Israel raises concerns Islamist take over in Syria will cause uprising in Jordan

An Arab diplomat from the region said this week that authorities in Egypt, Jordan, and neighboring states are monitoring Syria closely.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 14, 2024 22:37

Illustrative image of a Syrian domino falling followed by a Jordanian domino. (photo credit: Dall-E)

Israel has raised concerns that rebel advances in Syria could embolden extremist elements in Jordan, threatening the stability of King Abdullah's regime, KAN reported on Saturday night.

Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Chief Ronen Bar and IDF Intelligence Directorate Head Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder recently visited Jordan amid these developments.

Discussions within the cabinet have centered on the possibility that the Syrian conflict could spill over into Jordan. Senior officials warn that such a scenario would directly affect Israel, which shares its longest border with Jordan.

Arab diplomats have also expressed alarm over a potential “domino effect” in the region. Cabinet meetings have addressed this issue, and a special session is set for tomorrow to review the unfolding situation.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a meeting with the foreign ministers of the Arab Contact Group on Syria in Jordan's southern Red Sea coastal city of Aqaba on December 14, 2024. (credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/POOL VIA REUTERS)

A flurry of diplomatic meetings

An Arab diplomat from the region said this week that authorities in Egypt, Jordan, and neighboring states are monitoring Syria closely.

There is growing apprehension that the Syrian rebellion could inspire Islamist movements elsewhere. “The rhetoric of the Syrian opposition seems moderate so far, but time will tell,” the diplomat added.

While most Arab countries have reconciled with Bashar Assad’s continued rule, even normalizing relations in light of Syria’s civil war, memories of the Arab Spring’s ripple effects remain vivid.

Ahmad "Abu Mohammad al-Julani" al-Sharaa, commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS) the primary rebel group, echoed these sentiments in comments made to Syrian TV on Saturday. Julani said, "The exhausted Syrian situation after years of war and conflicts does not allow for entering into any new conflicts."