Identity crisis of Jordan during the Israel-Palestine peace process

Abstract

This study deals with the correlation of the identity crisis of Jordan with the existence of the Palestinians in the Jordanian Kingdom. A key issue is how the Palestinians were ignored by the Israeli state and forced to migrate to Jordan, which changed the foundational dynamics of the Transjordanian entity. The paper explores how the Arabic and Islamic identities, which have been accepted as the main pillars of Jordanian identity, have turned to the opposition powers and become threats against the stability of the regime. This study specifically questions how the Ikhwan al-Muslimin (Moslem Brotherhood) , which had been one of the Jordanian Kings? most trustable organizations, has become the main threat of the existence of the Kingdom. It will be revealed that the hybrid Jordanian identity couldn?t embrace the peoples of Jordan, especially the ones with Palestinian origins. This lead to the depalestinization efforts of the Kingdom dating back to its foundation. On the other hand, the regional realities, the pressures of the international actors, and the militarist politics applied by Israel resulted in an economical and demographical reality of the Palestinians in the Jordanian Kingdom. This spearheaded later the activism of the Palestinian refugees in Jordanian political life through the Ikhwan al-Muslimin, especially during the Israel-Palestine Peace Process. In this study, it has been stated that these dynamics will lead to a process changing the balances of Jordan as it has changed the administrative level and strategic approaches of the Jordanian branch of the Ikhwan al-Muslimin .