By Palestine Chronicle Editors

Critical voices argue that Jordan would not think about shooting down Israeli missiles, drones or fighter jets if the target was Iraq, Syria or Iran. 

Though France’s contributions to western efforts aimed at blocking as many Iranian drones and missiles from entering Israeli airspace remains unclear, Jordan’s contributions to the campaign are well known. 

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was unapologetic for his country’s role in shooting down the Iranian drones and missiles. 

He was outraged, however, over Iranian criticism that Jordan has opted to take a stance in defense of Israel, though did nothing to protect Palestinians after six months of an Israeli genocide. 

The Jordanian government insists that shooting down the Iranian missiles was only done to protect its airspace, not that of Israel. Few are convinced, however, as Jordanian airspace has been violated time and again by the US and other western powers to launch attacks at multiple Arab countries. 

Exceeding Expectations: Iranian Ballistic Missiles, Drones Hit Many Regions in Israel – DEVELOPING STORY

Critical voices also argue that Jordan would not think about shooting down Israeli missiles, drones or fighter jets if the target was Iraq, Syria or Iran. 

Summoning Iranian Ambassador

Despite the fact that Jordan refrained from severing its diplomatic ties with Israel, it was swift to react against Iran. 

“Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Amman summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest offensive remarks,” Al-Jazeera reported, citing Jordan’s state news agency.

According to Petra, Safadi renewed his country’s commitment to “confront every drone or missile that penetrates its airspace.” He also argued that “Benjamin Netanyahu is driven by a ‘cancellation’ ideology toward the Palestinians and is trying to provoke a confrontation with Iran to distract attention from what is happening in Gaza,” Al-Jazeera reported. 

الصفدي @AymanHsafadi:
-وزارة الخارجية استدعت اليوم السفير الإيراني وأوصلت له رسالة بضرورة أن تتوقف الإساءات والتشكيك بمواقف الأردن.

— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) April 14, 2024

His logic, however, is flimsy at best. Safadi, as a seasoned diplomat, understands that an Iranian failure to respond would cost Tehran dearly, in terms of reputation, standing amongst its allies, and will certainly embolden Israel to escalate further. 

Palestinians, Jordanians and other Arabs on social media don’t seem to share Safadi’s convenient rationale. In fact, Palestinians, like other Arabs, celebrate the Iranian retaliation to the Israeli attack on Tehran’s consulate on April 1, whether on the ground or on social media. 

While some anti-Iranian writers continue to fault Iran, whether for responding or not doing more, many questions are being raised about what Arab governments have done to help Gaza. 

Helping Israel

Not only did Arab miltaries failed to even threaten Israel if it continues with the genocide in Gaza, Arab states are actively keeping the Israeli economy afloat by creating alternative shipping lanes to offset the damage created by Yemen’s embargo on Israeli ships. 

If it were not for these Arab states, including Jordan, the Israeli economy would have faltered at a much faster speed. 

But Jordan’s position is particularly difficult, and the government’s decision to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones shall complicate its attempt to paint its position as pro-Gaza. 

🇵🇰A member of the Pakistani Parliament called the King of Jordan a traitor for helping Israel to intercept Iranian drones pic.twitter.com/hWdEpFQxi4

— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) April 14, 2024

The country is a home of a population that detest Israel. Mass protests, calls for boycott and demands for action have emanated from Jordan since the start of the Israeli genocidal war. Yet no action has been taken, aside from well-choreographed scenes of Jordanian air force dropping a few containers of supplies over northern Gaza. The airdrops took place in full coordination with Israel. 

But ‘action’ has been taken against Jordanian protesters, who have been dispersed using violent means. Many Jordanians have also been arrested for attempting to storm the Israeli embassy, which remains active in Amman. 

Betrayal

Safadi may try to justify his country’s action in the name of sovereignty. That sovereignty however didn’t seem to matter numerous times in the past, when Jordanian territories were used as launchpads to attack other Arab countries and anti-Israeli, US groups. 

The nature of accusation over what Jordan has done to protect Israel are no longer confined to typical criticism of weak Arab governments and armies. Social media activists are referring to what Jordan is doing as a direct act of betrayal of Palestine and the Arab nation. 

“The question is,” tweeted Saeed Ziad, a social media activist, “when Israeli drones and missiles cross over the Jordanian airspace (in retaliation to the Iranian attack – PC) will the Jordanian air defenses confront them as they have done with the Iranian drones?”

ستقوم إسرائيل بالرد، هذا قادم لا محالة، فلن تبتلع المنجل لإيران بعد هذا الإذلال.

السؤال: عندما تمر المسيرات والصواريخ الإسرائيلية في الأجواء الأردنية، هل ستتصدى لها الدفاعات الجوية كما فعلت اليوم مع المسيّرات الإيرانية ؟

من عدو العرب؟
إسرائيل أم إيران ؟

— Saeed Ziad | سعيد زياد (@saeedziad) April 14, 2024

“Who is the enemy of the Arabs? Israel, or Iran?,” he asked. 

The behavior of some Arab countries since October 7, and even before, makes the answer quite obvious, but also dangerous, as it raises yet another question: 

How long will Arab governments be allowed to champion US, Israeli interests and priorities, at the expense of the collective interests and priorities of the Arab peoples? 

(The Palestine Chronicle)