Israel and Jordan in the Shadow of War: Functional Ties and Futile Diplomacy in a Small Place

The historical image of the Arab-Israeli conflict is one of antagonists locked in mortal struggle, the two sides implacably hostile toward each other. However accurate this image may be for the most part, Israel's relationship with Jordan has been an important exception. From the end of World War I through the ragings of the Palestinian uprising of the late 1980s, the Zionist movement and the Hashemite dynasty have found themselves with many key interests in common. Some of these have been political at the highest level - both have feared radical Arab nationalism - the Palestinian variety in particular - and, more recently, religious fundamentalism. Others have evolved from living in close proximity - for example, sharing scarce water resources and facilitating the mutually beneficial movement of people and products. Over time the political and functional aspects of Israeli-Jordanian ties have commingled discreetly to a far more extensive degree than all but a few observers appreciate.