Khaberni - Minister of Culture, Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, sponsored the celebration organized by the Union of Jordanian Writers and Authors on the 58th anniversary of the Battle of Al-Karama, on Tuesday, in the conference hall at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman.
At the celebration, which was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, the Economic and Social Foundation for Retired Military Personnel and Veterans, and the Royal Cultural Center, attended by the Assistant Chief of Staff for Administration and Manpower Brigadier General Khalil Al-Dajah, Military Police Commander Brigadier General Jaafar Abu Rabeeh, Military Media Director Brigadier General Mustafa Al-Hayari, General Director of the Foundation Retired Brigadier General Adnan Al-Raqad, Chief of the Media Department at the Public Security Directorate Colonel Iyad Al-Amro, and the President of the "Union" poet Aliyan Al-Adwan. Al-Rawashdeh delivered a speech in which he said; "Peace to the loyal soldiers who wrote the story of heroism in defense of the nation, the sacred soil of dignity, peace to Jordan the nation and the people and the tale of perseverance and glory, and peace to the martyrs who perfumed the land of dignity with their blood, inscribing their names in the record of glory, their names remained medals of pride and honor that every Jordanian hangs on his chest, and their descendants inscribe in the books of eternity."
He added, at the celebration attended by Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture Dr. Nidal Al-Ahmad and the ambassadors of the Republic of Tunisia Mufida Zaribi and the People's Republic of China Qou Wei, along with a number of members of the Turkish embassy in Jordan; "Today we recall the meaning of dignity, which is associated with pride and freedom that connects to human existence and life in the face of evil, aggression, and arrogance."
And continued the Minister of Culture "We also remember the epic that was fought by the men of the Arab Army to face the aggression and insolence and arrogance, to record a historic victory over the Israeli occupation army, which is the resounding victory that entrenched the values of true heroism and its perpetuity in history, as the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army wrote the first real defeat for the legend of the invincible army."
He stated, "On the sixty-eighth anniversary of the immortal Battle of Al-Karama, we stand in reverence for our Arab army, the impregnable fortress defending the nation with every determination and courage," calling on all Jordanian intellectuals and artists to document the narrative of heroism fought by the heroes of our armed forces and children of Jordan, in all the details of its human stories and embodying it through visual arts in its variety in the art of painting, sculpture, theater, and cinema to pass it on to generations.
Brigadier General Al-Hayari, on behalf of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, delivered a speech saying; "Today, we gather to evoke one of the greatest pages of glory in the dear history of Jordan, the fifty-eighth anniversary of the immortal Battle of Al-Karama, that battle in which the men of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army scripted an epic of military heroism and images of sacrifice and redemption, restoring the nation's confidence in itself and proving that solid will and firm belief can break arrogance no matter how powerful it might be."
He added, "On March 21, 1968, the Jordanian soldier stood on the soil of Al-Karama, towering and steadfast, defending the borders of his land and the dignity of his nation, courageously repelling the brutal aggression, breaking its military arrogance, and forcing it to retreat under the strikes of the Jordanian fighter who demonstrated rare bravery, high combat efficiency and unwavering steadfastness in the field."
He noted that the Battle of Al-Karama embodies the firm doctrine of our gallant Arab army, a doctrine that is based on faith in God and absolute belonging to the homeland and loyalty and rallying around the wise Hashemite leadership and the constant readiness to sacrifice the precious and the dear in defense of the land, sovereignty, and dignity.
He pointed out that the Battle of Al-Karama, led by His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, may God bless his soul, was a turning point in the military history of Jordan and the Arab world, proving the Jordanian Armed Forces' superior ability in planning, leadership, and control and managing the battle with efficiency and prowess despite the lack of weapons and equipment, to achieve the will of victory and inscribe the name of the Arab Army in letters of light in the record of heroism where the blood of its martyrs mingled with the pure soil of the homeland, proving that defending the homeland is an honor unmatched by any other and a story told to generations over the ages.
He highlighted that the deep lessons carried by the Battle of Al-Karama will remain a beacon lighting the way for generations of our good people and affirming that the strength of the Arab army was never in the weapon alone, but in its firm doctrine, its military discipline, its continuous training, and the spirit of sacrifice carried by its men in defense of Jordan and its security and stability.
Retired Brigadier General Al-Raqad said in a speech; "Today, we meet on the fifty-eighth anniversary of the immortal Battle of Al-Karama, for on the twenty-first of March 1968, those brave men, soldiers of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army, wrote an indelible story, they painted with their blood the map of pride, and with their determination, the path of victory, and declared to the world that Jordan is a fortress that all greed of assailants shatter against its doors."
He added, hosting the celebration presented by Captain Khulood Al-Zuweiri from the Jordanian Armed Forces, "The battle began at its hour, but as the night drew its curtain, the victory was brightly Jordanian, echoing in every corner of the homeland and hearts of the nation, the Jordanian soldier stood that day as mountains stand against storms, and endured because in his heart lies a great faith that the homeland is more precious than life, and when the battle ended, the victory was not only military but also a victory for the Jordanian will that does not break."
He stated, "The dignity and will of the generations coming forth are a legacy; a legacy that says the homeland defended by the fathers with blood must be maintained with awareness, work, and unity, for nations that forget their history disappear in the path of the future, while nations that preserve their memory create history time and again."
Also, a speech on behalf of the Public Security Directorate, the Head of the Media Department in the Directorate Colonel Iyad Al-Amro stated; the day of the Battle of Al-Karama, coinciding with the beginning of spring, carries the message of the light that must prevail and that there is a spring in this nation that never fades.
He added, "In March, the month of pride and honor, the earth blossoms just as belonging blooms within us and the love of the homeland flowers in our hearts as we recall when His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, may God forgive him, Arabized the leadership of the army, the decision marking the начало of a path of pride, sovereignty, and dignity."
He affirmed that Jordan today proceeds under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, steadfast on the principles, firm in its positions, carrying the concerns of its nation, defending its causes.
He also affirmed that the security and military agencies renew today the covenant that resides in their consciences, inherited from their fathers and grandfathers, to remain loyal to the Jordanian homeland, protecting it with eyes that do not sleep and hearts that know no fear, and sacrificing their lives without hesitation.
At the beginning of the celebration, which was attended by a large audience of military and civilians, poet Aliyan Al-Adwan started his speech saying "I lift the headdress for everyone who adorned the crown from the time of the establishment of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army to this day."
He added that the Battle of Al-Karama is a turning point in the military field and Arab wars in the confrontation with the Israeli occupation, which embodied the spirit of sacrifice and redemption for the heroes of our brave Arab army for the pure soil of this homeland under the leadership of the late His Highness King Hussein bin Talal where the Hashemites inherit glory from generation to generation."
Poet Aliyan Al-Adwan highlighted the role of the Union of Jordanian Writers and Poets in highlighting the heroics of our Arab army and writing history for the coming generations.
He recited a patriotic Nabati poem titled "O Holder of the Feast" praising the homeland and His Majesty King Abdullah II and the Jordanian Armed Forces and their heroic sacrifices.
He also recited a patriotic Nabati poem titled: "For Glory's Sake" praising the immortal Battle of Al-Karama and its martyrs from the heroes of the Jordanian Armed Forces who sacrificed themselves to protect the Jordanian homeland, touching upon the story of the hero martyr Khader Shukri in the Battle of Al-Karama sacrificing himself for the homeland's honor.
In a reminiscing speech delivered by Retired Brigadier General Mahmoud Abu Wandi as an eyewitness to the Battle of Al-Karama, he referred to the factors that led to the Battle of Al-Karama.
Retired Brigadier General Abu Wandi noted that His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, may God forgive him, was always pushing for strengthening the defenses and fortifications of the Jordanian Armed Forces and reorganizing the army after the 1967 war since Israel was preparing for a military attack.
He reviewed the three axes of the battle, noting that the Jordanian soldier was present and eager for combat and defense of the pure soil of Jordan.
The celebration, participated in by the Jordanian Armed Forces band, began with the opening of an exhibition of photographs and maps related to the Battle of Al-Karama.
At the end of the celebration, Al-Rawashdeh, accompanied by the poet Al-Adwan, handed out the Union's honorary shields to Brigadier General Khalil Al-Dajah, Brigadier General Mustafa Al-Hayari, Retired Brigadier General Adnan Al-Raqad, Retired Brigadier General Mahmoud Abu Wandi, and other honorary shields.
They also presented honorary shields of the Union to several heroes of the Battle of Al-Karama, including retired Captain Musleh Ahmad Al-Sharifat and retired agents Ghalib Muhammad Al-Jibrin, Yassin Abu Umairah, Alawi Al-Zghoul, Ibrahim Al-Ma'ay'ah, and Ibrahim Ghawanmeh.
The poets who participated in the celebration were also honored, including Major Suhaib Al-Muayta from the Jordanian Armed Forces, and from the members of the Union: Muhammad Said Al-Momni, Abdelrahman Al-Mubeidin, Hikmat Al-Azza, and Badi' Rabah.
