This month we will mark the 25th anniversary of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty signing, which took place in the Arava on October 26, 1994. Both countries had clear interests that brought them together.
Throughout history, their dominant neighbors have sought to expand their territories at their expense. Most notably, Syrian forces invaded Jordan in 1970, a move opposed by Israel. The Palestinian Liberation Organization at the time hoped to establish a presence inside the Hashemite kingdom and use it as a springboard for attacks on Israel.
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Why have Jordan and Israel failed to implement warm peace relations? This is an important question. Their peace treaty left the issue of Judea and Samaria open to future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinian leadership, regretfully, remained committed to the "armed struggle" and using terror to advance its goals. The Palestinians currently comprise nearly 60% of the Jordanian populace and almost 80% of the residents in and around the capital Amman. Their influence on the relationship between Israel and Jordan was and continues to be exceedingly significant.
The instability in the countries surrounding Jordan has also directly impacted the kingdom. During the first Gulf War, the Palestinians who left Kuwait moved to Jordan. Palestinians also had to leave their homes in Iraq, and relocate to Jordan. After Iran blocked the Persian Gulf to Iraqi ships, Iraq began using the Port of Aqaba in Jordan as an alternative seaport to access the Indian Ocean and the Far East. Recently, a mass of Syrian refugees have settled in Jordan and have become a heavy burden on the entire country.
In the near future, Jordan can expect to face the Iranian threat. The Shiite militias operating in Iraq could expand their penetration into Jordanian territory. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites are already living in Jordan, having moved there in the wake of Saddam Hussein's downfall.
Iran has used Shiite holy sites to spread its tentacles across the region, such as Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque on the outskirts of Damascus. There are similar Shiite sites in south Jordan. Throughout the past decade, Iran has offered to provide Jordan all of its energy needs, if it agrees to allow delegations of Shiite religious pilgrims to visit those places. King Abdullah II has wisely rejected the Iranian proposal.
Jordan's independence is a vital interest not just for Israel but for the Persian Gulf states. In the Middle East, the overriding strategic consensus opposes Iranian expansionism. This consensus supports Jordan's political independence and the peace treaty with Israel. Western powers must strengthen Jordan and help it oppose Iran and its proxies, whether they seek to infiltrate via Iraq or any other country in the region.
Dr. Dore Gold is the president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and the former director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
