Days have
passed since the beginning of Israeli assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque and ongoing
military confrontations. These days carried with them severe challenges that
have had a considerable effect on Jordan.
اضافة اعلان
Israel is
challenging Jordan’s Custodianship in Jerusalem and it has been proven that the
Palestinians will protect the holy city’s sites against all Israeli machinations.
It has been proven that assaults on
Al-Aqsa cause outrage every time they
occur, such as they have now and back in 2000 when former Israeli prime
minister Ariel Sharon set foot in Al-Aqsa.
Despite
recent events,
Jordan has not taken action against Israel, disregarding demands
for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Jordan or the prohibition of his
entry into the country, should he attempt to reenter the Kingdom. Such demands
have also called for the reversal of the Wadi Araba deal and the severing of
economic relations, which entail the purchase of gas and water from the
occupation. But Jordan has not taken measures of any kind and seems to be
addressing the situation in a slow and gradual manner, avoiding direct
reaction.
The
Palestinian Authority (PA) has not taken any measures against Israel either, as
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas continues to mince his words in favor of
Jerusalem and away from Gaza. The PA did not cancel the Oslo agreement nor take
action against Israel, thus portraying itself as any third party simply showing
support to Palestine, as opposed to one that is an integral part of the struggle,
capable of taking a stance.
Jordanian
officials tend to have a difficult time making moves against Israel, and wish
to announce this publically. They seem to act as though they are aware of
Western thinking and are as such avoiding escalation and managing the conflict
using alternative methods, especially after economic relations have reached
their highest level. These officials avoid taking measures to eschew paying
their cost and the US’ reaction.
This
explains why Jordan has not felt obligated to expel the Israeli ambassador. It
seems that the Kingdom been avoiding this step and that it will never be taken.
Jordan appears to be buying time and hoping for an organic end to the military
operations in the occupied territories.
Under these
circumstances, why would Jordan account for international factors and various
risk calculations with Israel, when the occupation does not care to do the
same? In fact, the occupation continues to infringe upon Jordan’s custodianship
over Al-Aqsa and assault the property of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah.
All factors
indicate that Israel does not account for Jordan’s sensitivities, but rather
attempts to downplay its authority and export crises to the Kingdom in a number
of ways.
The stance
of Jordanians was honorable as they have historically been the closest to
Palestine. Their stance is not being tested nor tried and they have nothing to
prove.
If Jordan is
avoiding taking measures against Israel at the official level, citing its
inability to bear the cost of such a move alone, it must find new approaches by
reexamining its relation with Israel and minimizing all forms of cooperation
therewith; in addition to labelling the occupation state as the greatest threat
to Jordan. This would in turn lead to a series of successive and simultaneous
political measures in the upcoming period, after it was proven that Israel
manufactures and exports crises to Jordan.
The
remaining question tackles the ways in which Jordan will manage its relation
with Israel in the near future, after all the massacres have been committed.
This is an awkward question, especially considering the current and
unprecedented situation at hand.
Officials
must acknowledge Israel as a primary threat to Jordan, away from diplomacy, and
to then reposition itself in relation to Israel.
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