Experts confirmed that the “Dignity” Crossing Operation at the King Hussein Bridge occurred as a natural consequence of Israeli violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The experts pointed out that the danger this operation poses to the Israeli occupation lies in the impact on Israeli society, whose government has attempted to convince it that the Palestinian people are isolated from their Arab surroundings, abandoned by Arab nations to fight the occupation alone.
The Dignity Crossing operation was carried out by Jordanian truck driver Maher Al-Jazi, resulting in the deaths of three Israelis. He used a pistol hidden in his truck, which successfully passed through Israeli security checkpoints before he carried out the operation on the Israeli side of the crossing.
“Sunna Files Web” discussed with experts the impact of this operation on the ceasefire negotiation process, as well as the degree of threat it poses to Israel’s security, both internally and externally.
They confirmed that while it might not significantly impact the negotiation process, especially with the extreme right-wing in power in Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on continuing the war, it does highlight critical vulnerabilities.
A Natural Response
Jordanian military and strategic expert Dr. Nidal Abu Zaid stated, “This operation is a natural consequence that the Jordanian side has warned about multiple times. This was echoed in official warnings by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who emphasized that the ongoing Israeli violations and escalation in the West Bank and Gaza would inevitably lead to increased security operations, as seen in the Dignity Crossing operation on the Israeli side last Sunday.”
In an exclusive statement,” Abu Zaid added, “What happened on the Israeli side of the crossing, despite the high level of security and customs inspection that includes both electronic technology and manual searches, represents a clear security breach, the result of Israeli laxity in its security procedures. Therefore, the incident occurred as a natural consequence, repeatedly warned about by the Jordanian side.”
On the military impact of this operation, Abu Zaid commented, “The occupation might exploit this incident to escalate military operations in areas near the Jordanian border, especially since the city of Jericho lies on the road connecting the crossing to occupied territories in the West Bank.”
He continued, “We might see an escalation in Israeli media rhetoric, an increase in security measures along the Jordanian-Israeli border, and perhaps attempts by the Israeli side to promote a new security reality on the Jordanian border.”
Abu Zaid noted that Israel had previously spoken about forming a new border guard unit to be deployed along the Jordanian border and had discussed new security measures to tighten control of the border. “We can expect heightened calls from the far-right in Israel for stronger measures against Jordan,” he added.
The Failure of Israeli-Arab Normalization
This operation comes at a time when the occupation is intensifying its military aggression on several Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the West Bank, including Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm. The occupation forces have also assassinated and arrested numerous resistance fighters, in addition to destroying the infrastructure of these cities under the pretext of protecting settlers and preventing Palestinian attacks.
Despite the occupation’s measures to prevent internal attacks, and its heightened border security, this operation came as a shock. Maher Al-Jazi, the martyr who carried out the operation, came from outside the Palestinian territories, raising serious concerns for Israel.
Suleiman Basharat, an expert on Israeli affairs, explained, “The danger of this operation for the occupation lies in several aspects: First, it shows that collective Arab consciousness still rejects the Israeli occupation and continues to view it as unacceptable, despite normalization and peace agreements.”
In his interview,” Basharat added, “Through these agreements, the occupation sought to neutralize the Arab and Islamic populations, distancing them from the Palestinian cause to isolate it. Yet, it has utterly failed, particularly in its long-standing attempts to portray Palestinians as having sold their land and abandoned their cause. The operation brings the issue back into focus, demonstrating that the Palestinian cause remains deeply connected to the broader Arab, regional, and Islamic context.”
He further noted, “This operation may inspire Arab and Muslim youth from various geographical locations, not only from areas directly surrounding Palestine, but also from further afield.”
Basharat warned, “This could lead to a resurgence of such operations, potentially escalating to organized efforts targeting the Israeli occupation. While current operations remain individual, Israel fears that they could evolve into coordinated, organized attacks.”
He concluded, “The most significant threat to the occupation lies in Israeli society itself. Israeli leaders have spent 67 years convincing their people that their primary conflict is with the Palestinians and that Israel can be accepted as part of the Middle East equation. However, it is now clear that Israeli leadership cannot convince the public that their strategies have succeeded. Instead, there will be renewed discussions on the failure of Israeli policies and their role in fueling more hatred and confrontations with the region’s peoples.”
The Negotiation Process
Regarding the potential impact of the Dignity Crossing operation on ceasefire negotiations, Basharat believes it will “add another point to the ongoing debate about the war and its consequences. There is growing concern about the occupation’s policies and how the extremist right, along with religious Zionism, has driven the occupation to this point, where operations are targeting the Israeli interior.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, there is an ideological perspective in Israel that insists on intensifying the use of force against Palestinians, even in the face of such operations. Netanyahu’s post-operation speech reflects this, where he sought to blame Iran, Hamas, and the resistance axis, labeling them the ‘axis of evil’ in an attempt to deflect responsibility.”
In conclusion, Basharat noted, “While this operation may not directly influence the negotiation process, as the far-right, religious Zionism, and Netanyahu remain in control of Israeli decision-making, they will likely exploit this event to rally Israeli society around what Netanyahu calls an ‘existential battle.'”
Military expert Nidal Abu Zaid echoed this sentiment, stating, “It is likely that the Israeli side will resort to diplomatic negotiations and ceasefire talks to prevent further operations.”
However, he added, “Given the mindset of the Israeli right, this operation may instead be used to justify further escalation, particularly against the West Bank, under the pretext of preventing future security operations and martyrdom missions.”
Regarding Jordan-Israel relations, Abu Zaid commented, “Since the far-right took over in Israel, diplomatic relations with Jordan have been strained, with frequent provocations from Israel.”
He continued, “These provocations include Finance Minister Smotrich’s map showing Jordan as part of Israel and efforts to control the Jordan Valley, an area outside the scope of the Israel-Palestine peace agreement. Israeli rhetoric has also escalated, with Israeli officials calling for the displacement of Palestinians, further straining relations with Jordan.”
