Caroline Glick attacks Mudar Zahran. Zahran defends himself.

By Ted Belman

As you know, Mudar and I are working diligently to make our conference  The Jordan Option, succeed. Everything is going fine. There is a lot of buzz and registrations are flowing in.

But there is a campaign to discredit the conference and both Mudar, and to a much lesser extent, myself.  Accusations going both ways have resulted.

Caroline, citing Khaled as a “dear friend for 15 years”, did a major post  on her FB page.

Caroline accepted what she was told by three unnamed sources that “Zahran is not a credible source. He is not a leader of an opposition movement. He doesn’t have an organization.”

As it happens she had previously written “I think the best way to compel Abdullah to behave responsibly, as behooves an ally in the war against jihadist terror, is to make clear to him that he isn’t the only option.”

Now she writes “My colleagues effectively told me that despite the fact that we could use an alternative to Abdullah, none exist today, at least none that are better than he.”

So she and her colleagues believe that Abdullah should be replaced and that there is no none better than Mudar to do it. But in their opinion, Mudar isn’t enough.

By the way, while Caroline complains about “the shocking campaign that Zahran is waging to smear his good name “, she offers no proof and alleges no specifics.

Mudar took umbrage and posted in reply on her FB page the following:

Our Response to Caroline Glick’s Wild Rant

1. An Arab pro-verb reads: “Smart people rarely make errors, but when they make one, it’s usually a disaster”, This was the case today for Caroline Glick. The first thing that must be noticed in her piece here is: She obviously has not verified, nor researched, anything she is claiming, simply because, if she did, she would not even write this piece. Here, we shall explain, and sadly debunk some of her claims.

2. She claims that: “I also didn’t know that his Jordan Opposition Coalition, where he serves as secretary general, is more of an internet creation than a viable, going concern.”, Let’s debunk this claim here. Google Our name in Arabic, and you shall see countless articles from the Jordanian regime itself attacking us and launching a Jihad against us. If we did not exist, how come the Jordanian media is attacking us? If we did not exist, and were of “no concern”, how come the very Jordanian state has been smearing us left and right, and I personally was sentenced to life in prison for “having a long tongue against the king” and for “trying to change the structure of the society. How do you explain any of this Caroline Glick ?

3. Caroline claims that Mudar Zahran ?. ??? ????? does not have any influence, and could never be the king’s replacement. Fine, but if you google Mudar Zahran in Arabic you shall see endless attacks by the king’s own media, by Aljazeera -loyal to the king- and the Muslim Brotherhood of Jordan, all against me. Just two weeks ago, Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood called for my group and I to be prosecuted. This could be found easily on Google. Just use a true Arab speaker who has no agenda against me and my group. So, how is Mudar Zahran ?. ??? ????? and his group are just a Facebook page?

4. Caroline claims this: “He is not a leader of an opposition movement. He doesn’t have an organization.” How do you explain the BBC, Fox News, and dozen Arabic, American British TV networks interview me as the Leader of the The Jordanian Opposition Coalition ???????? ??????? ???????? . Is the BBC stupid or uninformed about Jordan? Or was I able to trick them simply? Ha? If you are going to make such a claim, then you simply have no clue about how TV stations operate at all. Also, how come media has been reporting on us since 2012? Including Times of Israel, the Jewish Press and Arab media. I am more than happy to provide links, just kindly verify them with decent Arabic speakers, no anyone with an axe to grind.

5. Caroline claims she has obtained the so-called information about me and my group from her colleagues that are “sources she respects”, fine, what are those sources? Who are those sources? How could Caroline Glick explain that I represent 6.2 million Palestinians in Jordan and my deputy Abed Almaala represents the Bani Hassan tribe, “The one million man Bedouin tribe”. The strangest thing is: Caroline here is following the king’s very own silly line of claim that he does not have any opposition at all! I wonder who are those “sources” who gave Caroline these lies? And later, we must get to the issue of how come she never bothered to verify or ask!

6. Caroline stretches her claims, she says: that Zahran has many Facebook pages and website, same claim that one of Caroline’s “sources” has been promoting. Fine, we’re gonna put Caroline Glick to the challenge: Here are members of my group, and here are their names, we CHALLENGE you to call each and every one of them on FB Messenger, to see them, hear them and make sure your “sources'” claim is silly, childish and useless. If you “don’t have the time to call”, nice, we challenge you to make one of your staff members call and to put it live on Facebook. If you take this challenge, we will be fine and proven true, and your “sources” proven to belong to the trash bin in your office, but f you choose not to call, or not make anyone call on your behalf, then you simply are proving you have not kept the journalistic standards of verifying information before you spread them and smear others. Here are some of my people and their Facebook pages (which your “sources” claim are not even real, WE DARE YOU TO CALL THEM CAROLINE. Naseem Gheewan Abed Almaala Abdul Salam Al-Mualla Samer Libdeh Belal Sami Michael Ross Mohd Btaibet …Here’s you challenge, put up or simply be quiet

7. Caroline makes an accusation without the slightest shred of evidence, not sure if Caroline Glick was having a once in a lifetime fake news bravado, but does she have any evidence that Mudar Zahran ?. ??? ????? has been smearing Khaled? What are her sources? Khaled himself? Ha? What is his evidence? Wait, his evidence is that Naseem Gheewan, Andrew Feder, Lee Rom, Cathy Morris Alterman, Aaron Naftali, Ambrosine Yolanda Shitrit many others speak against him or critisize him? And for him, as it seems, they are “All Mudar Zahran using fake profile”, Caroline, this is a pathetic, silly, mindless, stupid, and intellectually retarded claim. And since this has sunk to the high school standards of “I won’t believe you have a baby brother until I hold him”, fine CALL each and every name on this list above, call them over messenger, and verify if they are “Mudar Zahran,the super profile creator monster that seems to live in your sources’ nightmares”, you do that Caroline, and then you come and apologize, and if you don’t call, then you are simply choosing to slander us, hurt us and destroy our political careers and our reputation without any bases. No Caroline, you don’t get away with that because you are not any journalist, you are Caroline Glick. The standards we hold you up to are very high. You already know this.

8. What you don’t say here in your “smear masterpiece” of me and my colleagues is one thing: Why such a connected, capable and well-resourced journalist refusing to even verify any of this? Why couldn’t you ask us, challenge us? What you have produced here Caroline Glick is an ego-catering piece for your friend, which is fine and your right, but you did not have the right, nor even the bases to smear people like me and my colleagues who are risking their lives, and while I do not like to play “I am a hero, hug me”like many do, I was reporting to the world’s media from the West Bank, called Hamas “another ISIS” on live TV from Bethlehem from Doha area there, and it was live on US TV for the world to see, and I was right at the area dubbed “Hamas area”, I never asked for a dime, nor am I asking for praise. My colleague, Abed Almaala who is an avid and outspoken Zionist who has worked with AIPAC and the WJC, he survived an assassination attempt in DC by the king’s embassy itself, his case is documented with the FBI. We are risking our lives and our families’ lives for a cause, the least you and “your sources” could do is have some respect, and leave us alone. This has not been the case, and your piece here is evidence of the lunacy that someone has been marketing against us, also Caroline, if we are so irrelevant of clowns, as your “super sources/source/buddy” claim, why are you so concerned with us? The almighty Caroline Glick dedicating a whole lengthy piece to smear Mudar Zahran and claim his group does not exist. Wow, seems we actually don’t exist to the point we are forcing you, your “sources” and the king’s entire media empire to launch a Jihad against us.

9. Well, sadly, we have to do this the way President Trump has done it: We cannot remain silent against fake news and narishkeit, if you are so concerned with Israel’s interest and future, then kindly forward these questions to your friend Khaled, and all he has to do is answer, considering that he is your brave friend and champion, which we are sure he is: (DELETED) Let’s stop with these questions, for now… Caroline Glick you owe yourself a reconsideration of the biased, unfounded and baseless mistakes you made in this piece, and if you think deeply, and engage you sharp mind instead of your kind-heart’s eagerness to “save a friend from the evil one”, if you do that, you will end up considering making an apology, not to us necessarily, but rather to the readers you have let down with this article that does not even sound like you.

As you can see, Mudar Zahran is more than enough. His life is in jeopardy. Yet he carries on with his determination to succeed.

And now he has to deal with a smear campaign. Too bad.

Too bad that Caroline didn’t check with me to get our side of the story. But two other prominent Israeli experts did take the trouble to call me, not to find out our side, but to discredit my friend Mudar.

September 28, 2017 | 7 Comments »

Subscribe to Israpundit Daily Digest

Leave a Reply

7 Comments / 7 Comments

  1. @ Sebastien Zorn:

    And what about the master of all repartee.

    D’Israeli, in the House of Commons, discoursing on the potential effect of a Bill proposed by the Opposition…..that it could be either a misfortune or a calamity. ”’Respected Members of the House…to illustrate…”’

    …”If my distinguished opponent Mr. Gladstone,, whilst walking along the Thames Embankment were to slip and fall in..that would be a misfortune…” …

    “But…if someone were to dive in and pull him out..THAT would be a calamity…”…..

  2. I believe Mudar though I am a fan of Glick. His arguments and evidence all make sense to me. I also like the way he attacks her position by saying it is unworthy of her rather than in the sort of demeaning ad hominem attacks politicians usually engage in. Systems of government are always influenced by the style of their founders. It bodes well if he is able to take and hold power. Or so it seems to me at this point in time.

    On a lighter note: I learned three great — the second one is hilarious, I can’t wait to use it — snappy come-backs I didn’t know from this article — I think I first started collecting them in the 60s when MAD magazine started printing them.

    An Arab pro-verb reads: “Smart people rarely make errors, but when they make one, it’s usually a disaster”,

    “I won’t believe you have a baby brother until I hold him”

    narishkeit – Jewish English Lexicon
    http://www.jewish-languages.org/jewish-english-lexicon/words/396
    Definitions. “1. Foolishness 2. A triviality” (Rosten)

    Almost makes me want to learn Arabic. And Yiddish.

  3. OK Mrs. Glick.
    Assume I agree 100% with you. Do you have a better alternative that does not include more bloodshed? If so present it.
    If you don’t, than just please shut up and let the not so good option, but a viable one to succeed.

  4. This is noting but a confounded mess, and I don’t know Caroline got into it so easily. She is usually very sharp and concise. As we see Mudar is not, but this is an Arab trait and nothing else could be expected. As things are, I’ve never had any reason to doubt Ted or any of his vouched-for colleagues..

    I had a little experience with Khaled Abu Toameh some years ago. I’ve always considered him brave and determined, and a damned good writer. I thought he’d manage to get himself seriously injured, if not murdered, before too long.

    He had written about an interview he’d had, somewhere between Shuafat and Jerusalem. The Arab homeowner wanted to sell, and bitterly saying that property values had slumped because of incorporation into Jerusalem He’d had his almost new house for sale for months and could not even get an offer on the price asked of 50,000 shekels. I immediately wrote to Toameh as I was coming to Israel telling him that I would buy that house and to do me the favour of putting me in touch with the owner.

    I emailed him 3 separate times, maybe 4, over a 4-6 week period, including calling to the Jerusalem Post asking for him. Klum. I never got an acknowledgement or any kind of response. I made the mistake of giving my name at the Post, I should have said, looking around furtively,,, “…an informer..he’ll know who it is…” I’ve always admired Arab imaginative architecture and was dreaming about this……..