The Jordan Option is still on the table.

5 Comments / 5 Comments

1. @ Adam Dalgliesh:
   Jordan probably riding the fence as they usually do. Will not oppose the deal but will not support. Waiting to see what happens!

2. There is an interesting report in the Jewish Press (U.S.) that King Abdullah of Jordan had a virulently anti-Israel, pro-Qatari cartoonist who is heavily fuded by Qatar arrested. He has apparently operated had published his cartoons, with commentary, from Jordan for many years. Why was he now arrested? Apparently for denouncing the UAE in a n extremely harsh image for making a deal with Israel. I can’t read the Arabic caption on the cartoon, but it seems to show the UAE stabbing the Sultan of Qatar in the back, using a knife with a star of David on it , presumably symbolizing Israel).

   The fact that Abdullah had this guy arrested for attacking the Israel-UAE deal with extremely harsh visual imagery suggest that maybe Abdullah is not opposed to the deal. If so, maybe he is not as anti-Israel in private as his public rhetoric suggests.

   “Jordan Arrests Cartoonist over Criticism of Israel-UAE Deal
   David Israel8 Elul 5780 – August 28, 2020
   Photo Credit: Fair use of image on cartooningforpeace.org

   Cartoonist Emad Hajjaj’s self portrait
   The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday demanded that Jordanian authorities immediately release cartoonist Emad Hajjaj, drop all charges against him, and let him work freely.

   According to his employer and press protection groups in Jordan, on Wednesday, a police patrol arrested Hajjaj, a cartoonist for the Qatari-funded news website Al-Araby al-Jadeed, on a road in the Jordan Valley while the cartoonist was on his way to Amman, the capital, and transferred him to the police headquarters in downtown Amman.

   According to Al Jazeera, the arrest was prompted by a cartoon Hajjaj published Wednesday, which criticized the recent deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, and mocked Emirati Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed.

   On Thursday, authorities brought Hajjaj to the public prosecutor’s office, where he was charged with “disturbing relations with a sister country” under Jordan’s counter-terrorism law. If convicted, Hajjaj could face a minimum of 10 years hard labor, according to 2014 amendments to the counter-terrorism law.

   The public prosecutor’s office ordered Hajjaj to be detained for 14 days and transferred him to Salt Prison, northwest of Amman.

   “Journalists and cartoonists like Emad Hajjaj are entitled to express their views freely on the Israel-United Arab Emirates deal, which affects the lives of millions of people across the region,” said CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa representative, Ignacio Miguel Delgado. “Jordanian authorities should immediately release Hajjaj, drop all charges against him, and allow him to provide political commentary without fear of imprisonment.”

   Hajjaj has recently published several cartoons critical of the UAE-Israel deal on Al-Araby al-Jadeed’s website and his Twitter account, where he frequently posts his work and has more than 130 thousand followers.”

3. @ vivarto:
   Sharon used to say until you are sitting in my chair you do not have a clue what you are talking about.

   So maybe or maybe not. Actions speak louder than words. Bennett is a doer who does not need politics for his livelihood in life, so he is likelier to follow up on his words with deeds.

   Bennett was great in his short stint as Defense Minister. Bibi could have made him Health Minister now and the country would be better off. Yamina would be in the coalition. Bibi did not want him because both he and Shaked are real doers who people listen to.

4. @ Bear Klein:
   Maybe if Bennett becomes PM, he’ll be under the same pressure as Bibi, and will have the same information that Bibi has, and will act like Bibi.
   Just maybe
   (I did vote for the Bennet/Shaked party though)

5. Ted, you are making the assumption Ted, that the conflict must end. Some things do not get solved. Many Israelis always tell this to Americans who say the two state concept is the solution to the conflict. There are not always solutions to intractable problems.

   Also your Jordan solution relies on Don Quoite (Mudar) to remove the bad King and he will be become the good “President”. If there is a Jordan option it must be based on a real leader with who has a military behind him. That is how it works in the middle east and most other places. Even if Trump is re-elected he will NOT use the US military in Jordan to kick out the King. Israel is not invading Jordan unless attacked from there.

   It would be great if the conflict ends and many of the Arabs in Judea/Samaria move to Jordan or elsewhere. No clear picture of this happening.
   That does not look likely unless a war breaks out and many end up fleeing to Jordan for their safety.

   At some point probably sooner than later the PA will dissolve or implode. They have tried to stir an intifada against Israel more than once. Some violence breaks out periodically otherwise it is business as usual. More Pal-Arabs work inside of Israel. So if we do not have too many more deaths from PA workers like this week everyone forgets about the danger of this PA workers legally and illegally inside of Israel.

   What replaces the PA is likely the next thing that will stir the pot. Naturally there will be another war in Gaza. If Bibi is still running things he will try and get to the current status quo. That is what he in Judea/Samaria he has allowed the status-quo to go on and the UAE deal was the perfect excuse. He can also say the US administration pushed into “suspending” sovereignty. He was just lying to get elected again.

   Want real change and better leadership find a way for Bennett to become Prime Minister.