Jordan: the Hashemite Kingdom on a crest line in its relations with Israel

Amman, March 29, 2022: King Abdullah II of Jordan received Benny Gantz, Israeli Minister of Defense.

AFP - YOUSEF ALLAN

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Relations between the Hashemite Kingdom and Israel continue to deteriorate.

In question, the clashes on the esplanade of the Mosques in Jerusalem for a week now.

King Abdallah II of Jordan, in charge of the protection of holy places in Palestine, strongly condemned the Israeli attitude.

Since then, tensions have been building up and the kingdom has alerted other Arab countries.

The government was organizing an emergency meeting with the Arab inter-ministerial committee on Thursday to develop a common response to the crisis.

Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and even Qatar were present.  

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with our correspondent in Amman,

 Hermine Le Clech

Already last year, Jordan found itself in this position, but the response of the government of King Abdullah II this week differs from that of last year: this time, Jordan seems to adopt a more closed.

Evidenced by the statement of the Jordanian Prime Minister this week before Parliament.

The latter hailed the action of

against "

 ".

In the aftermath, 76 members of parliament demanded the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Amman and the suspension of all relations with the Jewish state.

►

: in Israel, tense relations with Jordan following clashes and shootings from Gaza 

All of this has angered the Israeli authorities who, however, do not always react to the words of the Jordanian government.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett even assured that a “line had been crossed”.

The reasons for this new strategy? 

By using strong words, the kingdom sends a signal to public opinion.

Because more than half of the Jordanian population is of Palestinian origin and therefore sensitive to the fighting of the Palestinians on the other side of the Jordan.

This Friday, for example, there were thousands demonstrating in the streets of Amman in support of the Palestinian territories.

In March, King Abdullah paid a

, President of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas greets King Abdullah II of Jordan before a meeting in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on March 28, 2022. AFP - ABBAS MOMANI

The government therefore tries to satisfy its population but also to catch up with it.

Because the Jordanians keep a bitter memory of the

passed last November between the kingdom and the Jewish state.

The signing of this secretly negotiated agreement sparked large demonstrations in several cities across the country.

Protests that had not moved the Jordanian authorities.

► 

in

Jordan, protests against the water agreement with Israel 

Can the Hashemite kingdom go further than what is currently being done?

Hardly because the next step would theoretically be to send the Israeli ambassador back to Amman, but the consequences of such a decision could weaken the country.

Because Jordan receives billions of dollars in international aid, in particular from the United States, Israel's historical ally.

A ridge line

It would also nullify Abdallah II's efforts to improve his relations with the government of Naftali Bennett.

Diplomatic activity between the two countries is at its highest after years of glaciation under the Netanyahu era.

In March, for example, the Israeli President, Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs all three came to meet the King of Jordan.

The Hashemite kingdom could therefore lose all the benefit of this rapprochement, in particular future economic relations with the Jewish state, which the country would need.

The government of Abdallah II is therefore on a ridge line with, on the one hand, the population rejecting all discussion with Israel, and on the other, a multiplication of agreements between the two states.

He will then have to decide in the coming days between these two positions.

►

: When the opposition is repressed in Jordan 

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