Israeli Annexation of the Jordan Valley – By Joseph Puder (Front Page Mag) / April 22 2020
Right or wrong move?
Last October marked the 25th anniversary (October 26, 1994) of the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, signed by Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin and King Hussein, witnessed by President Bill Clinton. Since then, Jordan has experienced the death of King Hussein in 1999, and the ascent of King Abdullah II to the throne (his mother was an English-born Christian who converted to Islam). In Israel, Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a religious zealot, and in 1996 Benjamin Netanyahu was elected Prime Minister.
The relationship between Abdullah and Netanyahu have had nothing of the warmth that existed between Hussein and Rabin. The strained relationship deteriorated dramatically when an Israeli guard at the Israeli embassy in Amman shot two Jordanians in what amounted to self-defense in July, 2017. There is however, more to the different set of players occupying power today in Jordan and Israel respectively. Unlike his father, who was a pure Arab, and a direct descendant of the prophet’s family, Abdullah’s mother was English, and his entire demeanor is more British than Arab. As a result, Abdullah feels far more insecure about his throne, and much more sensitive to his Palestinian public, who number at least 70% of Jordan’s population. Hence, he needs to be far more of an advocate for the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria than his father was. Moreover, his wife is Palestinian.
One issue that is causing disagreement in Israel between Benny Gantz and PM Netanyahu in the on-and-off negotiations over the establishment of a unity coalition government between Likud and the Blue and White party, is the annexation of the Jordan Valley and the Jewish settlements therein. Gantz and Ashkenazi want to give Jordan a veto power over the annexation. They are fearful that such a move might endanger the special relationship with the Hashemite Kingdom, and upset the quiet eastern border.
Netanyahu has pledged during the recent election campaigns that his government would annex the Jordan Valley and the Jewish settlement into Israel. On his part, U.S. President Donald Trump, and his “Peace and Prosperity” plan unveiled last January, has endorsed such Israeli annexation. Netanyahu, however, has avoided thus far actions that might endanger Israel’s treaty with Jordan. He has not taken any steps that would trigger unrest in Jordan. Suffice it to say that his narrow Right-of-Center coalition partners want him to move more decisively on annexation.
Abdullah, like his father King Hussein, knows that Jordan’s prosperity and stability requires peace with Israel. Netanyahu too, is cognizant of the fact that the Hashemite Kingdom is an indispensable bulwark against a possible threat to Israel from east of the Jordan River. The collapse of Jordan’s monarchy would allow Israel’s enemies to use its long border with Israel as a base to attack the Jewish state.
Continue to article: https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/04/will-israeli-annexation-jordan-valley-jeopardize-joseph-puder/
