Jordanians angered by Netflix project filming Amman as Tel Aviv

The filming in Jordan of a new Netflix project based in Tel Aviv has sparked anger among Jordanians who oppose the country’s ties with Israel.

Images and video uploaded to social media showed a street in the capital Amman in which the sign was replaced with one of a street in Tel Aviv and the license plates on cars were swapped out for Israeli ones.

Local production for the project is being handled by Jordanian company Desert Motion Pictures and filming is taking place at over 50 locations in Amman, according to reports in the Arabic-language media.

It was unclear from the reports whether the filming is for a Netflix series or movie.

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Though the two countries have a peace treaty, ties with Israel are unpopular among much of the public in Jordan and the images of the Israeli street sign and license plates were met with anger by many on social media.

A group that opposes “normalization” with Israel asked the state-run Royal Film Commission of Jordan why permission to film the project was given and claimed locals interested in taking part in the filming were told they may have to wear Israeli military uniforms, the reports said.

An unnamed source in the production company working on the project told the Al-Araby news outlet that no Israelis were involved in the production, and that the project would highlight the history of the Palestinian people.

Last month, Jordan’s King Abdullah II announced he would not renew part of the 1994 peace treaty that granted Israel use of two small agricultural areas along the border.

Abdullah said he would be pulling out of two sectioned annexes to the peace agreement that allowed Israel to lease the areas from the Jordanians for 25 years. The leases expire next year.

Abdullah did not give a reason for his decision, but he has been under domestic pressure to end the lease which includes areas at Naharayim in the north and the Tzofar enclave in the southern Arava desert, both of which will now return to Jordanian hands within a year.

The agreement is automatically renewable unless either side gives a year’s notice to terminate the deal, “in which case, at the request of either party, consultations shall be entered into.”

According to Israeli officials, the decision is significant, as it marks a Jordanian desire to effectively reduce diplomatic ties with Israel.

Amman has faced intense pressure to cancel the lease agreement with Israel, including from 80 lawmakers who signed a letter to the government urging the cancellation.