Jordan mentioned on Monday it was leaving “all choices” open in its response to what it referred to as Israel’s failure to discriminate between army and civilian targets in its intensifying bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Bisher al Khasawneh didn’t elaborate on what additional steps Jordan would take, days after it recalled its ambassador from Israel in protest at Israel’s offensive in opposition to Gaza launched after a cross-border Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas.
Jordan additionally introduced final week that Israel’s ambassador, who left Amman shortly after Hamas’ assault, wouldn’t be allowed to return again to renew his duties for now, successfully declaring him persona non grata.
“All choices are on the desk for Jordan in our coping with the Israeli aggression on Gaza and its repercussions,” Khasawneh, whose nation signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 – advised state media.
Khasawneh mentioned Israel’s siege of the densely populated Gaza was not self-defence because it maintains. “The brutal Israeli assault doesn’t discriminate between civilian and army targets and is extending to secure areas and ambulances,” he mentioned.
Israel has denied intentionally concentrating on civilian objects in closely populated areas, saying Hamas was utilizing civilians as human shields, had dug tunnels beneath hospitals and was utilizing ambulances to move its fighters.
Jordan is reviewing its financial, safety and political ties with Israel and even suspending additional steps in implementing its peace treaty if the Gaza bloodshed will get a lot worse, diplomats conversant in Jordanian considering mentioned.
The Israel-Hamas struggle has reawakened long-standing fears in Jordan – house to a big inhabitants of Palestinian refugees and their descendants – that Israel might seize an opportunity to expel Palestinians en masse from the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, the place Israeli settler assaults on Palestinian inhabitants has surged since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault.
Such worries have elevated since Israel’s religious-nationalist ruling coalition, its most right-wing authorities ever, took workplace final 12 months, with some hardliners espousing the “Jordan is Palestine possibility”.
International Minister Ayman Safadi mentioned any transfer to drive Palestinians throughout to Jordan, which shares a border with the West Financial institution, was a “purple line” amounting to a declaration of struggle.
“Any try and expel Palestinians in an try by Israel to vary geography and demography we are going to confront,” Safadi mentioned final week.
The Jordanian military has already beefed its positions alongside its borders, safety sources mentioned.
Jordan’s worries have taken centre stage in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the reason that Gaza struggle erupted and are more likely to be raised in a gathering with CIA Director William Burns throughout a stopover in Jordan shortly, diplomats mentioned.
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