Why Jordan, Home to Many Palestinians, Defended Israel Against Iranian Missile Strikes?

The ballistic missiles and drones that Iran launched against Israel on Sunday were intercepted and failed to reach their launch points, according to American and Israeli officials. More than 300 munitions, most of them fired from Iran, were intercepted before they could reach Israel.

In total, around 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles were launched at Israel by Iran overnight Saturday, the Israel’s military said. US officials said more than 70 drones and three ballistic missiles were intercepted by US Navy ships and military aircraft, without giving details of the exact defenses that were used to bring down the projectiles.

But why did the Arab kingdom next door, Jordan, get involved and shoot down dozens of Iranian drones even after it criticised Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s war in Gaza?

Jordan, in its official statement, said it stopped the Iranian drones in an act of self-defence and not to help Israel. The response by King Abdullah II, which has supported Palestine, is seen as a balancing act by the country, which does not want to get caught in the crossfire in Israel’s war against Hamas, an ally of Iran.

Jordan neighbours Syria and Iraq – both countries where Iranian proxy forces operate – and also is next door to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

A meme of King Abdullah II, wearing an Israeli military uniform, is doing the rounds on social media.

Israel-Jordan Relations

Jordan fought four wars with Israel between 1948 and 1973 before signing a peace treaty in 1994. Although Israel has welcomes Jordan’s involvement, Palestine has denounced Jordan’s role accusing the kingdom of supporting military offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to their health officials.

Jordan’s population mostly comprises Palestinians. Around 3 million Palestinians live in Jordan. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has registered 2.2 million Palestinians, though the total number is thought to be higher.

Public sentiment in Jordan towards Israel is generally hostile after incidents such as the attempted Mossad killing of a senior Hamas official on Jordanian soil in 1997, and the tragic death of a Jordanian civilian shot by an Israeli embassy security guard.

King Abdullah has done little to improve ties with Israel as he declined to renew the lease of two border zones in the Arava Valley, the Tzofar and Naharaim enclaves in 2018 for farming use by Israel after the 25-year-old lease provision in the 1994 peace treaty expired, according to The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune.

Four Main Issues Between Israel and Jordan

Palestine: For Hashemites (the royal family of Jordan), Palestine is an internal issue. The two-state paradigm as a possible solution to the Palestinian issue used to be seen as a possible solution to the Jordanians’ concerns. But Netanyahu’s ongoing policy to set aside two-state solution has raised Jordan’s suspicions. With respect to the Abraham Accords, Jordanians have been watching anxiously as Netanyahu appears to them to have leaped directly to the Gulf, “skipping” over the Palestinian issue. The Abraham Accords were signed between Israel and several Arab states including UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to normalise diplomatic relations in 2020.

Jerusalem: The peace treaty anchored Jordan’s special interest in the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem and enshrined ashemite authority over the Waqf [Islamic foundation] on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. This gives Jordan a strategic say in any future agreements regarding Jerusalem. The assassination of King Abdullah I in 1951 by a Palestinian on the steps of Al Aqsa Mosque at the end of his historic visit amidst his secret talks with the Israeli leadership is etched in the national and personal memory of the royal house. No doubt, this is also the main issue for the great-grandson, King Abdullah II.

Economy: Jordan’s economic, demographic and infrastructure situation is another concern in its ties with Israel. Jordan has allowed 1.5 million refugees from Syria and Iraq, which has taken a hit on the economy and internal security. The country is already coping with the shortage of water and energy. Declining tourism in Jordan during Covid-19 pandemic also compounded the economic problems, which led to a meeting in July 2021, allowing a significant increase in Jordanian exports to the Palestinian Authority. Jordan’s chronic water problem found a solution in a key clause in the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement, which stipulated the distribution of Yarmouk River’s water between the two countries. But during the drought in April 2021 in Jordan, Netanyahu initially refused the Jordanian request of releasing additional water supply. Israel later complied after facing criticism, including from the US.

Security Threats: Both Jordan and Israel face threats from radical Islamist elements from Iran and its regions. Jordan cannot act independently on Iran but it is an important part of the coalition of Sunni countries in the Middle East. Jordan actively resists Iranian efforts to establish a presence on its soil as an extension of the Iranian presence in Syria, as mentioned in the report by The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune. Given its borders with Iraq and Syria, Jordan is vulnerable to ISIS threat.

Jordan’s official statement on its involvement in Iran-Israel conflict, and that its military will continue to defend Jordan against any future incursions by “any party” has not pacified its critics.