Focus in the analytical essays compiled here is on Israel’s strategic environment, particularly the challenges and opportunities that await Israel in 2014. In 2013 the Middle East continued to grapplewith several risk-laden issues and processes that began in previous years, includingthe socio-political unrest in many Arab states and the increased power ofradical Islamic elements in lawless areas near Israel’s borders; the ongoingcivil war in Syria; the unresolved Iranian nuclear issue; and the wide gaps betweenIsrael and the...
In 2013, Israel’s national security balance sheet was largely positive. In contrast, in the second half of 2014, complex and problematic processes underway in the region – including the efforts to contend with the Iranian nuclear program, the effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the upheaval in the Arab world, and stature of the United States in the Middle East – can be expected to pose significant challenges to Israel’s security. The positive components of the balance sheet should make it easier for Israel to...
The turmoil that has gripped the Middle East since late 2010 has not bypassed Jordan entirely, but the Hashemite Kingdom has thus far succeeded in managing the socio-political challenges emerging from the volatile environment. Some of these challenges originated before the wave of uprisings, but were aggravated by the political upheavals in the region. Other challenges were spawned by regional developments over which Jordan had no control. Whatever the source of the challenges, however, Jordan will be forced to contend with them in...
The election of Jordanto the UN Security Council on December 6, 2013 by the large majority of 178countries reflects international acknowledgment of the challenges facingJordan, mainly in the economic sphere, and the policy line adopted by theHashemite kingdom. Israel, which hopes to maintain tranquility and stabilityalong its long border with Jordan, should welcome this development, whichstrengthens the kingdom’s political and diplomatic standing. In order tomaintain the stability and survival of the Hashemite kingdom,...
The potential impact of refugees on economic,security, and political stability is a familiar challenge in the Middle East.Past wars in the region have led hundreds of thousands of people to migrate and in many cases to remain as permanent residents in their new locations,which in turn affects the political and demographic balance of the hostcountries. So too, the events of recent years in Syria, Libya, and Yemen have promptedwaves of refugees that are likely to threaten the internal stability ofcountries that have thus far managed to...
An estimated one third of Palestinian society today are active users of social networks, which feature frequent discussions on Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian identity, internal Palestinian conflicts, the relationship between the population and its leaders, the economic situation, and the impact of regional changes. New Media has thus become a platform for an open Palestinian discussion that highlights the complexity and the different processes within Palestinian society in Gaza, the West Bank, and East...
The discussion on the Jordanian social networks about the January 23, 2013 elections focused on three main issues: the roadmap of King Abdullah II, which seeks a transition to a parliamentary democracy and a gradual change in the social pyramid through a focus on the next generation, at the expense of tribal leaders who have long been the King’s base of support; the consequences of the “Arab Spring” for Jordan, the fear of loss of control and stability, and the young people’s preference for evolution over revolution; and...
Tthis article surveys the impact of the “Arab Spring” on Jordan’s relations with the United States and Israel on the one hand, and with the Gulf states on the other. It will also analyze the changes on the domestic scene during this period, and the regime’s response to the challenge posed by pressures from both the Islamist and the Transjordanian sectors, the latter being its veteran stronghold. The main conclusion of the essay is that even if the Hashemite regime does not currently face a tangible threat of...
The protest in the Jordanian social media is influenced by developments in the entire region, but especially the domestic, social, and political processes within Jordan. The network discourse intensified after the demonstrations of November 2012, which were sparked by the increase of fuel and gas prices in the country. Labeled the “November Uprising,” the protests were distinguished by their severity and spread through the kingdom, bringing all elements critical of the situation in Jordan into the street. In tandem,...
The demonstration of Friday, October 5, 2012 in front of the Husseini Mosque in Amman was the biggest demonstration in Jordan since the Arab uprising began. For the time being, that is a piece of good news for the Jordanian opposition, maybe the only one. Under the banner of “Save the Nation,” the organizers, mostly the Islamic Action Front, which encompasses the Muslim Brotherhood and some seventy different opposition groups, cannot be satisfied with 10,000 participants, once they publicly raised the bar, working for...
A year and a half after the civil uprisings broke out in the Arab world, Jordan is still struggling with their economic and political ramifications. Efforts by King Abdullah II to achieve broad agreement for the political reforms he has proposed, and in particular, the elections law, have thus far been unsuccessful. The King is determined that elections be held by the close of 2012, and the Minister of Information has announced that voter cards will be distributed soon. However, the various opposition movements, especially the Muslim...
Jordanian prime ministers do not resign; they are replaced. Thus it is hard to believe that Awn Khasawneh actually resigned on April 26, 2012 – while on a visit to Turkey, no less. Moreover, the new Prime Minister, Fayez Tarawneh, was appointed in a hurried fashion, and the King’s letter, which was publicized immediately, was unusual in the harshness of the criticism aimed at the outgoing PM, more indicative of a dismissal than a resignation.
