For the first time in more than three decades, Jordan is reinstating mandatory military service. Six thousand young men, selected by lottery, will spend a year in uniform receiving weapons training alongside lessons in Jordanian national identity. Egypt is ignoring the Camp David Agreement and pushing its troops into northern Sinai to stave off potential Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.
On the surface, Jordan’s actions appear to be a domestic initiative aimed at fostering unity. In reality, it is a direct response to Israel’s increasingly aggressive policies in Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond — a stark reminder that regional stability remains fragile and that Israel’s actions reverberate far beyond its borders.
The move by Amman comes amid escalating tensions across the region. In Sinai, for instance, the Egyptian government has deployed tens of thousands of additional troops along the border with Gaza.
Reports suggest roughly 40,000 soldiers are now stationed in North Sinai, nearly double the limit established under the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty. Media accounts note that Egypt’s army is on the highest state of alert seen in years, acting on direct orders from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
According to Egyptian officials, Israel’s intent to dismantle Hamas in Gaza and displace large numbers of Palestinians is unacceptable to Cairo, which fears the humanitarian and security consequences of mass migration into North Sinai.
Jordan’s return to conscription and Egypt’s deployment of forces reflect the same concern: Israel’s expansionism is no longer a theoretical concern. It is a concrete, destabilising reality on the ground. From the West Bank to Gaza, the mechanisms of occupation and settlement expansion are being implemented with growing boldness, pushing neighbouring states into defensive postures.
Even within the Palestinian political structure, the situation is dire. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas — one of the most moderate leaders Israel has dealt with — has consistently attempted to coordinate security with Israel, often against the wishes of its own people and the resolutions of the Palestine National Council in exile.
Yet, Israel’s far-right government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and supported by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has systematically undermined Palestinian institutions.
Smotrich’s financial blockade of Ramallah is particularly destructive. Israel collects nearly two billion US dollars in taxes and customs under the Oslo Accords, funds that should support Palestinian public services. Initially, Israel deducted portions to penalise payments to the families of prisoners and martyrs.
When loopholes were closed, Smotrich simply refused to transfer any funds, effectively crippling the Palestinian banking system and eroding the only financial framework allowed under Israeli oversight. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has consistently rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza-related negotiations, ignoring proposals for a coordinated post-war solution.
The humanitarian consequences are severe. The blockade of essential food and medical supplies in Gaza has generated global outrage. Even staunch Israeli allies in Europe and the United States were shocked by images of mass starvation and suffering.
While France and other nations have moved toward recognising Palestinian statehood as a response, Israel has doubled down on its policies, seemingly driven not by strategic calculation but ideological fervour. Netanyahu’s declaration of a “historic and spiritual desire for Greater Israel” has elicited alarm across the region, including in Jordan and Egypt, both of which maintain formal peace treaties with Israel.
The expansion of settlements, particularly in the sensitive E1 corridor east of Jerusalem, further illustrates Israel’s intent to entrench its control over Palestinian lands.
Smotrich’s announcement of 3,400 new housing units, despite repeated objections from the United States and Europe, threatens to sever continuity between the northern and southern West Bank, effectively precluding a contiguous Palestinian state. Armed settler groups, emboldened by the government, have attacked Palestinians with impunity, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Jordan cannot afford to remain a passive observer. Its society is deeply intertwined with Palestinian communities, and domestic tensions often mirror the broader Palestinian struggle. From stadium rivalries to mass protests during Gaza conflicts, the lines between Jordanian and Palestinian identity blur, highlighting the fragility of national cohesion under external pressures. By reinstating conscription, Jordan is sending a dual message: it is fortifying its national defence while reinforcing a sense of collective identity among its youth.
Though the number of recruits, 6,000, is relatively modest, symbolism matters. Shared military service can unify citizens across class, religious, and geographic divides, instilling a sense of purpose and belonging at a time when Israel’s policies threaten regional stability.
The initiative also signals to Israel and the international community that Jordan will not tolerate unchecked expansionism or the undermining of Palestinian sovereignty.
The broader regional context amplifies these risks. Israeli skirmishes with Lebanon, the ongoing occupation of Syrian territories, and chronic volatility across the Middle East make complacency impossible.
For Jordan, conscription is both practical and strategic: it prepares citizens for potential threats while reinforcing the kingdom’s sovereignty and social cohesion. History demonstrates that collective service can act as a stabilising force, promoting unity in the face of external pressures.
Meanwhile, the international community remains divided. While many nations increasingly recognise the legitimacy of a Palestinian state, Israel continues to pursue policies of settlement, repression, and occupation with impunity.
Ceasefire proposals, humanitarian interventions, and diplomatic negotiations have often been blocked or ignored, with Western powers, sometimes complicit, covering for Israeli actions. Against this backdrop, Jordan’s proactive stance stands out as a clear effort to safeguard national interests, regional stability, and moral responsibility toward the Palestinian people.
Ultimately, Jordan’s reinstatement of mandatory service is not nostalgia; it is a necessity. Sovereignty, unity, and survival are non-negotiable. The kingdom is preparing its citizens not only to defend the nation physically but also to uphold a shared identity rooted in resilience, history, and solidarity with Palestinians.
In a region where Israeli policies continue to destabilise the landscape, Jordan’s message is unmistakable: it will act decisively to protect its people, its borders, and its principles.
Jordan’s modest conscription program may seem symbolic, but symbols carry weight. In the face of Israeli expansionism, this policy serves as a shield, a statement, and a call to unity. By preparing its youth, fortifying its army, and asserting its sovereignty, Jordan is demonstrating that it will neither be passive nor vulnerable as Israel reshapes the political and geographic realities of the region.
Daoud Kuttab, an award-winning Palestinian journalist, is a former journalism professor at Princeton University and former director and Founder of the Institute of Modern Media at Al-Quds University in Ramallah.
Follow him on Twitter: @daoudkuttab
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Opinions expressed in this article remain th