Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Dr. Hayel Obeidat
What is unfolding in Palestine today, in tandem with the tragedy in Gaza, is not just another chapter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—it is the systematic liquidation of the Palestinian cause. This is the grim culmination of over two centuries of historical events that transformed Arab Palestine into a Jewish state.
The seeds of this transformation were sown as early as 1799 when France, under Napoleon’s directive, initiated a plan to encourage Jewish immigration to Palestine. The establishment of the first Jewish settlement in 1882 was soon followed by the coining of the term “Zionism” in 1885. The first Zionist Congress in 1897 and Isaac Weizmann’s visit to Palestine in 1907 were milestones that set the stage for future upheavals.
The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 and the Balfour Declaration of 1917 marked pivotal moments in this transformation. These events ignited waves of rejection, protest, and resistance among the Palestinian population, leading to uprisings, the martyrdom of countless individuals, and brutal British repression of revolts between 1936 and 1939. The 1942 Zionist Conference in Baltimore solidified the American-Zionist alliance, laying the groundwork for the establishment of Israel. By 1949, 750,000 Palestinians had been forcibly displaced from 80% of their historical homeland, and the Zionist state was born. The subsequent signing of armistice agreements between Israel and neighboring Arab countries only entrenched the dispossession, with the creation of the UNRWA agency for Palestinian refugees marking a somber acknowledgment of the ongoing tragedy.
The expansionist ambitions of Israel continued unabated, with the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War further entrenching Israeli control over Palestinian territories. The Oslo Accords of 1993, initially hailed as a step towards peace, instead opened new avenues for Israel to tighten its grip on the remaining Palestinian lands, while neutralizing Arab resistance through a combination of political maneuvering and societal manipulation.
Today, the northern West Bank, particularly Jenin and its surrounding areas—adjacent to Nazareth, Haifa, Beisan, and the plains of Marj Bin Amer—is at the forefront of Israel’s relentless settlement expansion. The current situation is not merely a continuation of past aggressions but a prelude to a new catastrophe for Palestine, Jerusalem, and the holy sites. The Israeli strategy of dismembering the West Bank through more than 680 checkpoints—a 35% increase since 2020—serves to fragment Palestinian unity and territorial integrity, all while the world remains largely silent.
Since its inception, Israel has employed tactics of fixed checkpoints, sieges, and barriers—like the notorious Qalandia and Bethlehem 300 checkpoints, or the separation wall—to create impossible entry and exit conditions for Palestinians. These measures have not only devastated the Palestinian economy, costing millions of lost work hours and billions of dollars, but have also inflicted profound psychological trauma on the population.
In the absence of a realistic vision for peace, and with an extreme right-wing government dictating public opinion and policy in Israel, no place is safe for Palestinians—not the mosque, the nursery, the school, the hospital, or the church. The entire Palestinian populace is ensnared in a cycle of despair, confronted with starvation, displacement, and the relentless machinery of Israeli repression. The international community’s silence, coupled with the betrayal by fellow Arab nations, only exacerbates the situation, as Israel pursues a policy of extermination and collective punishment that echoes the darkest chapters of human history.
It is becoming increasingly clear that a secretive agenda is at play, aimed at liquidating Palestinian rights under the guise of humanitarian truces and endless negotiations. As the tenth month of this brutal aggression draws to a close, the world watches as Gaza and the rest of Palestine are being transformed into isolated Bantustans, mirroring the fate of Guam and Puerto Rico—territories stripped of sovereignty and dignity.
Jordan, under the astute leadership of His Majesty the King, has long recognized the existential threat posed by Israel’s expansionist agenda. Jordan’s diplomatic efforts, alongside tangible support in the form of food, medicine, fuel, and a newly established field hospital near Nablus, have been crucial in bolstering Palestinian resilience. However, these efforts, while significant, are insufficient on their own. A comprehensive Jordanian-Arab strategy is urgently needed—one that safeguards Jordan’s national interests and mobilizes public opinion across the Arab world to counter the dangers emanating from Israel’s actions in the northern West Bank.
Jordan must overcome internal strife and foster unity, strengthening national identity and loyalty to preserve the nation’s stability and integrity. Furthermore, the formation of an Arab, Islamic, and international coalition to support Jordan’s role is imperative, especially as American and Zionist pressures on the Kingdom intensify. Without such a coalition, Jordan risks becoming entangled in the very crisis it seeks to resolve.
The time for action is now, before it is too late.
Dr. Obeidat is member of the 28th Jordanian Senate House, the Upper House of Parliament.
