Jordan has denied an Israeli citizen entry into the country after border guards noticed that the traveler was carrying a prayer shawl and phylacteries (tefilin), ‘Israel Radio’ reports. After initially being stopped by Jordanian authorities at the border crossing near Eilat, the tourist reportedly offered to leave the traditional prayer items on the Israeli side, but to no avail.
Upon his return home, he sent a letter of protest to the Jordanian ambassador in Tel Aviv, who responded that security concerns required that travelers entering the Hashemite Kingdom not do so with prayer shawls and phylacteries.
Three years ago, Jordan prevented Orthodox Jewish Israelis from entering the country on the grounds that they would become the targets of terrorist attacks.
