Jordan's Delicate Balancing Act: Caught Between Israel's Plans and Iran's Influence

A report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine 

The stability of Jordan has been hanging by a thread since the Al-Aqsa Flood. A thread pulled from one side by Israel's plan for Jordan to receive Palestinians whom they seek to displace from their land, in a transfer operation long contemplated by Israeli rulers. On the other side, Iran envisions Jordan as a conduit for armed groups to influence the adjacent Palestinian arena, specifically the West Bank, where they maintain a foothold.

The latest indications of this came from Reuters, quoting two Jordanian sources that Jordan thwarted a suspected Iranian-led plot to smuggle weapons into the kingdom, aimed at assisting opponents of the ruling monarchy in carrying out sabotage. Sources revealed that the weapons were sent by what they described as Iran-backed militias in Syria to a cell of Muslim Brotherhood affiliates in Jordan, with connections to Hamas's military wing.

Authorities seized this cache of weapons after apprehending members of the cell, Jordanians of Palestinian descent, in late March. This weapon smuggling operation is not an isolated incident. It mirrors earlier strikes announced by the Jordanian military earlier this year, initially claimed to be against drug smugglers but later revealed to be linked to thwarting arms trafficking.

The irony lies in the fact that previously intercepted weapons were mostly headed to the West Bank and not intended for actions within Jordan itself. Accusations against Iran in this matter persist according to Reuters sources.

It's worth noting that Jordan faced widespread criticism, particularly from Tehran and its allies, after allowing its territory to be used to repel Iran's attack on Israel. This is in addition to the street demonstrations within the kingdom to pressure its government into severing ties with Israel.