Israel Incites Palestinian Sentiment Against Jordan.. Action Must Be Taken Now

The lines of returning Palestinian expatriates visiting their homeland for summer vacations shocked the Israeli right, which has done everything to create a repulsive environment in the West Bank. This right believed that its old new dream was starting to come true, only to find that the Palestinian living abroad returns with his family to meet relatives and loved ones, knowing that he faces checkpoints, gates, settler terrorism, and countless assaults awaiting him.

Despite the failures of the far-right's illusions in forcibly relocating Palestinians due to the legendary resilience of the Palestinians and the stances of their brothers in Egypt and Jordan, Israel works tirelessly - through extermination, destruction, starvation, and sowing despair - to rid the land's inhabitants west of the river and also wants to prevent the Palestinian expatriate from returning, even if temporarily. It does this through indirect measures that cause indescribable suffering for those returning at the bridge, and it is clear that there is an intention to export the crisis to Jordan.

Within the framework of announced displacement policies, Israel's problem lies with the returnees, not with those leaving. Consequently, the process of departing, despite the waiting hours, appears smoother compared to the hell of returning. The sudden closures of the bridge by the Israeli occupation lead to the congestion of travelers, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities in miserable conditions for hours under the scorching sun in the searing valley, and without prior notice of the closure through a "smart" application for those with bookings. There are unbearable scenes of fainting and effects of heat stress, not to mention the psychological and material impacts, as some travelers are forced to stay and sleep in the valley without basic necessities of life because they cannot afford the costs to return to Amman.

Israel, governed by the mentality of the arrogant right, is engineering the scene by controlling the flow of returnees, imposing a limited number of travelers and specific working hours, and deciding on sudden and arbitrary closures. The result is that the largest share of suffering falls on the Jordanian side, to the extent that the average Palestinian sometimes believes that Jordan is causing his suffering, and this is not an inference from the writer of these lines but rather a reflection of what many travelers from various social segments and ages say. What the occupying state is doing is a calculated attempt to ignite anger and undermine trust in the framework of the political targeting of Jordan and its status and role, but it is not the duty of every Palestinian to be a political analyst.

Without mincing words, the wrong behaviors that coincide with the harsh suffering contribute to fueling emotions. A lot of ink has been spilled, and social media walls have filled with testimonies about unacceptable exploitation faced by travelers from unofficial individuals present on the Jordanian side of the King Hussein Bridge. There is no need to remind of this in this article. Moreover, leaving travelers under the scorching sun for hours after they have done everything required of them, including pre-booking appointments, is unacceptable. It is true that the primary and ultimate cause of suffering is Israel, due to its deliberate closure of the bridge hours before the scheduled time or limiting the number of travelers. However, alleviating people's suffering is possible; umbrellas, some desert air conditioners, and providing bathrooms and essentials that ensure privacy for women and vulnerable groups significantly alleviate hardship and limit attempts to tamper with Palestinian consciousness. And there is nothing preventing this from being implemented now?

Some circles of the Israeli right promote the idea that Israel has paid a heavy price due to the extermination war in Gaza, in terms of a sharp decline in international reputation, economic and human losses, and that the opportunity has arisen to create a strategic impact in the conflict while ignoring international pressures. Such a reality limits the maneuverability of the Jordanian state in pressing for the bridge to be open for longer hours or in preventing the daily limitation of the number of travelers. However, the Palestinian often does not know this truth. It requires building a different Palestinian-Jordanian media narrative, which is also possible, as many people base their positions on data that no longer exist amid the continued Israeli brutality and the absolute American cover.