Politics of the Middle East Jordan, Palestine, Israel

People Population, 7,930,491 Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% Muslim 97.2% (predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.2%

Government Parliamentary Multi Party Monarchy King Abdullah II King is the executive, signs and vetoes laws, may suspend or dissolve parliament. A veto by the king may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of parliament at his discretion appoints and dismisses judges, approves constitutional amendments, declares war, head of the military

History Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Trans-Jordan, Emerit of Jordan 1946 Independence 1948 – 1967 Gained control of the West Bank 1951 Abdullah I killed 1957 End of security pact with UK 1958 Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan

1967 Six day War, loss of West Bank 1970 Black September 1973 War, 1 Brigade to Syria, Israel Jordan Peace Pact October 26, 1994, ending 46-year state of war. 1999 Death of King Hussein King Abdullah II, political reforms economic cooperation with Egypt, Syria, Israel 2011 Arab Revolutions, protests quelled by some reforms, extended subsidies, reappointment of ministers and early parliamentary elections.

Black September Fedayeen: Loose collection of Palestinian resistance 1967 United under the PLO actions in Jordan including the destruction of three hijacked international airliners and attempted assassination of the king prompted military response Jordanian victory in July 1971, Fedayeen expelled Syrian intervention threatens to start regional war Center of Palestinian militancy relocates to Lebanon

Foreign Relations Pro-Western, close ties US, UK European Neighbour Policy, Non-NATO member ally

Israel

People Populations 8,230,000 76% Jewish, 21% Arab, 3% other Hebrew and Arabic Language

Origins of the Idea Israel means Jacob in reference to the Patriarch "struggle with God"[ Twelve Tribes of Israel Jacob From  Canaan were forced by famine to go into Egypt for four generations until Moses lead the Exodus.

Zionism nationalist movement that supports the creation of a Jewish Zionist Congress Aliyah, Immigration waves, (1884), (1904–14), (1919–1923), (1924–1929) 1903, declined a British offer to establish a homeland in Uganda. WWII 33% increase of Jews in Palestine fear that American Jews would encourage the USA to support Germany in WW I resulted in Balfour Declaration

Mandatory Palestine Balfour Declaration 1917, “His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” Influx of Jewish Migrants, Jerusalem Riots 1920 White Paper 1922. Limited Jewish immigration 1929 Riots 1931, 17% of Palestine Jewish 1936-39 Arab Revolt 1948-49 Civil War

Government Unitary Parliamentary Republic Knesset 120 members PM is head of government Unstable coalitions

20th Knesset

Coalition Government 30 Likud 6 United Torah Judaism 7 Shas 10 Kulanu 8 Jewish Home

Settlement 382,031 West Bank, 300,000, East Jerusalem 20,000 in the Golan Heights Considered illegal by international community UN Vote, 158 of 166, 160 of 171

Palestine

People West Bank 2.5 Million Gaza I.8 Million E. Jerusalem 1.6 Million Muslim 85%, Jewish, 13%, Christian 2%

Government 1994 Palestinian Authority established by the Oslo Accords as an interim government semi-presidential multi-party republic, with a Legislative Council, an executive President, and a Prime Minister President and parliament elected by the people 2006 Hamas wins decisive election in parliament Hamas considered unfit to govern as it rejects the platform of the Oslo accords

Fatah and Hamas ReconciliationHamas 1) The Palestinian Authority government will be empowered to carry out fully its responsibilities in administrating the Gaza Strip as it does in the West Bank by December 1. 2) A PA-formed committee will resolve the employees issue by February 1. While the committee works to resolve the employees issue and after the PA is enabled to carry out its administrative and financial powers in Gaza including tax collection, the PA will pay the Hamas-appointed employees their salaries.

3) Border crossings in Gaza with Israel and Egypt will be transferred to the PA by November 1. 4) PA security leaders will go to Gaza to discuss ways and mechanisms to rebuild the security services with relevant parties. 5) A meeting in Cairo will take place in the first week of December to evaluate the implementation of what was agreed between Hamas and Fatah. 6) All the Palestinian factions that signed the Cairo reconciliation agreement in 2011, will meet on November 14 in the Egyptian capital to discuss the 2011 agreement.