieh objected by saying that it would be impossible for him to enter Palestine. The interviewer then asked what Attieh would do if he had to choose between living in a Palestinian state or in Jordan, and Attieh insisted that he would live in both countries and keep both citizenships, even when the interviewer asked what he would do if this were not an option. Attieh then said that he wants to slap an Israeli with his shoe and spit in his face, and the interviewer asked why he didn't do that to the Israeli soldier guarding the border when he crossed the border back into Jordan. Attieh answered: "The day will come when I will [do this]." For more from Khalil Attieh, see MEMRI TV Clips No. 7092, No. 6953, and No. 5941.

Interviewer: "If you could go back in time, would you still have burned the Israeli flag in the parliament?"

Khalil Attieh: "By Allah, from time to time, I am tempted to repeat what I did. After I see all the Israeli violations, and especially what the Zionists did today, when they defiled the Al-Aqsa Mosque – the destination of our Prophet's nocturnal journey... Time and again, I am tempted to do it again, and to even do more..."

Interviewer: "Why would you burn the Israeli flag?"

Khalil Attieh: "In order to burn their hearts. When I did it, I understood just how much..."

Interviewer: "Why are we always looking for bogus victories? While we [act against] them by burning a flag made of a piece of cloth, they burn our hearts [by hurting] our children, our livelihood, and so on. We burn the Israeli flag and display it as an act of bravery. Meanwhile, as a response, the Israelis can kill ten young men, kidnap ten girls, imprison people, demolish houses, take over lands... We are always looking for bogus victories.

[...]

"Why don't you take up arms and go to Palestine?"

Khalil Attieh: "By God, if Jihad is declared..."

Interviewer: "Without a declaration of Jihad... Why don't you take a weapon and go to Palestine?"

Khalil Attieh: "Are the borders open? They will shoot me..."

Interviewer: "Can't you enter Palestine?"

Khalil Attieh: "Of course not. How can I? Tell me. Show me a way other than parachuting or entering through a tunnel underground. But by Allah, if there is a call for Jihad, me and my children will be the first to go. The Jews that you are talking about..."

Interviewer: "How will you enter?"

Khalil Attieh: "Allah willing, a day will come when Jihad is declared, and we will fight for the sake of Palestine, because Palestine will not be restored through peace and surrender, but through Jihad and Jihad only."

[...]

Interviewer: "If Palestine is liberated, and all those who have other nationalities are asked to give up their nationalities in order to live in Palestine – will you give up your Jordanian nationality and your life in Jordan and go live in Palestine?"

Khalil Attieh: "I will build a house in Lod and move between it and my houses in Amman."

Interviewer: "This is a diplomatic answer..."

Khalil Attieh: "No, it's not. It comes from my heart."

Interviewer: "If you are asked to give up all your other nationalities in order to live in Palestine... You can choose whatever you want. You can also stay as you are. But if you want to live in Palestine, you have to give up everything. What would you do?"

Khalil Attieh: "But I am allowed to have two nationalities..."

Interviewer: "What if you were not allowed to have two?"

Khalil Attieh: "I would insist on having both nationalities."

Interviewer: "You can't. Either Jordanian or Palestinian."

Khalil Attieh: "I will have both Jordanian and Palestinian."

Interviewer: "Either Jordanian or Palestinian."

Khalil Attieh: "I will do my best to have both."

[...]

Interviewer: "If you had to choose between a Jordanian passport and a Palestinian one, which one would you carry?"

Khalil Attieh: "I would carry both."

Interviewer: "You can't. Choose one."

Khalil Attieh: "I would carry both.

[...]

"I wish I could stand in front of an Israeli so that I can slap him with my shoe and spit in his face. By Allah, I will do that! By Allah, I would spit in his face no matter what it costs me..."

Interviewer: "But when you saw the [Israeli] solider, you just gave him your passport so that he would let you into your country. Why didn't you spit in his face and slap him with your shoe?"

Khalil Attieh: "You asked me about the ambassador and I answered."

Interviewer: "But this is a soldier, he is worse! He is occupying your land. Why didn’t you slap him with your shoe?"

Khalil Attieh: "They day will come, Allah willing. The day will come when I will slap him and spit in his face."