How Iran’s ‘Op. True Promise’ revealed Jordan’s unholy alliance with Israeli regime

By Humaira Ahad

Following Iran’s retaliatory military operation against Israel last Saturday, the so-called “defensive military alliance” formed by the Zionist regime comprised an odd member.

Apart from the regular Western allies of the Tel Aviv regime, including the United States, Britain, and France, Jordan was also part of this ‘unholy alliance”.

As per reports, Jordan opened its airspace to the Israeli regime and its Western allies to down some of the Iranian drones at the risk of putting its own people in harm’s way.  

Being equipped with only about 60 older F-16 and F-5 aircraft, the Hashemite Kingdom lacks the capacity to independently intercept Iranian drones and missiles headed toward the occupied lands.

An Israeli media channel reported that Israeli fighter jets as well as French air defenses intercepted drones launched by Iran in the airspace of Jordan, drawing widespread anger and outrage.

Following the operation, which came in response to the Israeli attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Syria, the Jordanian government issued a statement, vaguely admitting its role.

“Some unidentified flying objects that entered our airspace last night were dealt with and intercepted to prevent endangering the safety of our citizens and inhabited areas,” read the statement.

Jordan’s active involvement in intercepting some Iranian drones enraged people around the world who saw it as an act of betrayal especially at a time when Israel has killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.

With more than 60 percent of Jordan’s population being of Palestinian descent, the Kingdom’s military cooperation with Israel is not only considered treacherous but cowardly.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza, thousands of people have been protesting regularly outside the Israeli embassy in Amman, calling for a reversal of the 1994 Israel-Jordan treaty.

The kingdom has often resorted to the heavy use of force, arresting the protesters and exhibiting disdain for its commitments as an Arab-Muslim nation towards the Palestinian cause.

Jordan’s relations with Israel

Jordan’s opposition to Palestinian resistance became evident in 1970 when the Arab country massacred thousands of Palestinians. The tragic event called “Black September” was aimed at expelling the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) from Jordan.

The expulsion was backed by then-King Hussein bin Talal, who reportedly received support from the Zionist regime and its Western backers.

In 1994, Jordan and Israel signed the Israel–Jordan peace treaty. Thus, Amman became the second Arab country after Egypt to recognize the occupying regime. Since then, the two sides have shared close diplomatic relations with Jordan practically consigning the Palestinian cause into oblivion.

On his visit to Jordan in 2016, former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke at the country’s Independence Day reception. He praised the close ties between Amman and Tel Aviv stating.

“Israel is proud to be Jordan’s partner and to stand at Jordan’s side…over the last year, your kingdom has played a critical role in dealing with the violence in Jerusalem which is holy to all of us.”

At an event in 2022, Jordan and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding on water and energy.

In January this year, Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher al Khasawaneh said that peace with Israel remained a strategic choice for the kingdom, in complete disregard for Palestinians massacred in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s secret visits to Jordan

After the establishment of relations with the Zionist regime in 1994, most of the dealings between the two sides have been secretive and away from the media limelight.

In January 2023, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Jordan to meet King Abdullah II. It was Netanyahu’s first known visit to Amman since a secret trip in 2018.

Amid attempts by then-US President Donald Trump to broker a deal for the infamous Abraham Accords, Netanyahu paid a secretive visit to Jordan in 2018.

He was accompanied by the then Mossad Director Yossi Cohen, military secretary Eliezer Toledano and other members of his cabinet.

Netanyahu participated in a secret summit in Aqaba in 2016. The meeting that was arranged by then-US Secretary of State John Kerry included King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.

Following the Jerusalem intifada, the Hashemite King Abdullah met Netanyahu in November 2014 in Jordan.

Western military bases in Jordan

Western countries that helped the Israeli regime intercept some Iranian drones during 'Operation True Promise' are believed to have used military bases in Jordan.

US troops are stationed at the Tower 22 military base in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border, supporting Israel’s military operations. 

The United States has at least 3000 military personnel stationed in the West Asian kingdom.

In 2022, America announced the headquarters of its 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s air combat command as Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in the eastern city of Azraq, located near the border of Iraq and Syria.

As per a 2023 report by the US Congress, an agreement between the two sides allows US forces, vehicles and aircraft to enter and move around Jordan freely.

UK and France also have a significant presence inside Jordan. Military personnel from the two countries are present at King Faisal Air Base in Al-Jafr and the Humaymah base near Aqaba.

French troops at King Faisal Air Base, known as Al-Ruwaished Base, which is close to Al-Tanf have been involved in espionage activities in Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The airport of the military base is believed to be used by both Israeli and US drones. 

In December 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron paid a visit to French forces stationed at the Al-Ruwaished base. The Jordanian base is perceived to protect the occupying regime.

Jordan’s hyped aid airdrop over Gaza helps Israel more than Palestinians

Jordan is ideally placed to put an end to Israeli genocide and siege and force the regime to allow aid into Gaza than resort to much-hyped aid airdrops over Gaza that have proven ineffective.

Jordan-Israel military cooperation

Jordanian Air Force pilots trained with the Israeli military in 2015 at a US-hosted air force exercise.

The cooperation was confirmed by then-Israeli war minister Moshe Ya’alon. A Jordanian pilot Majdi al-Samdi who refused to be a part of the joint military exercise was discharged from the Hashemite Kingdom’s air force.

In 2016, a delegation of almost a dozen Jordanian generals went on a three-day visit to the occupied territories to participate in an international conference with the Israeli military.

Apart from allowing the US to use its territory for the transportation of heavy military equipment to Israel, Jordan has been accepting arms from the child-killing regime.

Retired US-supplied Cobra combat helicopters were given to the kingdom by Israel in 2015. The handover was approved and facilitated by the United States.

Global anger against Jordan

Muslims around the world, including Jordanians, have expressed their disgust at the hypocrisy of Amman that on the one hand condemns Israel’s military aggression on Gaza and calls for a ceasefire and on the other hand, helps the regime against an unprecedented Iranian military operation.

Dima Khatib, the managing director of Aljazeera’s online platform AJ+, labeled the interceptions in the Jordanian airspace “a shocking scene”. 

“Sister countries are responding, not to the attack of Israeli planes, drones and missiles on Palestine, but to an attack on Israel… There are Arab citizens who pull the trigger to protect Israel and watch when the Palestinians are bombed,” he wrote on social media.

Daniella Modos, UK-based campaigner quoted the Middle East Eye's editor-in-chief David Hearst as saying that while Jordanians cheered the Iranian attack, the Jordanian government stood with Israel.

"While the population of Jordan cheered the Iranian missiles onto their targets in Israel, the Jordanian army shot them down on Israel’s behalf. Israel may be celebrating the fact they have real allies, but by doing so they are fatally undermining their friends’ legitimacy,” Modos wrote.

Masoud Khodabandeh, former director of Middle East Strategy Consultants and a freelance consultant, took to X to denounce Jordan’s role in helping the regime to intercept some Iranian missiles.

Referring to King Abdullah, Khodabandeh wrote, “Guess how many Israeli missiles going toward Palestinian women and children he downed during 6 months of Gaza Genocide?”

Marwa Osman, a Lebanon-based journalist and Press TV show host, quoted an Israeli newspaper as saying that the regime is set to approve a water agreement in exchange for Amman’s help.

“The Israeli YediothAhronoth newspaper: After the great assistance provided by Jordan in intercepting the Iranian attack on Israel: Energy Minister Eli Cohen is expected to approve Jordan’s request to extend the water agreement for another year,” Osman wrote.

“Think about it...Jordanians will use the water for Wudu before prayers..for a whole year..in return for "protecting Israel". And it is STOLEN PALESTINIAN WATER! Wow.”

Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian activist based in New York, pointed to the split between the monarchy and the Jordanian people concerning relations with the apartheid regime.

“So Jordan is killing its OWN people to defend Israel…. Not surprising given that Jordan does not represent its people at all when it comes to normalization with the Zionists,” she wrote.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir