Jordan

Policy Analysis on Jordan

Deadly Attack on US Troops in Jordan Marks Major Escalation

Biden now has a hard choice to make: push Israel into a Gaza ceasefire or risk sustained Iran-backed escalation in the region.

Jan 29, 2024

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Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

Jordan’s Escalating Border Threats Amid Regional Upheaval

The kingdom is taking a firm hand against drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, drone infiltrations, and other threats, but it still needs enhanced defense capabilities and other crucial assistance from Washington.

Jan 9, 2024

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Abdullah Hayek
Ahmad Sharawi

Protest outside of the Israeli embassy in Amman

Fikra Forum

What Does the War in Gaza Mean for Jordan's National Security?

Amman worries that the war in Gaza will increase Hamas’s domestic popularity and embolden the group’s supporters—especially with Jordan’s upcoming parliamentary elections in August 2024.

Dec 22, 2023

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Saud Al-Sharafat

The Mari-B and Tamar gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel - source: The Washington Institute

Brief Analysis

Israeli Offshore Gas Platform Near Gaza Resumes Production

The post-attack shutdown of the Tamar gas field had highlighted the vulnerability of Israel’s energy infrastructure.

Nov 15, 2023

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Simon Henderson

Photo of an Israeli soldier in the ruins of a kibbutz following the October 2023 Hamas attack.

Video

Brief Analysis

The Hamas-Israel War: One Month On

Four experts and former officials discuss the evolving military operation against Hamas, the status of the Lebanon front, the political plight of Arab governments, and the steps Israel must consider to balance its goals with growing international pressure.

Nov 9, 2023

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Zohar Palti
Hanin Ghaddar
Ghaith al-Omari
Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Jordan Still Has a Vital Role to Play in the Gaza Crisis

Despite the canceled visit to Amman, President Biden should keep King Abdullah front and center in any efforts to ease humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Oct 19, 2023

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Ben Fishman

Articles & Testimony

Hamas Has Fractured the Arab World

A closer look at the political and security dilemmas that Arab leaders will face as the Hamas-Israel war intensifies.

Oct 13, 2023

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Ghaith al-Omari

An Israeli flag is projected on the Eiffel Tower in Paris in response to the Hamas terror attacks on Israel in October 2023 - source: Reuters

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

International Reactions to the Hamas Attack on Israel

At least forty-four nations have condemned Hamas and decried its tactics as terrorism, but regional players such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, and Iraq have pinned responsibility on Israel.

Oct 11, 2023

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Cleary Waldo
Gabriel Epstein
Sydney Hilbush
Aaron Y. Zelin

◆ Tracking International Reactions to the Hamas-Israel War

Protesting Syrians in the town of Suwayda hold signs and Druze flags - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

How to Support the Latest Revolt in Syria

Opening a low-cost Jordanian humanitarian corridor in the south would go far toward bolstering the Druze and preventing Assad from besieging and starving them.

Sep 2023

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Ehud Yaari

Moviegoers look at posters and showtimes at a theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in August 2023, including the global hit "Barbie" - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Barbie in the Middle East

Some countries banned the film while others let it screen amid restrictions and criticism, illustrating the region’s widening—but still comparably narrow—spectrum of views on cultural openness.

Sep 8, 2023

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Anna Brown

Articles & Testimony

Guns, Drugs, and Smugglers: A Recent Heightened Challenge at Israel’s Borders with Jordan and Egypt

A dataset covering case-by-case information underscores the problems that authorities in each country face as they cooperate to clamp down on criminals and secure their shared frontiers.

Jul 2023

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Matthew Levitt
Lauren von Thaden

Fikra Forum

New Public Opinion Poll: Jordanians Favor De-escalation in the Region, But Sentiment Against Israel Remains

In a new public opinion poll, commissioned by the Washington Institute and conducted in March/April by an independent regional firm, Jordanian citizens demonstrate a strong aversion toward Israel but remain in favor of regional de-escalation.

Jun 9, 2023

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Faris Almaari

Brief Analysis

Jordanian Gun Arrest Underscores Israel’s Smuggling Problem

The case of a parliamentarian accused of weapons trafficking is grabbing headlines, but it is just one small part of the sharp increase in gun smuggling across Jordan and Israel’s frontiers.

Apr 25, 2023

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Matthew Levitt
Lauren von Thaden

Video

Articles & Testimony

Middle East Matters: Back to Normal? The Region Reaches Out to Assad

Two experts discuss why Arab governments are increasingly normalizing with the Syrian regime and what consequences this may hold for U.S. policy.

Apr 25, 2023

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Andrew J. Tabler
Ahed al-Hendi

◆ Middle East Matters

Articles & Testimony

Jordan’s Retreat from China on 5G Could Signal a Growing Distance

Amman will necessarily continue seeking Chinese direct investment for various purposes, but its rejection of Huawei echoes U.S. concerns about Beijing’s involvement in sensitive sectors.

Apr 25, 2023

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David Schenker

Photo of Israelis in Tel Aviv protesting proposed judiciary changes, February 2023.

Brief Analysis

Regional Reactions to Israel’s Protests

Many Middle Eastern outlets have used the crisis to reinforce their inflammatory rhetoric, but some have provided nuanced analysis through the lenses of democratic principles and Arab-Israel peace.

Apr 12, 2023

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Frances McDonough

Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein

Brief Analysis

Abdullah and Biden Need to Discuss Economics, Not Just Israeli-Palestinian Tensions

Finding ways to contain the mounting violence next door is crucial, but the two leaders should keep in mind that deteriorating economic conditions can pose threats of their own.

Feb 1, 2023

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David Schenker

Flags of Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Turkey on display in Riyadh

Brief Analysis

Arab Gulf States Shift Toward More Harmonious Relations

After years of simmering tension, the recent evidence of positive change cannot be ignored.

Jan 30, 2023

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Simon Henderson

Israeli and Arab foreign ministers, along with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, at the Negev Summit - source: Reuters

Fikra Forum

Forty Percent of Saudis and Emiratis Still Accept Israeli Contacts, Even Under Netanyahu

Approval for contacts with Israelis remained steady through 2022, even as hesitancy on Abraham Accords continued.

Jan 19, 2023

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David Pollock

Brief Analysis

Netanyahu’s Potential Friction Points with Biden (Part 1): Palestinian Issues

Conversations with key officials and close reading of the coalition agreement that produced Israel’s new government indicate that the two allies need to confer closely and clearly to avoid public blowups over Jerusalem holy sites, West Bank settlements, and other hot-button issues.

Jan 6, 2023

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David Makovsky

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Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Robert Satloff

Robert Satloff is the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute, a post he assumed in January 1993.

Grant Rumley

Grant Rumley is the Meisel-Goldberger Senior Fellow and Director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

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Jordan

Policy Analysis on Jordan

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