Weekly Commentary: Keep Jordan Out of West Bank Security
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date 5 July, 2007

Involving Jordan in West Bank security could undermine effective ongoing
Israeli operations in the area, destabilize the Hashemite Kingdom and hurt
relations between the Jewish State and Jordan. In the longer run this could
mean setting the scene for a confrontation with a different Jordanian regime
which has advance position next to Kfar Sava and Netanya.

Yes, it certainly is tempting to try and pass off the Palestinian hot potato
to the Jordanians.

But it would be a terrible mistake.

Today the West Bank is within Israel's security envelope and Israeli forces
can literally enter pretty much any place at any time. Introduce a
Jordanian presence and Israeli security forces would have to bend over
backwards to avoid them.

Even if the Jordanians deployed didn't intend it to be the case, armed
Palestinian groups could be expected to exploit the Jordanian presence as
human shields.

It is a no win situation.

Should the Jordanians try to do a serious job they would be denounced for
collaborating with Israel and the King's enemies would move to overthrow
him.

No one can predict who will be ruling in Jordan in 2010, let alone a
generation from now. Why set the scene for a confrontation which can be
avoided in the first place?

But what of the challenge of West Bank security?

That's the irony: all the talk about involving Jordan gives the impression
that the current approach is a dismal failure when the opposite is the case.

While no security operations can have zero failures, Israeli security forces
enjoy a level of success in the West Bank today well beyond anyone's
expectations.

Whatever problems there are can be attributed to a lack of will on the part
of Israeli political leaders rather than a lack of ability of Israeli
security forces to get the job done.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il