Karak bids farewell to the nation's martyrs with tears and ululations

Professor of Sociology at Mutah University, Dr. Hussein Mahadin, said that the terrorists failed, as is their despicable habit, in targeting the homeland and its people, thanks to the stance of the citizens, particularly the families of the martyrs, affirming that all of Jordan is family to these martyrs, who proved through their clear stance their connection to their society, their belief in it, and the brotherly relations that bring its people together.

Mahadin added that there is no more eloquent stance than that of the people of Karak and Jordan, who rushed with all pride to donate blood, so that Jordanian blood would mingle under the umbrella of citizenship and appreciation for martyrdom and the martyrs, in our precious homeland that has been built throughout history through work, diverse achievements, and partnership in various walks of life.

Mahadin pointed out that Jordan, with its distinguished weight and influence on the global level, has provoked the ire of these malicious people, proving time and again that it is resilient through its national unity, the fraternity of its people, and their absolute alignment with the values of life, knowledge, and dialogue in the best possible manner. He concluded by saying: «Let these terrorists lament their fortunes».

Assistant Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture and Director of Culture in Karak, Orouba Al-Shamayleh, said that what the town of Hammoud witnessed is a pain that has struck us all, for the loss of any Jordanian soul is a loss for the entire homeland, and the pain that Hammoud is experiencing today is the pain of every Jordanian home and every heart that believes that human beings, their dignity, and their life are the highest value.

She added that Karak has been known throughout its history as an authentic model for national unity; the neighbor is family, the house is home, joy belongs to everyone, and sorrow does not stop at the doorstep of a house, but extends to all our hearts.

She pointed out that the national and human fabric is a legacy that Jordanians cherish, and they will not allow any criminal act to undermine it or sow fear and division among the members of the single society.

Al-Shamayleh continued: «From my cultural position, I believe that our responsibility today goes beyond expressing grief and condemnation; we are facing a national and moral responsibility represented in promoting the values of tolerance, belonging, and acceptance of the other, and raising our generations to respect life, safeguard human dignity, and reject all forms of extremism and hatred».

She added that culture is not just an activity practiced in times of joy, but rather a moral and human stance that clearly appears in difficult moments, when we hold fast to our values and protect our society from everything that threatens it.

She concluded by saying: «Today we stand alongside our people in Hammoud, with hearts wrung with pain, and with a firm belief that Jordan will remain stronger through the unity and cohesion of its people, and that Karak will remain as we have known it, a land of love, dignity, and authentic national positions».

Ali Al-Majali said that the battle today is a battle of awareness, explaining that the bullets of cowardly terrorism that targeted the town of Hammoud struck the heart of every Jordanian, which calls for standing in a single rank to confront extremist thought, and focusing on intellectual immunization in the era of digital space, within a shared solidary responsibility among the family, educational and religious institutions, alongside rallying around the wise Hashemite leadership, the Arab Army, and the security apparatus.

Al-Majali added that Islam urged the sanctity of the human soul and imparted sanctity to it, considering the preservation of life as one of the objectives of Sharia, pointing out that the families of the deceased consider it honor enough that their sons left life while in a position of defending the homeland, and that their blood will remain a witness to the crimes of those he described as outcasts of the horizons.

Member of the Pharmacists Syndicate Council, Dr. Youssef Abu Malouh, said that the heinous criminal event that struck the town of Hammoud and Karak in general pained everyone, affirming that Jordan, with its Muslims and Christians, will remain one family and a cohesive and steadfast national fabric in the face of all attempts at terrorism, discord, and extremism.

He stressed that the people of Karak reject the term "coexistence", because they live the unity of circumstance in times of ease and hardship.

Young woman Rahma Abu Ghura said: «From the wedding of Amman to the funeral of Hammoud, the years, banners, and ideologies have changed, but Jordanian blood has remained targeted, without the killer asking about the religion, belief, or military uniform of its owner».

She added: «They targeted Jordanians in their joys, in their military locations, in their places of worship, and among their families and people, and they were not deterred by the sanctity of the Quran, nor the sanctity of the human being, nor the pain of a mother, nor the tear of a father, nor the sanctity of a funeral».

She pointed out that the terrorists wanted, every time, for a Jordanian to fear his brother, and to see in his difference a reason for division, but they did not understand that Jordan is not just borders on a map.

She affirmed: «From the wedding of Amman to the funeral of Hammoud, the lesson they vainly try to obliterate remains: Jordanian blood is one, Jordanian pain is one, and this homeland is not divided on the basis of religion, nor is it torn apart by a bullet».

The head of the Balqa Governorate Council committee, Ziad Al-Samardali, said that the pain of the people of Hammoud and Karak is the pain of every Jordanian, affirming that this heinous crime is alien to Jordanian society, which is characterized by awareness and moderation, following the example of its Hashemite leadership and its prudent approach.

He added: «We have full confidence in our armed forces and security agencies to uncover the terrorists and bring them to justice, to serve as a lesson to anyone who tries to undermine the security and stability of the homeland, which will remain resilient and impregnable in the face of renegades and terrorists».

Citizens Khazer Al-Karaleet and Mohammed Al-Dmour said that what the town of Hammoud witnessed is a catastrophic crime that made hearts bleed, leaving behind pure souls that departed us, leaving in their wake the echo of an incomplete hymn and a prayer that rose to the sky with Muslim and Christian hearts beating with love.

They pointed out that this group will not be a reason to fracture the national cohesion, which was manifested in the massive attendance of Muslims during the funeral processions of the martyrs, which exceeded, according to them, the scale of Christian attendance.

Al-Karaleet and Dmour called for the necessity of adopting a package of intellectual, religious, institutional, family, and media measures to counter Takfiri thought, protect society and generations from its poisons, alongside monitoring social media platforms and activating the cybercrime law.

Omar Al-Halsa, one of the injured in the Hammoud town incident, said that what happened is a criminal act unprecedented in Jordan's history, affirming that this cowardly act will only increase Jordanians' attachment to their national unity and authentic Jordanian values, and that they will not allow any attempt to undermine their cohesion based on tolerance and respect for religions.

He added that what he witnessed at the funeral ceremonies of the martyrs was like a national wedding, in which the highest images of cohesion and national unity were manifested, as thousands of Jordanians, Muslims and Christians, gathered, affirming their absolute rejection of extremism and terrorism.

Khalil Al-Halsa, one of the people who was in the church at the moment of the terrorist incident, said that he managed to close its doors, which prevented further casualties. He added that the horror of the tragedy is still present, and that they never expected such an incident to happen one day, affirming that the rush of citizens from Karak and various governorates of the kingdom to donate blood to save the wounded, and the large attendance of mourners, alleviated the pain of separation.

Engineer Issa Al-Halsa, cousin of the deceased Ehab Al-Halsa and maternal cousin of the deceased Marwan Al-Khaitan, said that what happened on Friday in the church was a massacre in every sense of the word, affirming that they will continue to live its details with all pain and anguish.

He added that what alleviated their affliction was His Majesty the King's visit to the injured on the day of the incident, alongside official and popular national solidarity.