Jordan concerned Israeli operations in Judea and Samaria may lead Palestinians to cross the border

In the past week, the IDF launched operations in northern Samaria areas of Jenin and Tulkarm. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Jordan is concerned that IDF operations may lead Palestinians in Judea and Samaria to cross the border seeking refuge, as reported by Qatari-owned Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news outlet.

Mass movement of Palestinians into Jordan may exacerbate tensions and security risks in Jordan and the entire Middle East.

Earlier in August, King Abdullah II warned that Jordan would “not allow any escalation in the region to be at the expense of Jordanians or Jordan’s security and safety.”

A Jordanian security expert to Al-Araby, “There are also concerns among senior Jordanians that … Palestinians could become permanently displaced, leaving their land empty and at risk of being taken over by settlers.”

The Jordanians are concerned that this development, taken in tandem with the breaking of the status quo on limited Jewish prayer on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, can remove “any possibility of a political solution based on the two-state solution, which harms Jordan’s predominant interest in establishing an independent Palestinian state.”

The IDF launched operations in Judea and Samaria in the past week, with a special focus on northern Samaria areas of Jenin and Tulkarm.

According to IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the operations are essential to prevent the escalation of terrorist activity in the region.

Shoshani emphasized that terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria is “not new” but poses “a persistent threat.”

In the period between the beginning of 2023 and October 6th, terrorism in the area claimed the lives of 30 Israelis, and since October 7th, the number has increased.

Shoshani added that Iran has a comprehensive strategy to create a terror network in Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon Judea and Samaria.

“We need to operate to remove terror threats, immediate terror threats in real time all across our arenas, to make sure that attacks against civilians that can kill our civilians do not happen,” he said.