Jordan has been watching moves to normalize ties between Gulf states and Israel with concern as the Arab consensus has crumbled around conditioning the recognition of Israel to its withdrawal from Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and the creation of a Palestinian state. 

US President Donald Trump has stated that "seven or eight" states may soon follow suit in normalizing ties with Israel. Jordan declined a White House invitation to attend the Sept. 15 ceremony in which the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed historic agreements recognizing Israel.

Jordan has reacted to the latest developments by reiterating Amman's position on the Palestinian question. On Sept. 17, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz told a local radio station that there will be no lasting and comprehensive peace while Israel continues to take unilateral steps that undermine the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital. He added that Jordan wants to maintain a united Arab stance on this issue.

While ordinary Jordanians were quick to denounce the White House event on social media, calling the step taken by the UAE and Bahrain a betrayal, local news outlets avoided any mention of the ceremony. All eyes are now on Saudi Arabia, whose official position continues to back the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. There has not been any public contact between Amman and Riyadh since the UAE declared its readiness to normalize ties with Israel last month. A reliable source told Al-Monitor that Jordan had informed the UAE of its decision not to attend the White House ceremony and that Abu Dhabi understood Amman’s delicate position.