The US administration has been anything but implicit in the
signals it has been sending to Jordan and concerned actors about what Amman
means to Washington and how far the US is ready to go in support of Jordan, not
only at the local level, but also regarding the efforts the Kingdom has been
exerting to put the Middle East peace process back on track.
اضافة اعلان
The US aid to Jordan will keep flowing and more has already
been pledged, namely, the $40 million that will be funneled into Estidama, a
program designed to bail out workers hard hit by the repercussions of
COVID-19.
It is small gesture, but very telling.
The Americans’ support of Jordan’s strategy to resolve the
seven-decade Arab-Israeli conflict should be seen as even more impactful if
things go right, because peace means the world to Amman. It would constitute a
true game changer that would bring about prosperity and regional cooperation
for the welfare of the Middle East’s people.
To start with, US President Joe Biden and his team have been
articulate in their position regarding the two-state formula as the only
solution to the conflict. Last week, Biden insisted on a full-blown two-state
remedy. “We still need a two-state solution. It is the only answer, the only
answer,” Biden was quoted as saying, officially burying the nonsensical “Deal
of the Century,” that his predecessor, Donald Trump, fought to push down our
throat. It posed a serious threat to Jordan, which gave the lame plan a big
“No”.
His secretary of state,
Antony Blinken, spoke the same
language when he vowed “to rebuild US relations with Palestinians by reopening
a consulate in Jerusalem and giving millions in aid to help the war-ravaged
Gaza Strip.” He stressed “the commitment of the United States to rebuilding the
relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, a
relationship built on mutual respect and also a shared conviction that
Palestinians and Israelis alike deserve equal measures of security, freedom
opportunity, and dignity”. This is music to Amman’s ears. Also, last week’s
remarks by US representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda
Thomas-Greenfield, highlighted Jordan’s role in the Gaza ceasefire, along with
Egypt and Qatar, lauding their “quiet, intensive, and relentless diplomacy at
the highest levels”.
Is that déjà vu? It might be, but the difference is that the
political landscape in Israel is changing after the reckless game played by
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backfired. By sending extremists to
Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem to provoke the feelings of
Muslims during the holiest time of the year in the Islamic calendar, the
politician was clearly inviting a reaction from Hamas and the other resistance
groups to buy more time and win Israeli support again. The response came but
was different this time, exposing Israel’s vulnerability and the resilience of
a nation under occupation that has nothing more to lose. Jordan is crossing its
fingers.
Add to that the revival of the centrality of the Palestinian
cause in the Jordanian, Arab, and Muslim streets, and the massive support
Palestinians are receiving from the international public opinion, and this time
more and more from Western governments.
Under such circumstances, Jordan finds itself with several
cards up its sleeve. One of these includes the baby steps being taken to mend
fences with Hamas, a leader of which told Jordan News recently that the group
is open to a reconciliation with Amman after almost two decades of no or
minimal contact. At the same time, the Kingdom will surely maintain its utter
support for the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, and work hard for internal
concord among Palestinians. If we add to that a unified position by the
Palestinians, with support from Jordan, Egypt, and other actors, the stage will
be set for the next move.
Now as all, whether they admit it or not, are well aware
that war leads nowhere, a diplomatic breakthrough, with substantial
contribution from Jordan, is not impossible. However, this window of
opportunity will not remain open for ever. Action is needed now.
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