US not to support Israeli attack on Iran

President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran, according to reports on Sunday by CNN and the Wall Street Journal.

Speaking with Netanyahu late on Saturday, Biden suggested further response was unnecessary. Senior officials told their counterparts that the US would not participate in an offensive response against Iran, CNN and the Wall Street Journal reported

John Kirby, the White House's top national security spokesperson, told ABC's "This Week" program on Sunday that the United States will continue to help Israel defend itself, but does not want war with Iran.

"We don't seek escalated tensions in the region. We don't seek a wider conflict," Kirby said.

On Saturday night Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israeli military and intelligence targets in response to the Zionist regime’s air raid on the consular building of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 01 that killed seven Iranian military advisors.

Hossein Salami, the chief of the IRGC, says the initial assessment is that the operation achieved a level of success that exceeded our expectations. However, he said, Iran is still receiving more information.

“Naturally, people living in occupied lands, Zionist officials and the terrorist and occupying armies of the Zionist regime and the US have a better understanding of the pummeling effects of these attacks at this moment,” Salami stated.

Salami said the US and France provided air cover for Israel in Iraq, Jordan and even parts of Syria, but tens of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles managed to punch through the layers of defensive capabilities.

“We could have launched a much larger attack, but we limited it to the capabilities that the Zionist regime had used to attack the Iranian consulate and martyr our dear commanders.”

Iran has warned Israel against reacting to the drone and missile attacks that targeted occupied territories on Saturday night. In a post on X, Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations said the country's attacks against Israeli positions were legal, adding that it can now see the situation as resolved.

"Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus. The matter can be deemed concluded. However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe," the statement said. 

Further information shows that for the first time in the past six months, the regime has stopped its attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip to deal with the barrage of drones and missiles coming from the Iranian territory.

 

 

Genocide in Gaza by Israel would have not been possible without silence of Muslim rulers

Many analysts, including me, have not been able to comprehend the reasons of silence of Muslim rulers on the genocide going on in Gaza for more than 100 days. Today, I read a post at LinkedIn and sharing it with readers of my blog.

In November 2023 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "I say to the Arab leaders, if you want to preserve your interests, you must do one thing, Remain silent."

They have complied with this demand as if it were a command revealed by Allah (God). Abdullah of Jordan has mobilized his armed forces to protect the border for the IDF, Sisi of Egypt has ensured the Israeli terrorist genocide continues in all its forms including starvation and preventing aid from reaching Gaza. Even Erdogan from Turkey did not want to be left out in serving Netanyahu, he has increased trade with the Zionist entity ensuring they have essential resources such as steel for weaponry and munitions.

It will not be wrong to say that the Muslim rulers have played a pivotal role in this genocide and have worked tirelessly to silence their own populations and have threatened their own armed forces from even thinking of taking action to save the people of Gaza.

It is easy to infer that these rulers are truly loyal servants of Israel and without their help genocide in Gaza would not have been possible.

Israeli President Herzog should confer the most prestigious award, ‘The Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor’ to these rulers.

 

Saudi Crown Prince affirms unwavering support for Palestinian legitimate rights

In a series of diplomatic discussions, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's unwavering support for the Palestinian people's legitimate rights during a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday.

The leaders engaged in a comprehensive dialogue, addressing the military escalation in Gaza and its adjacent areas. They expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation, recognizing the threat it poses to civilian lives and regional security and stability.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman underscored the Kingdom's proactive efforts to collaborate with international and regional stakeholders, aiming to bring a swift end to the ongoing escalation and prevent its further proliferation in the region.

He emphasized the significance of upholding international humanitarian law and refraining from targeting civilians.

Moreover, the Crown Prince reiterated Saudi Arabia's commitment to standing by the Palestinian people in their pursuit of legitimate rights, advocating for a dignified life, the realization of hopes and aspirations, and the achievement of a just and lasting peace.

President Mahmoud Abbas expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Kingdom's leadership, acknowledging its steadfast stance and dedicated efforts in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.

In a separate conversation, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan delved into the escalating situation in Gaza, reiterating concerns about its impact on civilian lives and regional stability.

Additionally, in talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, the leaders concurred on the imperative to intensify both international and regional efforts to halt the escalation in Gaza and its surroundings, emphasizing the need to prevent its expansion in the broader region.

 

Egypt and Jordan affirm full support for Palestinians

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah have affirmed their full support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and urged Israel to fulfill its obligations in accordance with international law and to honor all agreements signed with the Palestinians.

Finding a suitable solution to the Palestinian cause and achieving a just and comprehensive peace is a strategic option and a regional and international requirement, the three leaders said in a joint communiqué after the tripartite summit in the Egyptian city of El Alamein.

The summit was held amid ongoing talk about a possible normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. In their communiqué, Sisi, Abdullah, and Abbas did not make any direct reference to reports about US efforts to broker a deal between Jerusalem and Riyadh. They stressed their “adherence” to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which stipulates that the Arab states would normalize their relations with Israel only after a full Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

In the past, the Palestinian leadership accused the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan of violating the terms of the Arab Peace Initiative by reaching separate normalization agreements with Israel.

Last weekend, Saudi Arabia said it had named its ambassador to Jordan, Nayef al-Sudairi, as Ambassador Extraordinary to the State of Palestine and Consul-General in Jerusalem.

Some Palestinians are convinced that the move is linked to US efforts to broker a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. They view the appointment of the envoy as part of a Saudi attempt to placate the Palestinians ahead of a normalization agreement with Israel.

At Monday’s summit, Sisi, Abdullah, and Abbas lashed out at Israel over its policies and measures against the Palestinians.

In their statement, the three leaders called on Israel to halt military incursions into Palestinian cities in the West Bank, saying it was undermining the ability of the PA government and security forces to carry out their duties.

They urged Israel to release Palestinian tax revenues it had seized because of payments made by the PA to security prisoners and the families of those killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis.

The three leaders condemned “the ongoing and escalating Israeli illegal practices” against the Palestinians and warned that Israel’s actions were “undermining the two-state solution and instigating violence and chaos.”

They called for halting Israeli settlement activities and emphasized the necessity of ending settler “terrorism.”

They also denounced Israel for violating the legal and historical status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites and demanded an end to the “storming” of al-Aqsa Mosque, a reference to visits by Jews to the Temple Mount.

According to the communiqué, Sisi and Abbas emphasized the importance of the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites, including the Haram al-Sharif/Noble Sanctuary (Temple Mount).

Israel, the Palestinians, and several Arab countries recognize Jordan’s role in administering the holy sites.

In recent years, unconfirmed reports in Israeli and Arab media outlets said the Saudis were also seeking a role in administering the Islamic sites in Jerusalem, a move that would end Jordan’s exclusive and historical status in the city.

 

UN agency for Palestine refugees on verge of financial collapse

The United Nations has appealed for sustainable funding for its agency that supports Palestine refugees, UNRWA, which is on the brink of financial collapse.

Chronic underfunding over the past decade, and resultant severe austerity measures, mean UNRWA is already operating with a US$75 million shortfall, putting its lifesaving programs across the Middle East at risk.

“As I address you today, I do not have the funds to keep our schools, health centers and other services running as of September,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told a pledging conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

UNRWA was established in 1949 as a temporary agency to provide aid to Palestinians following mass displacement from land that became Israel, making it one of the first UN humanitarian operations.

Today, nearly six million people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, depend on its services, which are almost entirely funded by voluntary contributions. Nearly a third of registered Palestine refugees live in camps.

UNRWA is seeking US$1.6 billion for its operations this year. Lazzararini said an additional US$75 million is urgently needed to provide food for over a million people in Gaza. Another US$30 million is required to maintain cash and food assistance to 600,000 people in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the international community to ensure the agency is fully funded.

Despite its essential role, “we allow UNRWA to remain trapped in financial limbo,” he said in remarks delivered by his Chef de Cabinet, Courtenay Rattray.

The UN chief was also deeply concerned that some of the largest and most reliable donors have indicated that they might be reducing their support.

“Let’s be clear: UNRWA is on the verge of financial collapse. The consequences of further budget cuts would be catastrophic,” he warned.

More than a half a million young Palestinians are enrolled in UNRWA schools, two of whom made impassioned pleas at the pledging conference.

Ahmad Abu Daqqa attends a boys’ school in the Gaza Strip, where a blockade has been in place for more than 15 years.

“We, the students of the Gaza Strip, seek hope amidst despair,” he said, conveying a message from his peers.

“We only find it in education and learning, despite the numerous difficulties and obstacles we face, like living in a conflict and war zone.”

UNRWA students are proud of their education, heritage and culture, added Leen Sharqawi, 15, who attends a girls’ school in Jordan. They also have big dreams.

“We are not just Palestine refugees,” she said. “We are children who dream of becoming global citizens and who want to help the world become a better place. Good education is what will allow us to do this.” 

History of Israel-Arab Normalization

Israel currently has official diplomatic ties with five Arab countries namely Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Egypt was the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979, in return for an Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula it occupied in 1967.

Jordan followed in 1994, a year after Israel and the PLO recognized each other via the Oslo Accords. Progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace enabled Israel to establish ties with other Arab states, but these were cut after the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000.

In 2020, following a gradual process, the Abraham Accords were signed, leading the UAE and Bahrain to normalize ties with Israel, with Sudan indicating it would follow suit when domestic conditions allow.

Also in 2020, Morocco re-established the official ties it had with Israel in the 1990s.

In 2022, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, and the United States established the Negev Forum to advance multilateral cooperation.

Israel for decades had unofficial and secret relations with most Arab states. Israel-Arab relations traditionally have a strong security dimension, but also increasingly include civilian, economic, and political cooperation.

In 2002, the Arab League adopted the API, which promised Israel normal relations with the entire Arab world in return for peace with the Palestinians.

The API did not generate progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is seeking to update the API and possibly have it become a key part of a package of incentives for peace.

Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the need to move forward with the Palestinians as a condition for progress with Arab countries. While he seeks to advance ties with Arab states to bypass the Palestinian issue, others in Israel and the international community seek to leverage normalization to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Arab foreign ministers affirm priority of resolving Syrian crisis

The Arab foreign ministers affirmed on Monday the priority of resolving Syria's crisis through a political settlement that would safeguard its sovereignty and meet the people's aspirations.

During the meeting held in Amman with the participation of the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt, they called for creating proper conditions for safe and voluntary return of the Syrian refugees to their homeland.

Additionally, they called to rid Syria of terrorism, withdrawing all illegitimate foreign forces from the country and achieving national conciliation.

The foreign ministers also exchanged views on the efforts exerted to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, which would contribute to ending all its repercussions and preserving its unity, security, stability, and Arab identity.

This is in addition to returning it to its Arab surroundings, in a way that achieves prosperity for the Syrian people.

At the end of the meeting, they confirmed that there will be more meetings at this level in the future to work on attaining the objectives outlined in the Security Council Resolution 2254.

It is noteworthy that the meeting held in Amman comes as a follow-up to a gathering that comprised foreign ministers of the GCC states with their peers from Jordan, Iraq and Egypt on Syria, which was held in Saudi Arabia on April 14, 2023.

Jordan to host talks on Syria’s return to Arab League

Jordan will host a meeting of Arab foreign ministers and Syria's top diplomat on Monday to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League as part of a broader political settlement of Syria's more than decade-old conflict, officials said.

The meeting, to be attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad and his counterparts from Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, would discuss a Jordanian plan to achieve a political settlement of the conflict, Jordanian government officials said.

The meeting comes two weeks after talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, failed to reach agreement on Syria's possible return to the Arab fold.

It is the first such meeting with a top Syrian official by a group of Arab states - most of whom endorsed the move to suspend Syria's membership of the League in 2011 after a crackdown on protesters denouncing President Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian rule escalated into a devastating civil war.

Arab states and those most affected by the conflict are trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh, to discuss the pace of normalizing ties with Assad and on what terms Syria could be allowed back.

Officials said the Jordanian initiative calls on Damascus to engage with Arab governments collectively on a step-by-step road map to end the conflict.

It would include tackling the issue of refugees, the fate of thousands of missing detainees, drug smuggling between Syria and the Gulf through Jordan and the presence of Iranian militias in Syria.

Regional superpower Saudi Arabia has resisted normalizing relations with Assad but said after its rapprochement with Iran - Syria's key regional ally - a new approach was needed with Damascus, which is under Western sanctions.

At the Jeddah meeting there was resistance to the move to invite Assad to the Arab League summit, with Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait saying it was premature before Damascus accepts to negotiate a peace plan.

Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, met on Sunday with visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, officials said.

Washington does not wish to change its policy towards the Syrian government which it terms a ‘rogue’ state, has urged Arab states that have shifted their stance to get something in return for engaging with Assad once again.

UAE and Jordan considering reducing diplomacy with Israel

The Jordanian parliament voted on Wednesday to demand that the government expel Israel's ambassador, according to Jordanian newspaper Al-Dustur.

The vote came after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, "There is no such thing as a Palestinian people" in Paris at a podium that showed a map of Israel whose borders extended into Jordan.

Saudi reports on Monday also claimed that The United Arab Emirates is considering reducing its level of diplomatic representation in Israel.

According to the report, the Emirati Foreign Ministry ordered Emirati Ambassador to Israel Mohammed Al Khaja not to meet with any Israeli government officials.

Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the senior advisor to the President of the UAE, is currently visiting Israel, according to Walla News.

Miri Regev, Israel's transportation minister Miri Regev wrote an update on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, saying that she spoke with her friend, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Al-Khaja. He also understood what the media was trying to do - take things out of context. The attempt [to create] conflict between countries became an invitation for another visit."

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied allegations by Channel 12 that Israel is experiencing a crisis in its relations with the UAE after the country announced that it plans to stop a purchase of Israeli-made defense systems in protest of Netanyahu's government, The Jerusalem Post reported earlier this month.

“Until we can be sure that Prime Minister Netanyahu has a government he can control, we will not be able to jointly operate,” Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed had reportedly told Israeli officials.

Last month, the UAE was among numerous countries that condemned a comment by Smotrich that the West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara needs to be wiped out, calling the comment racist.

Smotrich had later claimed that his comment had not been sincere and had apologized for it.

Wilson Center Launches Entrepreneurship Network in Jordan

On Monday, the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program, in partnership with the US Embassy in Amman, launched the Riyada Entrepreneurship Network at the “Entrepreneurship in MENA: The Path Forward” workshop, hosted at Flat6Labs.

In November 2021, the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program launched Riyada, a podcast about entrepreneurship and innovation in the Middle East and North Africa region with funding from the US Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

Today’s workshop celebrates the commitment of emerging as well as established entrepreneurs, especially those who have been part of the podcast, to building a vibrant startup ecosystem, which will provide local disruptors and key stakeholders with a platform to exchange ideas for how we can, together, support inclusive and diverse economic growth.

Featuring 50 interviews of new and seasoned entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, educators, and several stakeholders from across the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, the Riyada podcast sought to highlight stories from the field to better understand the challenges and opportunities in MENA’s entrepreneurship landscape, which according to tech investor WAMDA, has “attracted a record-breaking US$3.94 billion in funding in 2022, with the heaviest deal concentration in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.” 

Riyada hosted guests from various countries in MENA including Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Tunisia and Lebanon, as well as diaspora communities in Germany and the United States.

“The United States and the American people are proud of our soft power contributions, to include assistance, cultural exchanges, trade and particularly the encouragement of entrepreneurs, the motor of all development, as we are of our contributions to mutual security here in Jordan and throughout the region,” noted Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, Chair of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program. “We are grateful to the US Embassy in Amman for supporting this Wilson Center initiative,” he added.

The Riyada podcast garnered thousands of listeners from the region, North America, and Europe and included two Jordanian co-hosts along with MEP Director Merissa Khurma, Rajaei Sahouri of the Straight Up Start Up, and Imad Shawa of Howdy Arabia.

“The conversations I had with our guests on Riyada were illuminating, inspiring but also sometimes equally frustrating given the barriers that still exist in many MENA countries; especially amongst women and marginalized communities,” noted Khurma.

She added, “The data we collected from these conversations not only in identifying the barriers to entry and to scale but also regarding possible solutions to address these problems, has deepened our knowledge of the nuances of MENA’s entrepreneurship journey.”

“Co-hosting Riyada with Merissa has been a learning experience and a chance to meet incredible leaders and dive deep into their worlds and sectors. An entrepreneur’s dream! The entire team at the Wilson Center made the process seamless and encouraged the guests to be candid, which made for some deeply insightful conversations,” noted Shawa.

Stefanie Altman-Winans, US Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, shared her appreciation of the Wilson Center’s efforts, and those of the entrepreneurs joining the event, “Today’s event is the culmination of the wonderful efforts of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, and of course the many contributors and stakeholders from the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Thank you for your continued commitment to inspire the next generation of innovators, disrupters, and game changers. It is because of your collective courage, creativity, resilience, and commitment to build, that the road less traveled is now a road often taken.”

US denies Syria-Lebanon-Israel gas deal

The official Twitter account of the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs denied a claim that there was a secret deal that would see Israel supply gas to Lebanon.

This raises many questions because the media had not reported that the US had brokered a deal between Israel and Lebanon; reports had merely indicated that Israel could supply gas to Jordan and that gas would find its way onward, perhaps to Syria or Lebanon in some complex arrangement.  

The overall perception is that the deal may not take place; in fact it is not clear if the deal is real. The deal involves too many ifs and buts. The gas might have been for Jordan, a country that does not have large energy supplies, and supply to Syria and then to Lebanon may be loud thinking. Experts believe that the gas line would take years to be repaired from Syria to Lebanon; other reports said an energy swap might be involved.  

Who would come up with a complex deal involving moving gas from Israel to Egypt, Jordan and Syria by pipeline? The whole concept was only to stop Lebanon from taking Iranian energy products. 

Lebanon is in the middle of a financial and energy crisis. This is caused partly by Hezbollah’s stranglehold on the government and the fact that wealthy Lebanese keep their money abroad and don’t pay taxes. Like many countries, Lebanon has plenty of wealth but wants other countries to foot the bill so its elites can enjoy restaurants in Paris and sports cars.

Lebanon probably has more fancy villas, sports cars, servants and maids for its middle and upper class than Israel does, but the country is “poor” because too much of the money has been siphoned off and sent abroad. This is a traditional model of governance where money is taken abroad and then Lebanese demand that the US and others pay for everything. 

Meanwhile, American taxpayers who can’t afford the sports cars and servants that are common in Beirut have to pay for Lebanon’s army because the billionaires and millionaires who run Lebanon’s sectarian feudal political system are too busy partying with supermodels and owning yachts.

This isn’t conjecture, a Lebanese political leader, who doesn’t seem to pay any taxes in Lebanon, gave US$16 million to a model, according to The New York Times. But Americans, Israelis, Jordanians and other people who work for a living and see their earnings evaporate due to inflation are being asked to “save” Lebanon from Iran so that its upper class can continue the good life. Is this really a realistic plan? 

At the end of the day, the idea of bailing out Lebanon’s elites to keep Iranian gas off the streets of Beirut may not come to pass because of its complexity, not because people in the US or Israel or other countries might think the idea boorish and crass. Washington has slapped sanctions on Damascus, but media reports asserted that the Syrian regime might benefit from the gas deal by positioning itself to supply Lebanon’s energy needs.

The Assad regime, which floods the region with narcotics, hosts Hezbollah and is an ally of Iran, was supposed to be a conduit for the energy needs of Lebanon, to supposedly counter the Islamic Republic. This is like the proverbial “robbing Peter to pay Paul” where you work with one Iranian ally to supposedly counter another. If the Syrian regime and Hezbollah benefit, why was the United States, Israel and Jordan or Egypt supposed to be involved in the deal?

The US denial of the reports indicates these were leaked to scuttle the deal in the first place. Lebanon’s ruling elite officially dislike Israel and they are held hostage by Hezbollah, which threatens anyone who has any contact with the Jewish state. Lebanese law even makes it illegal to send an email to or converse with Israelis.

If Beirut hasn’t been able to sort out a maritime dispute with Jerusalem, how can media reports indicate that Israeli gas might somehow benefit its northern neighbor? Such a concept seems far-fetched. And even if it was floated as some kind of energy swap – where gas flows to one country and that country swaps it for other gas from a third country and this goes to Lebanon – the whole idea would require more regional stability than currently exists.

Smugglers from Syria gunned down a Jordanian soldier and wounded other Jordanians over the weekend. The idea that Amman will agree to work with a Syrian regime that is empowering drug smugglers may not be a reality.

While it is true that Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf States and Russia want a more stable Syrian regime – and it’s also true that Israel has interests in not having Lebanon become more poor and chaotic – the ability to get all these interests aligned seems difficult. If the US could pull it off, it would be an accomplishment of the Biden administration.

The question is whether the deal would actually reduce Iran’s role in Lebanon, or simply give Tehran breathing space to spend resources on Hezbollah’s arsenal, rather than see Iran trying to sort out Lebanon’s gas and electric mess. Perhaps Iran will benefit either way.  

Israel trying to buy out loyalty of Jordan

Israeli Channel 12 reported that Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has secretly met with King Abdullah of Jordan as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett embarked for New York where he was expected to meet with Bahraini and UAE ministers and speak at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). 

Bennett and President Isaac Herzog have also met with King Abdullah, in what is seen as a series of overtures to repair Israel's relationship with the Hashemite Kingdom that had become strained under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure.

Lapid and King Abdullah discussed the tensions in Jerusalem, including around the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif. The two men also spoke of ways to improve ties between Israel and Jordan, acceding to Channel 12.

It added that the Biden administration received a report of the visit.

Bennett's government has also signed a major water deal with the Hashemite Kingdom that almost doubled the amount of water Israel sends to Jordan. It also agreed to allow Jordan to increase its exports to Palestinian areas of the West Bank.

Israel's longest border is with Jordan and the stability of it is vital for Israel's security. 

Israeli President meets King Abdullah of Jordan

Reportedly, Israeli President, Isaac Herzog has met King Abdullah at his palace in Amman. The Herzog-Abdullah meeting took place on the sidelines of a trilateral meeting held in Cairo on Thursday between the Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority. 

At present, Israel is trying to mend its frayed relationship with the Hashemite Kingdom.

“Jordan is a very important country. I have immense respect for King Abdullah, a great leader, and a highly significant regional actor,” Herzog said on Saturday after he revealed details of the visit.

It comes amid a slate of high-level meetings about the frozen peace process as well as regional and bilateral relations between Israel and its neighbors.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also met with Abdullah in July. Bennett has not spoken publicly about his Jordan trip, but Abdullah has made comments twice that appeared to reference it.

Both Abdullah and Bennett visited United States to meet President Joe Biden in Washington this summer. The Jordanian monarch also had an audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Herzog noted that Abdullah had “recently met extremely important leaders, including President Biden, President Putin, President al-Sisi, and Mahmoud Abbas.

“In our meeting, among the things we discussed were the core issues in the dialogue between our states,” Herzog said.

Israeli-Jordan relationship had been in crisis during the latter part of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure.

Bennett had immediately sought to make overtures to Jordan, with a major water and trade deal.

Herzog said that he spoke with Abdullah about additional steps that could assist Jordan. This included an “agreement to import agricultural produce during the shmita (agricultural sabbatical) year, energy issues, sustainability, and solutions to the climate crisis that we can advance together,” Herzog said.

In discussing the visit, Herzog also spoke of the importance of Israel’s expanding relations in the region.

He referenced the Abraham Accords by which Israel normalized ties with four Arab countries last year: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

“There is a sense in the region of a desire to make progress, a desire to speak. We are currently marking one year since the signing of the Abraham Accords,” Herzog said.

“These accords created an important regional infrastructure. They are highly important agreements, which are transforming our region and the dialogue within it,” explained Herzog.

“I was happy to inaugurate the United Arab Emirates’ embassy in Tel Aviv at the start of my term, and I intend to speak with and meet other heads of state in the region.

“I speak with many leaders from all around the world, almost every day, in full coordination with the Government of Israel. I think that it is very important for the State of Israel’s strategic and diplomatic interests to engage everyone in dialogue,” Herzog said.

His office added that the king had invited Herzog to visit and that the two men had discussed bilateral and regional strategic issues.

The visit was coordinated between Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

It comes in advance of an anticipated meeting between Bennett and Egyptian leaders, although no date has been set for the trip.

Bennett, however, has dismissed the possibility of meeting with Abbas or even speaking with him on the phone. The peace process between Israelis and Palestinians has been frozen since 2014 and conversations between Netanyahu and Abbas were rare.

In an unusual move, Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with Abbas last week to discuss security matters and economic gestures.

Herzog spoke with Abbas after taking office. He told Channel 13 that he thought it was correct to speak with the Palestinians, particularly on the matter of security.

The absence of talks with the Palestinians will not contribute to Israel’s security, Herzog said.

Overall, he told Channel 13, when it comes to dialogue between Israel and Arab leaders there is a window of goodwill that Israel should make use of wisely.

Is Bennett being trapped by non-state actors?

On last Sunday it appeared that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had just erased a 54-year policy banning Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. Had Bennett actually made such a policy change, it likely would have started a religious war between Jews and Muslims, due to vehement opposition to Jewish prayer at the site. 

Domestically it would have collapsed his coalition and set Israel hurtling back into another election cycle.

It’s a move that could have severed Israel’s ties with its neighbor Jordan and complicated relations between Amman and Washington on the eve of US President Joe Biden’s first meeting there with King Abdullah the next day, particularly given that the Hashemite Kingdom has a special custodial relationship to the Temple Mount.

At issue was a line in a tweet sent out by the Prime Minister’s Office in the aftermath of clashes at the Temple Mount, also known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif.

Initially it looked like a simple message, letting the public know that Bennett had spoken “with Public Security Minister Bar Lev and Israel Police Insp.-Gen. Shabtai and thanked them for managing the events on the Temple Mount with responsibility and consideration.”

This could have been termed the most innocuous statement in the world, the Prime Minister’s Office added that this was done “while maintaining freedom of worship for Jews on the Mount.”

The Prime Minister’s Office continued the Twitter thread, stating that Bennett had emphasized that “freedom of worship on the Temple Mount will be fully preserved for Muslims as well, who will soon be marking the fast of the Day of Arafah and the Eid al-Adha.”

Not exactly the type of notice one issues when setting a policy change. Except that a policy – known as the status quo – worked out in the aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967 between Israel and the Wakf Islamic religious trust allows members of all faiths to visit the site, while banning anyone but Muslims from praying there. Jews in particular are expected to pray at the nearby Western Wall.

Bennett backtracked, with his spokesman Matan Sidi clarifying that there was no change to the status quo. Sidi’s words appeared to extinguish potential sparks, but the timing could not have been worse.

Palestinian-Jordanian crisis erupts ahead of Biden-Abdullah meeting

A senior Palestinian official has triggered a crisis between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Jordan after stating that the Palestinians alone had thwarted former US President Donald Trump’s plan for Mideast peace. 

The Jordanians say that they also played a major role in derailing the Trump plan as they feared the plan was aimed at turning their country into an alternative homeland for the Palestinians.

The PA dismissed the Trump plan, which was unveiled in January 2020, as a conspiracy aiming to liquidate the Palestinian issue and Palestinian rights. The Arab League, including Jordan, also rejected the plan, saying it would not lead to peace or meet the minimum rights and aspirations of the Palestinians.

The crisis emerged on the eve of a meeting in Washington between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and US President Joe Biden.

It also comes two weeks after PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Abdullah agreed during a meeting in Amman to coordinate positions “on the interest of the Arab nation and its common cause, primarily the Palestinian cause,” according to the PA’s official news agency WAFA.

During the meeting, Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s support for the Palestinians “in achieving their just and legitimate rights and establishing their independent, sovereign and viable state on the June 4, 1967, lines, with east Jerusalem as its capital,” Jordan’s official Petra news agency reported.

The crisis erupted during a recent meeting of the Arab Parliament, the legislative body of the Arab League. A video of the rare public, heated discussion appeared over the weekend on various social media platforms, drawing sharp criticism from Palestinians and Jordanians alike.

The Palestinian official, Azzam al-Ahmed, a veteran member of the Fatah Central Committee, said in a speech before the parliament that the Palestinians alone had foiled Trump’s “Deal of the Century.”

“We are the ones who clashed with America,” he said.

Ahmed’s speech was interrupted by Jordanian parliament member Khalil Atiyyeh, who said, “Azzam, you were not alone in the field. Until now, we [Jordanians] are paying the price for our position over the ‘Deal of the Century’ and support for the Palestinians.

“There are conspiracies being concocted against Jordan and the king,” he said. “The Jordanian people are being starved because of their opposition to the plan.”

The head of the “Palestine Committee” in the Jordanian Parliament, Mohammed al-Zahrawi, expressed his appreciation for the position of Attiyeh and denounced the Palestinian official’s “failure to address Jordan’s firm position under the king’s leadership in defending the Palestinian cause and the rights of the Palestinian people.”

Zahrawi accused the Palestinian official of ignoring Jordan’s role in supporting the Palestinian issue. “Jordan confronted the ‘Deal of the Century’ and all schemes, and was subjected to pressure as a result of its firm stances, which Azzam al-Ahmed deliberately did not address in his speech,” he said.

Several Palestinians criticized Ahmed both for his speech and his participation in the Arab Parliament gathering.

In 2018, Abbas dissolved the Palestinian parliament, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), which has been paralyzed since 2007 when Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip. In 2006, Ahmed was elected as a member of the PLC representing the area of Jenin as a Fatah candidate.

“Is Azzam al-Ahmed still a member of the parliament?” asked Palestinian journalist Naela Khalil. “Didn’t the president dissolve the Palestinian Legislative Council?”

Another Palestinian journalist, Muath Hamed, commented on Ahmed’s speech in a post on Facebook by reminding him that he was not speaking on Palestine TV. “You are talking in front of Arab parliamentarians, not Palestine TV,” Hamed wrote. “This means that there are microphones and the attendees can reply to you on the spot.”

Some Jordanian social media users accused the Palestinians of being “ungrateful” and praised the Jordanian parliamentarian for “silencing” his Palestinian colleague.

Jordanian Professor Faiz Zoubi commented on Twitter, “Thank you Khalil Attiyeh for your firm stance in the face of Azzam al-Ahmed. The Jordanian people and their leadership have been looking after the Palestinian cause for 70 years. The king is now in the US for the sake of the Palestinian cause, and where are you [Ahmed]?”

The Trump peace plan, officially titled “Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinians and Israeli People,” was authored by Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

Why Biden-Abdullah meeting termed eminent?

King Abdullah of Jordan is scheduled to meet President Joe Biden at the White House on 19th July 2021. He becomes the first Arab leader to be welcomed by the US president since he took office in January this year.

The official visit marks a crucial reset to US-Jordanian ties, which had suffered under President Donald Trump. The last time King Abdullah visited the White House was in June 2018.

Announcing the visit Jordan’s Royal Court said it will “cover strategic ties between Jordan and the United States and means of bolstering them across several sectors, as well as the latest regional developments.”

On 7th July, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the visit will “highlight the enduring and strategic partnership between the United States and Jordan, a key security partner and ally of the United States. It will be an opportunity to discuss the many challenges facing the Middle East, and showcase Jordan’s leadership role in promoting peace and stability in the region.”

She added that President Biden looks forward to working with the king “to strengthen bilateral cooperation on multiple political, security, and economic issues, including the promotion of economic opportunities that will be vital for a bright future in Jordan.”

For King Abdullah it is vital that he renews US support for his role as guardian and custodian of Muslim holy places in East Jerusalem — an issue that had come under threat during the last months of Trump’s presidency.

In a bid to woo Saudi Arabia into concluding a separate peace deal with Israel, Western media reports suggested that Netanyahu and Kushner might have been ready to offer Riyadh custodianship of Al-Aqsa Mosque, replacing King Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly supported Jordan’s special role at the holy mosque. One thing is clear that President Biden supports the new détente between Israel and Jordan as exemplified by the recently unannounced visit by Bennett to Amman and the ensuing agreement to supply water-parched Jordan with an additional 50 million cubic meters of Israeli water.

In recent years Jordan had become increasingly dependent — to the anger of many Jordanians — on Israeli natural gas and water. Israel also agreed to allow Amman to increase its exports to the West Bank to US$700 million annually, from US$160 million.

Before he left Amman the king met with the Palestinian President, who, according to sources, authorized him to take any steps needed to convince the US administration to revive the peace process. Both Amman and Ramallah lost a lot of political sway during and after the recent Israel-Gaza war, when Hamas emerged as a key player in Palestinian politics at the expense of the Palestinian Authority.

Jordan has no formal ties with Hamas, while Abbas failed to reconcile with the movement, which controls Gaza. Following the death of a Palestinian activist, while in the PA’s custody in late June, protests broke out in the West Bank calling for Abbas’ ouster. The Palestinian leader, whose term as President ended almost a decade ago, has never been more unpopular among his own people. His own Fatah movement has splintered as he postponed legislative and presidential elections earlier this year.

For King Abdullah there are other issues that he would like to discuss with the Biden administration as well. Jordan’s economy is suffering with record unemployment and poverty rates and a soaring public debt. Public pressure is mounting on the government to provide socio-economic solutions — a key factor in a sedition plot involving the king’s half-brother and a former aide aimed at destabilizing the kingdom, which the Biden administration helped expose last March.

Behind closed doors the king, who is accompanied on the trip by Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein, will probably ask President Biden to find ways to exempt the kingdom from penalties under the Caesar Act regarding trading with Syria, Jordan’s northern neighbor. The war-torn country is in bad need of basic goods and materials that Jordan can provide, especially to southern Syria. The White House will almost certainly put pressure on the king to speed up the process of adopting genuine political and economic reforms while improving the kingdom’s human rights and freedom of speech records.

But from a strategic angle, the two countries are boosting their military and intelligence cooperation. Earlier this month the US announced that it was redeploying military assets and personnel from Afghanistan and Qatar to Jordanian bases. This comes after the two countries signed a controversial defense agreement last January that was not ratified by the Jordanian parliament.

As the two countries mark more than 70 years of bilateral ties, there is no doubt that the King, who will also meet senior administration officials; Congress leadership; members of the Senate Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Appropriations committees; and members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will return to Amman feeling much better about the future of this strategic relationship. The question is how will this relationship shape the future of Jordan in a fast changing region?   

Jordan joins Egypt for handling Iraqi oil

On 27^th June 2021, King Abdullah II of Jordan met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Baghdad. All three announced an agreement to cooperate on transporting Iraqi oil through pipelines from Iraq to Jordan to Egypt, from where it will be exported to Europe through the Mediterranean.

This agreement is King Abdullah’s “coming out of the closest” with Iran. It is now official: Jordan is allied with Iran because Iraq is actually under Iran’s control. Exporting Iraqi oil through Jordan to Europe is simply exporting oil controlled by Iran, which rules Iraq through its Shi’ite militias and controls the country’s resources.

One day after this happened, Jordanian state media began promoting full financial cooperation with Iran. This is as shocking to the Jordanian public as it was to the Egyptian public 40 years ago when then-president Anwar Sadat announced peace with Israel.

King Abdullah’s adviser, Zaid Nabulsi, a member of the newly appointed “king’s Advisory Board,” told the media, “Iranian religious tourism will breathe life back into Jordan.” Government-controlled media sites began speaking about one million expected religious tourists. Those are meant to visit the southern village of Kerak, 120 km south of Amman, to visit the shrine of Jaffar Ibn Abu Taleb. In addition to that, the Jordanian and Arab press began speaking of an Iranian proposal to build an airport in Kerak.

Jaffar Ibn Abu Taleb was the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin who died fighting against the Byzantine Empire in Kerak. His shrine is considered most holy to the Shi’ite faith. Nonetheless, the Sunni faith generally bans visiting graves for worship and considers it an act of infidelity toward God, hence the shrine is mostly closed. Nonetheless, the king himself went for a visit to promote and help legitimize these future visits

It went further, with a monarchy-supported campaign to even promote the Shi’ite faith itself. This is what Iran did in both Syria and Iraq. This is exactly how it all began.

A Jordanian journalist known for his close ties to the Hashemite monarch, Mouafaq Mahadeen, appeared on TV two nights after the king’s visit and said “80% of Lebanon’s Shi’ites are originally from Kerak.” Jordanian media sites repeated that Iran was considering building an airport in Kerak. Old news stories resurfaced of Iran allegedly promising to supply the kingdom with free oil for 30 years

On July 3, Jordanian TV broadcast a show in which the speakers claimed it was not at all dangerous to welcome the Iranians into Jordan as tourists. This was in response to mutual threats and warnings issued by the leaders of the Palestinian majority of the country as well as the Bedouin native minority. Both issued messages to the king on 1st July 2021 warning him against bringing Iran into Jordan. In a normal situation, both sides would not dare criticize the king, let alone send him a warning.

The king of Jordan believes that opening the door to the Shi’ites will save his country from various crises facing the country. But analysts say this will be a double-edged sword, and it will not take long for Jordan to sink into darkness just like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen have. Israel fears of opening another front, sending drones, or even digging tunnels in the areas bordering Jordan, which will be under the control of the Shi’ites.

Turmoil in Jordan or coup sponsored by Israel

Former Mossad agent Roi Shpushnik was allegedly involved in the attempted coup in Jordan, according to reports in Jordan reported by Maariv, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication. According to the reports, the former Israeli agent offered Prince Hamza a plane to escape from the kingdom.

Earlier on Sunday, Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said that Prince Hamza had liaised with foreign parties over a plot to destabilize the country.   

On Saturday the military said it had issued a warning to the prince over actions targeting "security and stability" in the key US ally. Prince Hamza later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were also detained.

"The investigations had monitored interferences and communications with foreign parties over the right timing to destabilize Jordan," Safadi said.

These included a Mossad agent contacting Prince Hamza's wife to organize a plane for the couple to leave Jordan, he said.

Many Jordanians were still grappling for answers in the aftermath of reports that Jordanian security forces foiled an attempt by Hamzah and some of his associates to topple the regime of King Abdullah.

People around Hamzah communicated with entities calling themselves “external opposition,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Sunday. He did not provide details about the “external opposition.”

Sixteen Jordanians have been detained in connection with the case, including Bassem Awadallah, a former head of the royal court, and Sharif bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, Safadi said. He accused the detainees of planning to “undermine the security” of Jordan.

Safadi accused Hamzah of sending out a video message on Saturday night as part of an attempt to “distort the facts and gain local and foreign sympathy.”

Abdullah received phone calls on Sunday from the kings of Morocco and Bahrain and the emirs of Qatar and Kuwait, who expressed their countries’ “full solidarity” with Jordan.

The leaders also voiced support for all measures and decisions taken by Abdullah to safeguard Jordan’s security and stability, the Jordanian news agency Petra reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council also voiced full support for Abdullah in maintaining security and stability in Jordan.

Biden administration considers West Bank occupied territory, says Ned Price

Biden administration clarified that it considers the West Bank to be occupied territory, but ducked a question as to whether it held that settlements were illegal. "It is a historical fact that Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights in the 1967 War," US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington on Wednesday.

The issue was raised after the Biden administration published on Tuesday the 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. It is the first of the annual reports released since US President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. The report affirmed steps taken by the previous Trump administration, which had both recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

It also kept in place a description change made to the report by former US president Donald Trump, in which he replaced the phrase "Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories" with "Israel, West Bank and Gaza."

But within the report, the Biden administration reintroduced the word "occupied" to describe Israel's seizure of territory during the 1967 Six Day War. 

When questioned by a reporter as to whether the US considered that Israel occupied the West Bank, Price affirmed that it did.

"In fact, the 2020 Human Rights Report does use the term 'occupation' in the context of the current status of the West Bank," Price said. "This has been the longstanding position of previous administrations of both parties over the course of many decades."

Israel has long argued that the West Bank does not meet the standard of occupied territory, because it captured the area from Jordan, whose sovereignty there from 1948-1967 was not recognized legally and which itself was considered to be occupying it.

Prior to the 1948 War of Independence, the territory was held by Great Britain; prior World War I, it was part of the Ottoman Empire.

The Trump administration believed that Israel had historic and religious rights to portions of that territory and did not refer to it as occupied. Its top officials agreed with the Israeli Right, that the proper term was Judea and Samaria and not the West Bank, terminology linked to the time when the territory was under Jordanian rule.

Trump also changed US policy toward Israeli West Bank settlements. It rejected a 1978 memo by then US State Department legal advisor Herbert J. Hansell declaring that the settlements were illegal, declaring instead that they were not inconsistent with Israeli law.

The United Nations holds that Israel's settlements are illegal and that the West Bank is occupied Palestinian territory.

The Biden administration has yet to clarify its stance on the settlements, even though it is presumed to support a two-state solution at the pre-1967 lines.

At Wednesday's press conference, a reporter asked Price, "Does the US consider, for example, Israeli settlements in the occupied territories to be illegal as a result of this stance?"

Price responded that the US position had not changed, but he clarified that stance in his own way.

"We – as you have heard me say before – we continue to encourage all sides to avoid actions – both sides, I should say – to avoid actions that would put the two-state solution further out of reach. 

"Again, our ultimate goal here is to facilitate – to help bring about – a two-state solution because it is the best path to preserve Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state while bestowing on the Palestinians their legitimate aspirations of sovereignty and dignity in a state of their own," he said.

These lines are often his and other Biden official's standard response to many questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

No alternative to two state solution, says King Abdullah of Jordan

Speaking at the Brookings institute webinar, King Abdullah of Jordan said, “It is time to turn toward conflict resolution not management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” He urged upon all parties to “focus on the end goal instead of losing ourselves in the process.”

“We owe this to our world” adding “Let us learn from past mistakes and take the higher path of peace.”

He noted that he spoke 19 years ago during the institution’s inaugural event about the need to solve the conflict, which he called the core issue in the Middle East. “You can only imagine the frustration of the people still living in the midst of this protracted conflict, unable to move forward,” the king said.

“Occupation and peace simply cannot coexist,” he continued. “The Palestinian people have a right to an independent, viable and sovereign state on the June 4, 1967, lines, to live alongside Israel in peace and security.”

He declared that there is no alternative to the two-state solution, “and continued unilateral steps will only kill the prospects of peace.”

“Occupation, injustice, despair, apartheid – history has shown us there are no winners in this formula, only losers and tragedy,” King Abdullah said.

“There is an opportunity to build on recent positive developments, and we need to restore hope in the viability of peace and bring our youth closer to a future that for so long has been tantalizingly out of reach – and United States leadership here is essential.”

Jordan, he said, will always be ready to play its part in any effort to re-launch peace negotiations.

He also addressed the regional challenges of COVID-19, saying, “The pandemic has taken away from our focus on fighting terrorism and extremism. Although the battle may be won, the war is not yet over. Rising inequalities and emerging crises caused by the pandemic will fuel the recruitment efforts of ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and al- Qaeda.”