Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel. Jordan also is a staunch ally of the United States, and has signed a peace treaty with Israel.
The Israeli Embassy is located in the affluent Rabae district of Amman and is heavily guarded. News has come from the Jordanian police that gun fire erupted in the embassy and two Jordanians have been killed and an Israeli injured. The firing incident in the heavily fortified embassy is a surprise as Jordan is relatively free from violence against Israelis. At the moment few details are available, and the name of the injured Israeli has not been revealed.
Al Jazeera reported this news.
Jordan and Jerusalem
Jordan has a close connection with Jerusalem. The ruling Hashemite monarchy is the custodian of the holy sites since 1924 and pays for its upkeep. It also derives legitimacy for its rule over Jordan by this act. King Abdullah is one of the staunchest supporters of the USA.
The recent Israeli action in installing metal detectors and video cameras as part of a security upgrade after the recent killing of two police officers has incensed the Arabs. King Abdullah has not been able to contain the resentment against Israel after these acts, and large demonstrations have taken place against the Israeli actions in Jerusalem. Tension is high in Jordan after Israel enforced the new security measures in the Mosque.
To placate the population, Jordan has called for the removal of the metal detectors, yet public anger against Israel has mounted. To obviate further trouble, the police have sealed off the embassy compound and deployed dozens of anti-terrorism forces.
Initial report
An initial report suggested that two Jordanian men had entered the embassy compound as workers to do some carpentry work.
They may have had something to do with the firing, but it's not confirmed. Jordan is in a precarious condition as a significant number of the 7 million Jordanians are of Palestine origin. These men and women had fled the West Bank after the Israeli offensive and fall of Jerusalem in 1967 and even earlier when the Israeli state was carved out of Arab lands in 1948.
Arab anger
Israel in the past has assured that it understands Jordan's concerns and will not alter the status quo in the Muslim holy sites of Jerusalem yet many Arabs are angry and suspicious of Israeli Intentions. This has led to demonstrations against Israel in Jerusalem and Amman. The American president Trump will be keeping a close watch on the situation, as it has close relations with both Jordan and Israel.
