PA TV gives platform to Jordanian pilot who denied Israel’s existence “from the River to the Sea” over US Jerusalem decision
Official PA TV program Good Morning Jerusalem, about a video in Arabic being shared on social media of Jordanian pilot Yousef Dajah who, on a flight from Amman to New York, described the flight path in an announcement to the passengers as going over “Palestine” and passing “north of Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state”
Official PA TV host: "We will talk about the expression of Arab solidarity by the head pilot of the Royal [Jordanian] airplane who was on his way to New York. He surprised the airplane's passengers when he announced the flight path that was going to pass over Palestine and Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine."
Official PA TV host 2: "This is a video that has flooded social media, in which the pilot expressed his solidarity with Palestine, with the cause of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine. We will continue with this video and then will go to our reporter Sundus Ahmed who is in the capital of Jordan, Amman."
Visual and audio: A video approximately one minute long is shown in which the pilot is heard saying: "Our route today, Allah willing: We will begin from the international airport Alia on our way towards the Palestinian lands, Allah willing, above Palestine, and afterwards north of exalted Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state, and afterwards above the Palestinian coastal plain, the Mediterranean Sea, and on the screens in front of you, you will be able to monitor the flight path, and there are additional details there."
Host: “Yes, these were the words of the Jordanian pilot that have been spread on social media, and we are transmitting an exclusive interview with him in our studio in Amman, with our colleague Sundus Ahmed."
Official PA TV reporter Sundus Ahmed: "… Our viewers, the positions expressing the noble Jordanian people's rejection of [US President Donald] Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital continue. And today – defiance of a different type. The defiance of a Jordanian pilot in his special way, when he announced the flight path of the Royal Jordanian [airplane] to New York… In order to talk more about this matter, I welcome our guest, Captain Yousef Al-Hamlan Dajah... What motivated you to speak and announce [it] in this way?"
Jordanian pilot Captain Yousef Dajah: "In the name of All Merciful Allah, greetings and peace on the lord of the messengers, [Prophet] Muhammad, and on his family members and friends… Foolish American President [Donald Trump's] decision was to declare that Jerusalem is the capital of 'Israel,' in quotation marks, because as far as I’m concerned Palestine is from the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea. And in my head passed [the thought]: I must speak to these passengers so that they will convey the position of the Jordanian people, led by His Royal Highness [King of Jordan] Abdullah II, towards Trump's foolish decision. And I said to the passengers: 'Ladies and gentlemen, our route today begins from the international airport Alia, and [Queen] Alia is a daughter of Jerusalem and a daughter of Palestine. Afterwards we will fly in the skies of Palestine, the State of Palestine, north of exalted Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state, towards the Palestinian western coastal plain.' Usually, madam, we complete the description of the flight path to the passengers up to the destination. However, I began and ended with Palestine, so that there would be a message for the passengers with us." …
Sundus Ahmed: "We noticed that the social media websites began to spread this video quickly, even before your arrival in New York, millions of people [saw the video]… You have been flying for 25 years; what was your response to some of the annoyances and harassment that have occurred since your arrival in New York?"
Yousef Dajah: "When I made the announcement, it was a sort of defiance against the decision of the president of the largest state in the world, President Trump. I knew that I was flying over Palestine and the Jews were under me, and I was on the way to America. And there was no fear, there was defiance on behalf of this great people [the Palestinians]. I did not know that one of the passengers had recorded it and that it had been spread. When it was spread I was in the sky, on my way to the US. When we landed in New York and disembarked, I found that the Arab people, the Palestinian people, are praising and blessing…
However, I did not encounter annoyances from the American administration, everything is fine, praise Allah. But there was great excitement and pride over my saying this, and it echoed, and it is from Heaven. Heaven picked up on this and it was not [said] by Yousef Dajah, Yousef Dajah is an unknown man… But Heaven picked up on this, and supported Jerusalem… So how can the nation not unite? We will liberate [Palestine], Allah willing, from the river to the sea…
I bless the 'people of giants,' the great people, the Palestinian people, and say: You are the ones defending the nation, the entire nation. You are the Murabitin (those carrying out Ribat, religious conflict/war to protect land claimed to be Islamic) in Palestine, you are sacrificing the Martyrs (Shahids). By the way, we, the members of the extended family, have sacrificed 100 Martyrs in Palestine and on the walls of Jerusalem, and I am proud that I am a son of the Dajah family that sacrificed these Martyrs…
And I say to the great Palestinian people: 'Go, the entire nation is behind you… Every Palestinian mother and every Arab mother needs to educate her son and daughter that Palestine is not limited to the West Bank, friends. The West Bank is cities… and the Gaza Strip – will we limit beloved Palestine to this, and be satisfied with this? We must bring up the next generations, even if it takes us 100 years, on Palestine being from the river to the sea. Do not forget where Qalqilya is, where Safed is, where Ramle is, where Nazareth is, where Haifa is, where Jaffa is…
We must educate the next generations, even if it takes 100 years. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has nuclear missiles, but do not forget that we have Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque… I have spoken honestly, and Heaven has received this and supported Jerusalem. It is not I that supported Jerusalem… I bless the Palestinian people that is carrying out Ribat, from the children to the elderly.” …
Sundus Ahmed: "The last question, briefly: Will you continue, in every flight path description to New York or another country – when you fly over Palestine, will you continue to note the flight path as was noted previously. Will you continue?"
Yousef Dajah: "Madam, one who begins to cross the sea will continue until the end. Palestine is in our hearts, and it will remain a state – I always say – from the river to the sea, and its capital is exalted Jerusalem."
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
Official PA TV host: "We will talk about the expression of Arab solidarity by the head pilot of the Royal [Jordanian] airplane who was on his way to New York. He surprised the airplane's passengers when he announced the flight path that was going to pass over Palestine and Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine."
Official PA TV host 2: "This is a video that has flooded social media, in which the pilot expressed his solidarity with Palestine, with the cause of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine. We will continue with this video and then will go to our reporter Sundus Ahmed who is in the capital of Jordan, Amman."
Visual and audio: A video approximately one minute long is shown in which the pilot is heard saying: "Our route today, Allah willing: We will begin from the international airport Alia on our way towards the Palestinian lands, Allah willing, above Palestine, and afterwards north of exalted Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state, and afterwards above the Palestinian coastal plain, the Mediterranean Sea, and on the screens in front of you, you will be able to monitor the flight path, and there are additional details there."
Host: “Yes, these were the words of the Jordanian pilot that have been spread on social media, and we are transmitting an exclusive interview with him in our studio in Amman, with our colleague Sundus Ahmed."
Official PA TV reporter Sundus Ahmed: "… Our viewers, the positions expressing the noble Jordanian people's rejection of [US President Donald] Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital continue. And today – defiance of a different type. The defiance of a Jordanian pilot in his special way, when he announced the flight path of the Royal Jordanian [airplane] to New York… In order to talk more about this matter, I welcome our guest, Captain Yousef Al-Hamlan Dajah... What motivated you to speak and announce [it] in this way?"
Jordanian pilot Captain Yousef Dajah: "In the name of All Merciful Allah, greetings and peace on the lord of the messengers, [Prophet] Muhammad, and on his family members and friends… Foolish American President [Donald Trump's] decision was to declare that Jerusalem is the capital of 'Israel,' in quotation marks, because as far as I’m concerned Palestine is from the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea. And in my head passed [the thought]: I must speak to these passengers so that they will convey the position of the Jordanian people, led by His Royal Highness [King of Jordan] Abdullah II, towards Trump's foolish decision. And I said to the passengers: 'Ladies and gentlemen, our route today begins from the international airport Alia, and [Queen] Alia is a daughter of Jerusalem and a daughter of Palestine. Afterwards we will fly in the skies of Palestine, the State of Palestine, north of exalted Jerusalem, the capital of the Palestinian state, towards the Palestinian western coastal plain.' Usually, madam, we complete the description of the flight path to the passengers up to the destination. However, I began and ended with Palestine, so that there would be a message for the passengers with us." …
Sundus Ahmed: "We noticed that the social media websites began to spread this video quickly, even before your arrival in New York, millions of people [saw the video]… You have been flying for 25 years; what was your response to some of the annoyances and harassment that have occurred since your arrival in New York?"
Yousef Dajah: "When I made the announcement, it was a sort of defiance against the decision of the president of the largest state in the world, President Trump. I knew that I was flying over Palestine and the Jews were under me, and I was on the way to America. And there was no fear, there was defiance on behalf of this great people [the Palestinians]. I did not know that one of the passengers had recorded it and that it had been spread. When it was spread I was in the sky, on my way to the US. When we landed in New York and disembarked, I found that the Arab people, the Palestinian people, are praising and blessing…
However, I did not encounter annoyances from the American administration, everything is fine, praise Allah. But there was great excitement and pride over my saying this, and it echoed, and it is from Heaven. Heaven picked up on this and it was not [said] by Yousef Dajah, Yousef Dajah is an unknown man… But Heaven picked up on this, and supported Jerusalem… So how can the nation not unite? We will liberate [Palestine], Allah willing, from the river to the sea…
I bless the 'people of giants,' the great people, the Palestinian people, and say: You are the ones defending the nation, the entire nation. You are the Murabitin (those carrying out Ribat, religious conflict/war to protect land claimed to be Islamic) in Palestine, you are sacrificing the Martyrs (Shahids). By the way, we, the members of the extended family, have sacrificed 100 Martyrs in Palestine and on the walls of Jerusalem, and I am proud that I am a son of the Dajah family that sacrificed these Martyrs…
And I say to the great Palestinian people: 'Go, the entire nation is behind you… Every Palestinian mother and every Arab mother needs to educate her son and daughter that Palestine is not limited to the West Bank, friends. The West Bank is cities… and the Gaza Strip – will we limit beloved Palestine to this, and be satisfied with this? We must bring up the next generations, even if it takes us 100 years, on Palestine being from the river to the sea. Do not forget where Qalqilya is, where Safed is, where Ramle is, where Nazareth is, where Haifa is, where Jaffa is…
We must educate the next generations, even if it takes 100 years. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has nuclear missiles, but do not forget that we have Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque… I have spoken honestly, and Heaven has received this and supported Jerusalem. It is not I that supported Jerusalem… I bless the Palestinian people that is carrying out Ribat, from the children to the elderly.” …
Sundus Ahmed: "The last question, briefly: Will you continue, in every flight path description to New York or another country – when you fly over Palestine, will you continue to note the flight path as was noted previously. Will you continue?"
Yousef Dajah: "Madam, one who begins to cross the sea will continue until the end. Palestine is in our hearts, and it will remain a state – I always say – from the river to the sea, and its capital is exalted Jerusalem."
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.