By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have declined U.S. requests to contribute troops to a post-war peacekeeping force in Gaza, Israeli and Arab sources say.
In reported remarks about their opposition, Amman, Doha, and Riyadh said they fear that the troops would be seen as “protecting Israel from the Palestinians.”
Worthy News learned Thursday that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are willing to participate in the effort.
However, Jordan has to negotiate a delicate balancing act.
With one in five people in Jordan, including the queen, of Palestinian descent, the desire for Palestinian statehood is close to the hearts of locals. The country’s rulers often speak out on the issue.
Experts say Jordan is closer to Israel and the U.S. than many locals realize.
PEACE AGREEMENT
In 1994, Jordan signed a peace agreement with Israel. Behind the scenes, the two nations worked together on security-related issues, such as safety at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
Fast-forward to 2021, when the U.S. and Jordan entered a defense cooperation agreement allowing U.S. forces, vehicles, and aircraft to enter and move around Jordan freely.
In April this year, when Jordan allegedly helped shoot down Iranian missiles crossing its airspace heading toward Israel, locals saw it as a betrayal.
Jordan maintains diplomatic relations with Tehran, but these tend to be chilly.
Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, recently visited Iran to discuss escalating tensions in the region, a rare occasion in diplomacy to end Europe’s longest war.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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