Is Israel's peace agreement with Jordan in jeopardy?

• Published date: 23 September 2024
• Author: Alon Pearl
• Publication title: Globes (Rishon LeZion, Israel)

Despite this, earlier this month, we were given a reminder of how easily this silence can be shattered, when a terrorist arrived at the Allenby Bridge border crossing and murdered three Israelis - employees of the Israel Airports Authority. If that was not bad enough, the terrible attack was celebrated in the streets of the Jordanian capital with candy handed out, mass demonstrations, chants of "death to Israel" and burning Israeli flags

One might have thought that this was a one-off event, but the general election held in the country earlier this month may indicate that the reality in the Hashemite kingdom is more complex and worrying. The Islamic Action Front party has grown significantly stronger, obtaining 31 seats out of 138 seats and becoming the largest party in the parliament. It should be taken into account that Iranian elements are constantly trying to influence the kingdom, and even inside Jordan there is a Palestinian majority that has been radicalizing during the war. Now the question is where all this is going, and above all, can the State of Israel sleep peacefully along its longest border?

Israel-Jordan border

The Israel-Jordan border stretches 309 kilometers from Eilat in the south to Hamat Gader in the north. There are three border crossings: the Allenby crossing to Aqaba just north of Eilat; the Allenby Bridge mainly serving the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria; and the Jordan River Bridge just east of Bet Shean.

Jezreel Valley Academic College head of the Middle East Studies Program Dr. Ido Zelkovitz tells "Globes," "The State of Israel is perhaps making peace with the Arab states but not with the Arab citizens. From the point of view of Jordanian citizens, Israel has never been perceived as a genuine partner or genuine political entity with the right to exist. In practice, large parts of the country still see us as the enemy."

University of Haifa, Department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies lecturer Dr. Iris Fruchter-Ronen adds, "The average Jordanian is no fan of Israel. We have to distinguish between peace and normalization - we have peace with them but no normal relations. There are surveys in which 80% of Jordanians oppose normalization with Israel. And this is indeed what is happening - today there is no cooperation in the fields of academia, and tourism has also declined in recent years. The embassy there is normally like a submarine - the ambassadors come and don't leave, they don't meet with members of parliament and don't mix with people in the street."

There is no doubt that lately the hatred is intensifying both because of the war in the Gaza Strip (the majority of Jordanians are Palestinians), and because of the escalation in Judea and Samaria (the increasing terrorist attacks and IDF activities in the refugee camps) and because of developments on the Temple Mount, with among other things, the frequent visits there by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, which may be perceived by the Jordanians as a change in the status quo.

Apart from the protests, which have become a common sight in the streets, the radicalization can also be seen in the Jordanian establishment media. "In the past year, there have been constant calls from writers not to receive water from Israel and to reduce normalization," notes Dr. Michael Barak, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy and a lecturer at Reichman University. "In December 2023, a survey was published in the local 'Al Ra'I' newspaper, which found that 93% of Jordanians support a boycott of products from Western countries that cooperate with Israel. This is also expressed in the cartoons in which Netanyahu is portrayed as Hitler. There is a lot of poison."

A year of extremism

The best expression of the mindset in Jordan could be seen in the elections held earlier this month. Although the Muslim Brotherhood was disbanded in the past and outlawed in the country, the party that supports its ideology - the Islamic Action Front - is gaining ground in the country. In the previous elections, it won 10 seats in parliament, and now it has tripled its number. "From a...