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The hyacinth from New Zealand

Mar 25,2019 - Last updated at Mar 25,2019

Jacinda in Celtic means hyacinth flower, which is a beautiful fragrant plant, with a bloom which comes predominantly in lilac, white and pink. The flower is originally East Mediterranean. Not coincidentally, the name is also that of New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern.

She had shown her mettle on Friday, March 15, when a terrorist race-motivated attack was mounted on two mosques in Christchurch, 4.8km apart. Forty-two people were killed in the first attack at Al Noor Mosque and seven in the second. One of every 100,000 New Zealanders was massacred that day, yet in terms of Muslim population the rate would jack up to one per a thousand.

Until we heard of the massacre on March 15, very few of us in the Arab world knew who Jacinda Ardern was, or what kind of a human being she is. Out of Aladdins’s lamp, comes this beautiful genie to contain a crisis that shook her quiet peaceful country. Jacinda took the helm, visited the mosques in a most dignified and respectful manner, greeted the worrshippers with Assalamu Alaikum (peace be upon you) and calmed their fear. Her behaviour after that, her Tweets, attendance of prayers and calling for solidarity with the victims deserve our utmost respect.

She refused to let her country slip into a hate basin. On the contrary, her country which has excellent economic relations with many Muslim and Arab countries will see these relations kept and promising to grow. But this potential material gain is nothing compared with the good will, her country has gained. New Zealand now stands on a high moral ground above all.

The prime minister of Australia, where the racist assassin comes from, was quick to condemn this terrorist attack. Yet, he is expected to do more. The Australian government, which was about to lose a big trade deal with Indonesia over its decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, rescinded that unfair and aggressive act against Muslims and Christians alike.

The quick condemnation of His Majesty King Abdullah of this heinous crime, and the extension of his condolences to the right and truly honourable Jacinda Ardern, was a stitch in time. HRH Prince Hassan’s travel to extend those condolences on behalf of the King and the people of Jordan was an apt decision, and the Prince’s interview with a New Zealand televeision channel proved him to be a great choice.

In honourable of this compassionate lady, and in support of her dignity, morality and human depth, we should buy more New Zealand meat, and whenever we can we should buy New Zealand goods.

I would love to greet the right honourable Jacinda Ardern in Amman with thousands of cheering Jordanians, four of whom lost their lives in this painful, but eye-opening horrible event.

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