Jordan and the future: A strategic assessment

No one knows what US President Donald Trump wants. He is strongly influenced by his son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner. The record of both regarding Palestine and the Palestinians is highly Zionised, to the point where their utterances and actions seem to be directed by the other major world Zionist, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On the other hand, no one knows what Israel ultimately wants as it marches backward against history, logic and international and humanitarian law, and descends into a dark age mentality, based on the barbarity of apartheid.

For Jordan, the situation is highly problematic, even dangerous, necessitating a review and an assessment.  Not for a long time has the situation been so enigmatic and unclear. For instance, no one knows why Europe, the soul and centre of Western civilisation, has chosen to diminish itself to the point of becoming a spectator, barely exerting any influence at a time when its wisdom is most needed and especially taking into consideration the historical fact that it shares much of the blame for the terrible mess that our Middle East region finds itself in right now.

Jordan’s voice of moderation calling on other world centres for help has played a positive role, but no one knows what Russia or China really want, either.

The chaos in the area must be directly credited to the instability and underhanded activities and machinations of the creators of this “Western civilisation” in our midst, Israel, whose bloody fingerprints are visible from Iraq to Libya, Sudan and elsewhere. Sadly, Europe seems to be moving towards a far right, near Nazi mood that, ironically and almost inexplicably, has found a strong ally in Israel’s Netanyahu. The millions of refugees created by this Israeli-western collusion are denied till this day entrance to Europe, an active partner and supporter of Israel, and we in Jordan are left to carry this burden for which we bear no responsibility. Trump recently denied the meager funds his country “donate” to UNRWA , depriving countless children of education and medical care and closed the offices of the Palestinian government in Washington, DC.

Regionally too, we Arabs seem to have no friends. Turkey, our partner in the great Arab Islamic civilisation, is not helping and is reported to wish to annex Idlib, while we have not, yet, forgotten Al Iskandarun. Turkey should be an ally, a friend and a hope for the Arabs.

But then, what does Iran want: Iran, the ancient civilisation and also part of the Islamic culture? Why is Iran in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria?

These are bad times for all of us Arabs; even Ethiopia is participating in the drying up of the Nile River, which constitutes the lifeline of Egypt; the backbone of the Arab world.

But then, we have to look into our Arab world, or what is left of it, to find some answers. What does Saudi Arabia want? What happened to the Gulf Cooperation Council that was to be the engine supporting Arab development, modernity and moderation? How did the economic bounty turn into a weapon against us?

These are troubling questions coming in troubled times when the Arabs seem to have no friends, either internationally or regionally. What can we in Jordan and Palestine do in this seemingly bleak situation?  We should reunite our hopes and efforts. Jordan and Palestine, together, can be a force to be reckoned with.  Each alone is weak, but together we can become the cornerstone for a hopeful future; the time has come to reclaim that union we once had between 1950 and 1967. Only then can we play a pivotal role, not only on the Arab-Israeli front, but regionally and internationally as well.

With Jordanian and Palestinian energy, determination and leadership, we can reintroduce hope for a better regional and world order. Only then will the West, including Israel, listen and only then will the Turks, Iranians and Ethiopians pay attention to what we say. Nature does not allow for a vacuum and as of this moment, that is what we are, a vacuum that will definitely be filled by others.