LONG-STANDING REDLINE FOR ARAB STATES
The wholesale rejection by Arab governments reflects a refusal to be seen as complicit in the forced displacement of Palestinians, and an awareness of the issue’s volatility among their populace – protests in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan have already ignited.
Amman’s refusal to absorb Palestinians is actually a long-standing redline. It is closely tied to fears of a resurgent “alternative homeland” policy, where Palestinians would be resettled in Jordan as a means to resolve the conflict, but at the kingdom’s expense.
The shadow of Black September 1970, when Palestinian militant groups clashed with the Jordanian military, continues to shape its cautious stance. With half of Jordan’s population already of Palestinian descent, and tensions between its citizens and refugees already high, the monarchy views the prospect of absorbing more as a dangerous overstep – one that some have even equated to a “declaration of war”.
Egypt’s security concerns are similarly critical. With Sinai already a volatile hotbed for insurgency, including Islamic State-linked groups, Cairo fears that any influx of Palestinians could transform the conflict in Gaza into a direct threat on its own soil.
This could turn Egypt into a launch point for anti-Israel operations, drawing retaliation – something already seen in the tense situation at the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, where the Israeli presence is viewed as a violation of the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
Further complicating matters is Hamas’ ideological roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, harking back to the days under President Mohammed Morsi, stoking fears of reigniting similar instability.
