Unity and legitimacy: Jordan's shield against rising challenges

Jordan is currently undergoing a sensitive and delicate phase in its history, amid escalating regional and international challenges and intensifying political and intellectual polarisation in the region. Amid this turbulent reality, there is an urgent need to consolidate national cohesion and strengthen the domestic front, as the first line of defence for the nation's security and stability.

The recent attempts by the so-called Muslim Brotherhood to form armed groups under various pretexts constitute a dangerous development that threatens the unity and stability of the state and reveals intentions that go beyond peaceful political action to pursue illegitimate paths that undermine national sovereignty.

The Jordanian state's response was decisive and swift, based on its constitutional responsibility to protect internal security. This response was widely welcomed and deeply comforted by various segments of the Jordanian people, who recognise the seriousness of this divisive path to their security and the future of their country. 

Experience has proven that nations cannot withstand storms if they are divided, fractured in their national decisions, and preoccupied with internal disputes that consume their energies and confuse their compass. Nations succeed, however, if they realise that moments of threat are not met with slogans and emotions, but rather with unity, rallying around the leadership, and trust in state institutions, especially the armed forces and security services, as the backbone of stability and sovereignty.

Jordan, with its steadfast Hashemite leadership, has never been closed off from the issues of its nation, foremost among them the Palestinian cause. Rather, it has always been a fundamental pillar in defending the rights of the Palestinian people and was the first to make sacrifices, politically, militarily and humanely, for this people to attain their legitimate rights.

However, this historic role has never been a cause for outbidding or adventurism. Rather, it was accomplished with the wisdom of the state, through its legitimate tools, and in a manner that preserves, first and foremost, Jordan's security and stability. In this context, it is important to emphasise that the decision of war or peace, in any circumstance or phase, is the exclusive prerogative of the state and its constitutional institutions.

It is a sovereign right exercised by the Jordanian political system within a strategic vision that considers the supreme national interest, preserves lives, and protects the state's gains. Popular enthusiasm cannot be reduced to individual or collective calls to bypass this legitimacy. Rather, it must be directed toward strengthening the state, fortifying national decisions, and advancing political and diplomatic action within a comprehensive national framework.

What Jordan needs today is to protect its internal front from disruption and chaos, and from attempts to exploit popular sentiment toward the nation's issues for purposes outside the national context. The nation is not an arena for testing slogans, nor a venue for registering emotional positions. Rather, it is a political and social entity based on law, institutions, and supreme interests. From this standpoint, any calls to bypass state institutions question its leadership, or disrupt its decisions only weaken the national position and create serious rifts in their internal structure.

Jordan's true strength lies not only in its military equipment and resources, but also in its people's awareness, sincere loyalty, national unity, and their support for the Hashemite leadership, which has proven throughout history its ability to overcome crises with wisdom and competence. 

Citizens' support for their military and security institutions is not merely a symbolic stance; it is an expression of a deep belief that these institutions are the nation's shield, ensuring its security and stability amidst a world filled with volatility.

It is also important to recognise that a state's strength stems from its ability to assert its sovereignty internally and from its vision and decision-making in managing public affairs. Nothing can be more dangerous to a state than a multiplicity of decision-making centers or the opening of space for agendas outside the framework of constitutional institutions. A nation is not protected by noise, but by rallying around the state, trusting its leadership, and supporting its army and security services.

As for the Palestinian cause, Jordan will continue to support it in all forums and will not hesitate to support the Palestinian people by all possible means. However, this support must remain within the framework of the Jordanian state, under the umbrella of its sovereignty, and in line with its strategic vision and regional position. It must not involve being drawn into ill-advised adventures, the consequences of which could be devastating for all.

The most important message that must be emphasised today is that the voice of the state is the loudest voice, the voice of reason, wisdom, and the national interest. The Jordanian flag, raised high with the blood of martyrs and the sacrifices of free people, must remain above all other flags, a symbol of sovereignty, stability, and dignity. 

Let our motto at this stage be: the nation comes first, our national unity is a red line, and the state's decision is the final arbiter, as it is the true guarantee of Jordan's protection, security, and standing among nations.

Hasan Dajah is professor of strategic studies at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University