Hey Jordan--How Long Is That In Dog Years? (Updated)

Lest you thought that Israel was limited to goodwill gestures to Abbas, now it seems that the leader of Jordan needs Israel to bolster him:

Jordan frees killers of Israeli soldiers

Four Jordanian prisoners handed over by Israel last year to complete their life sentences in the kingdom were released from a jail north of the capital Amman on Wednesday.

The four, who were convicted of killing two Israeli soldiers in November 1990 four years before Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty, received a hero's welcome from relatives as they walked out of Qafqafa prison carrying Jordanian flags.

Jordan's Islamist-dominated trade unions said they were planning a festival later on Wednesday to celebrate the release of the prisoners, who were transferred by Israel in July 2007 in a goodwill gesture to King Abdullah II.

Under Jordanian law, a life sentence is equivalent to 25 years in prison and a "year" of jail in the kingdom comprises just nine months.

Let's see: 25 'years' x 9 months per year = 225 months = 18 years and 9 months. So if the murderers were sentenced in November 1990, they should not have been released until next year: August 2009. Time off for good behavior?

The question is, did Israel know that the terrorists would get off so lightly? Either way, more incompetence.

BTW, the article mentions--I'm not sure why--the 1994 Jordanian Peace Treaty. Apparently:

In the framework of good neighborliness, there is a prohibition of hostile propaganda and negative expression in the countries' laws.

I guess it would be too much to ask that in the interests of goodwill the Jordanians don't celebrate and honor murderers of Israelis?

Back in November 2005--again, after the peace treaty with Jordan was already in effect, The Wall Street Journal focused on the negativity of the Jordanian state-run media:

As for Jordan, the MEMRI media research institute reports that a Jordanian TV station last month aired a series, timed for Ramadan and originally produced by Hezbollah, which tells the story of the Jews, using the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" as its primary source. The Protocols, of course, are among the most enduring anti-Semitic tracts.

Any country that suffers a terrorist attack as grievous as yesterday's deserves sympathy and assistance. But Jordan needs to think carefully about its own part in fostering the culture of hatred in which al Qaeda thrives. [emphasis mine]

The Jordanian government actually did finally step in--after a group of rabbis who had met the King a few months ago sent a letter. The official explantion of Jordan for this oversight is:

It has come to our attention that a controversial program entitled "Al-Shatat" or "The Diaspora" has been broadcast from an independent/private channel entitled "Mamnou'" operating from the Media Free Zone in Jordan, which is not subject to Jordanian Law. The program itself was not broadcast from any Jordanian channel.

"Al- Shatat" drew concerns for inciting hate. Accordingly, the program has been stopped from the private channel as of Tuesday, October 25th 2005. The stoppage was only done through personal intervention of responsible Jordanians.

The Free Media Zone broadcasts different programs through 84 different channels and more channels are expected to emerge from the zone in the near future. The Government of Jordan does not monitor or control the content of any program broadcasting from the free zone, whether it is cultural, political, or otherwise. This is in accordance with the agreement between the government of Jordan and the Media Free Zone which is, in turn, affiliated with the Arab Media Company ART.

"Al- Shatat" is nothing less than propaganda for the purpose of inciting its viewers to violence. According to Arutz Sheva:

The Syrian-produced television series, called "Al-Shatat," includes horrific distortions of Judaism, including the presentation of the use of a Christian child's blood in preparation of Matzah for Passover, as religious necessity. The graphic episode features Jews kidnapping a Christian boy and slitting his throat to drain his blood, and the brutal execution of a Jew by a "Talmudic" court, by pouring boiling lead down his throat. [Warning: The following two video links to the above episodes are very difficult to view: 1) Christian boy, 2) Talmudic Execution] All of the anti-Semitic libels in this series are presented as fact.

Just the kind of country whose leader needs goodwill gestures from Israel.
Just the kind of country that Israel should be sending murderers to be imprisoned.

What a world.

UPDATE: More recently--just this week:

Jordan protests against Israel's Jerusalem dig plans

FM Salah Bashir summons Israeli ambassador to protest against reported plans for excavation, construction work near Al-Aqsa mosque compound. Jordanian MP: Dig will lead to new violent conflict in Middle East because Jerusalem a red line for Muslims, Arabs

From One Jerusalem:

It is also the height of Chutzpah for Jordan to threaten Israel over Jerusalem. Remember it is Jordan that kept Jews out of the Old City from 1948 to 1968.

More cheerful news from 'moderate' Jordan:

Officials from Hamas have met with a top Jordanian security official to try to patch up ties soured since 2006 by charges that the Islamist Palestinian group was planning to carry out attacks in Jordan.

Yup--just 2 years ago:

Jordan is playing hardball with the Palestinian militant movement Hamas, arresting its members and accusing it of plotting attacks inside the country.

Behind the crackdown is the fear in the kingdom, a close U.S. ally with a peace treaty with Israel, that it is threatened by a rising tide of radical Islam it sees originating from Iran and encompassing its Arab neighbors.

If you can't beat 'em...

Technorati Tag: Israel and Jordan.