September 10, 2024
By Nasser Kandil
The Karameh Operation, executed by the Jordanian hero Maher Al-Jazi, who rose as a martyr after shaking the security of the occupation, introduced three unsolvable dilemmas to the many problems the occupation already faces from the Gaza war and support fronts. The occupation now grapples with the threat of lone Arab lions, particularly in Jordan and Egypt, where borders can suddenly become a source of danger for occupation officers and soldiers, with no ability to preempt or monitor these threats. Additionally, the occupation is now forced to consider turning its border with Jordan into a military front to prevent cross-border operations and arms smuggling into the West Bank. This requires deploying two military divisions, as its leaders and experts suggest, which must be withdrawn from fighting fronts in Gaza, the north, and the West Bank. Moreover, the occupation must also confront the challenge of tightening security at the Jordanian border to the point of closing it for safety reasons, while simultaneously needing to keep it open for essential commercial goods, as Jordan has become a crucial alternative trade route due to Yemen’s naval blockade.
In the days and nights following the Karameh Operation, reactions emerged that were as important as the operation itself. The operation paved the way for a popular Jordanian uprising, initially led by the martyr’s tribe, the Huwaytat, which soon spread to other Jordanian clans. Palestinian refugee camps joined in, honouring and blessing the martyrdom, transforming the uprising from a Jordanian movement into a strong foundation for Jordanian-Palestinian unity. This reaffirmed their shared destiny and dispelled any illusions of division or the idea of an alternative homeland. Those observing the public reactions in Amman’s demonstrations and listening to the slogans being chanted quickly realise that such a popular awakening was never anticipated in American or Israeli calculations. Both Washington and Tel Aviv understand that blaming Jordanian authorities won’t solve the problem. If control slips from Jordan’s hands, the future security of the occupation will be at risk along its longest Arab border with occupied Palestine. Thus, the growing unrest in Jordan has become another pressure point pushing for an end to the war on Gaza through an agreement with the resistance, much like the pressures from the support fronts. This must happen before matters spiral out of control.
Among the reactions was a notable shift in Jordan’s official rhetoric. In a previous similar case in 1997, Jordan, through the King, apologised for a similar operation carried out by soldier Ahmad Al-Daqamseh. However, today, official Jordanian discourse frames the martyrdom of Maher Al-Jazi as an expression of popular anger fueled by Israel’s ongoing crimes against Palestinians, especially in Gaza, and the inability of the international and Arab community to stop them. The Jordanian authorities are responding to the popular sentiment with openness and positivity, reflecting an awareness of the volatile situation and the simmering anger among the Jordanian people. This approach helps prevent the internalisation of public anger, keeping it directed toward the occupation rather than the Jordanian authorities. In doing so, Jordan avoids internal unrest while increasing anxiety within the occupation, opening the door for potential reconciliation between the people and the government. This reconciliation, based on silent approval rather than mutual agreement, allows the people to support the Palestinian cause in their way, while the authorities turn a blind eye, perhaps even extending this tolerance to future arms and ammunition smuggling into the West Bank.
