45K Jordanians performs Umrah in 6 monthsNew American arms deal to Zionist enemy

Amman: About 45,000 Jordanians have performed Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) since the beginning of the Hijri Umrah season that commenced in July and continued until the end of the current year, said Belal Rubin, a representative of Hajj and Umrah companies and a member of the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA). In an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Rubin highlighted that the demand for Umrah trips among Jordanians has been relatively weak compared to the previous year. He further explained that the number of Jordanian pilgrims during the period from July to December last year had reached 70,000 individuals. Anticipating an upturn in demand, Rubin expected a surge in Jordanian citizens seeking to perform Umrah rituals during the upcoming winter school vacation, a customary trend observed annually. To motivate Jordanians, Hajj and Umrah offices have introduced encouraging offers and packages. Regarding Hajj registration, Rubin highlighted that the process for pilgrims to register o n the Ministry of Awqaf's website began on Monday, December 11, and will conclude today, Sunday, at 10 pm. Source: Jordan News Agency The United States of America insists on provocatively supporting the Zionist enemy entity in its aggression against the Gaza Strip to kill innocent civilians, women and children. The head of humanitarian operations at the United Nations, Martin Griffiths, said on the 'X' platform: 'Traumatized and exhausted populations' are crowding on 'an increasingly smaller piece of land.' Meanwhile, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote in a statement: 'The amount of necessary and urgent aid provided is still limited and faces several logistical obstacles.' In parallel with the Zionist crime, South Africa submitted a request to the International Court of Justice to initiate procedures against the Zionist entity to accuse it of committing 'acts of genocide against the Palestinian people.' Since the beginning of the Zionist-American aggression against the Gaza Strip on October 7, Washington declared its full support for the Zionist enemy entity politically and militarily. In this context, the US Departme nt of Defense (the Pentagon) announced that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had approved a potential deal to sell 155 mm M107 rifles and related equipment to the Zionist enemy entity for $147.5 million. The Pentagon said in a statement that Blinken stated that there was 'an emergency that requires the immediate sale of these weapons to Israel.' Blinken pointed out that 'in view of the national interests of the United States and following its commitment to the security of the Zionist enemy entity and the threats to which it is exposed, there is a state of emergency that requires the immediate sale of defense materials and services to the government of the enemy entity, and waiving the requirements for congressional review in this regard.' He also indicated that the Zionist enemy entity "will use these weapons to strengthen its defenses and as a deterrent to regional threats." This is the second time that Blinken has decided on this kind, bypassing the requirements for Congress to review foreign military sales since the beginning of the Zionist-American aggression on the Gaza Strip. On December 9, Washington had also agreed 'emergency' to sell the Zionist enemy approximately 14,000 120 mm tank shells for use in its war on Gaza. In the same context, the brutal aggression - air, land and sea - continues with bombardment in various parts of the Gaza Strip for the 85th day, amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. East of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip witnessed violent artillery shelling, while enemy gunboats fired shells extensively at the beaches of central and southern Gaza Strip. The Zionist enemy artillery continues to fire its artillery shells east of the Bureij camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, which has been witnessing intense bombardment by air and land for four days, prompting citizens to flee towards Deir al-Balah. Enemy tanks also fired several shells in the center of Jabalia camp in the north of the Gaza Strip, while warplanes launched a series of violent raids on the city of Khan Yunis in the south. The Zionist warplanes carried out a series of air strikes in the neighborhoods of Al-Daraj, Al-Tuffah, and Al-Shuja'iya, which led to a number of martyrs. The World Health Organization has expressed its deep concern about the increasing risk of the spread of infectious diseases in the Gaza Strip, due to the continued massive displacement of people along the southern Gaza Strip, and the forced displacement of some families more than once. In an infinite toll, the toll of the ongoing Zionist-American aggression against Gaza by land, sea and air since October 7 has risen to more than 21,000 martyrs and about 55,000 injured, in addition to thousands of missing persons. Source: Yemen News Agency