No real reason to celebrate

Neither Jordan nor Israel marked the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty that they signed 20 years ago with much fanfare, and for a good reason: The accord that promised good and warm relationships between the two sides never achieved its basic goals, over the time leaving the treaty hanging by a thread.

The failure of the peace treaty to filter down to the level of the two peoples is perhaps its biggest drawback.

Jordanians never felt the “peace” that was promised to them by the 1994 treaty as they continued to be treated by Israel like enemies rather than friends.

Witness the difficulties experienced by Jordanians wishing to travel to the West Bank, especially to East Jerusalem.

Jordanians’ property rights have yet to be recognised in Israel where many are still treated as absentee owners whose properties are effectively confiscated.

The overall treatment of the Palestinians by Israel has put a big strain on Jordanian-Israeli relations.

Unremitting Israeli settlement plans on occupied Palestinian lands have convinced Jordanians, and the world at large, that Israel has no peaceful intentions vis-à-vis either Jordan or Palestine.

The Israeli violations of the holy places in East Jerusalem angers Jordanians of all walks of life and the Muslim world beyond.

The frustration of the plan to achieve two states, to solve the long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is the mainstay of Jordan’s policy on the Palestinian question, gives Jordanians serious reason for concern, as they fear that Israel’s ultimate solution to the Palestinian crisis will end up at Jordan’s expense.

Jordan cannot isolate itself from the events in the region, and even less so in Palestine.

The latest Israeli war on Gaza added to the long list of aggressive policies Israel practises towards the neighbouring Arab states.

As such, Jordan has no option but to view the peace accord with Israel as a move with few ups and very many downs.

Unless and until Israel makes peace with the Palestinians, the vast majority of Jordanians will continue to believe they are at war with Israel.

No doubt, most Israelis are aware of this state of affairs, but are their leaders?

Peace would be as beneficial to Israelis as to the Arab countries, and even more so.

Why, then, procrastinate and antagonise the neighbours, and the world, with belligerent policies when the solution, peace, could be reached easier and to more benefit for all sides?