WATCH: Jordanians protest US Vice President Pence's visit

Pence is the first senior official of the Donald Trump administration to visit the Middle East since Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

By REUTERS
Updated: JANUARY 21, 2018 12:59
US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence wave before leaving Air Force Two upon their arrival in the Jordanian capital Amman (photo credit: KHALIL MAZRAAWI / AFP)
US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence wave before leaving Air Force Two upon their arrival in the Jordanian capital Amman
(photo credit: KHALIL MAZRAAWI / AFP)
Protesters gathered in front of the US Embassy in Amman on Monday to protest against US Vice President Mike Pence's visit to their country.
Jordanians protest US Vice President Pence"s visit to Israel, January 21, 2018. (Reuters)
Pence is the first senior official of the Donald Trump administration to visit the Middle East since Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last month. The trip will take him to Egypt, Jordan and Israel.
"I'm here for protesting the visit of the vice president of the United States of America. We disagree on their policies and we disagree with all their policies regarding this topic," said Rob Hush, one of the protesters.
Jordan plays a large role in the Palestine-Israel conflict. Palestinian Jordanians and Palestinian refugees account for 47 percent of Jordan's population. They are firmly against Trump's decision and will boycott any further decisions they see as unfavorable during Pence's visit to Israel.
Protests have been held almost every weekend in front of the US Embassy in Jordan since Trump's decision on Jerusalem was announced on December 6. They called on the Jordanian government to listen to the people's wishes not to welcome Pence.
"We reject the Pence visit and we totally refuse it, and we ask the government not to welcome him and not accept his visit, especially after the protests the people have been doing for more than 40 days here," said Mageed Ayman, another protester.
Pence was scheduled to visit the Middle East in December but his trip was delayed until January. He arrived in Cairo, the capital of Egypt on Saturday.