Rationale
The new radical right-wing government in Israel and its declared expansionist policies in the West bank and Jerusalem, in combination with the protracted weakness of the Palestinian Authority, are raising concerns in Jordan. The Hashemite Kingdom shares manifold ties with Palestine and is affected by dynamics there, including by the risk of spill-over if further escalation of Israeli-Palestinian tensions occurs. Against this backdrop, Jordan should be prepared to deal with the possible future developments west of the Jordan river. Therefore, a definition of Jordan’s respective national interests and its foreign policy tools is needed. Furthermore, we have to reflect about what are likely scenarios in Palestine in the short- and mid-term future. How can Jordan react to them and how – and how far – can it influence future developments in Palestine or Israel in the first place? The Jordan Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the Al Quds Center for Political Studies are convening a group of experts to develop and assess Jordan’s policy options in the face of current and possible future developments concerning the Middle East Conflict. The final goal is to come up with qualified policy options for Jordan, and, by extension, to its international partners.

Agenda

February 10, 2023

14:00 Welcome Coffee and Registration

15:00 Setting the Scene: Welcome, Topical and Methodological Introduction

(plenary)

- Oraib Al-Rantawi, Founder and Director, Al Quds Center for Political Studies, Amman
- Edmund Ratka, Resident Representative to Jordan, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Amman
- Oliver Gnad, Bureau für Zeitgeschehen (Bureau of Current Affairs), Frankfurt

15:45 What if…? The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict -Upcoming Scenarios

16:15 Coffee Break

16:30 Discussion of Scenarios / Introduction of Wild Cards

18:00 End of Day 1

20:00 Common Dinner

February 11, 2023

9:30 Welcome and Recap Day 1
(plenary)

9:45 Jordan’s National Interests

11:00 Coffee Break

11:20 Working Groups I
How the Scenarios affect Jordan’s Interests

12:45 Lunch

14:00 Report from Working Groups and Discussion
(plenary)

15:15 Coffee Break

15:30 Working Groups II
Jordan’s Foreign Policy Options

17:00 End of Day 2

 Informal Dinner

February 12, 2023

9:30 Welcome and Recap Day 2
(plenary)
Report from the Working Groups

10:30 Working Groups III
Policy Priorities / Policy Options – Developing a Strategic Toolbox for Jordan

11:45 Coffee Break

12:15 Plenary
Reporting from Working Groups & Discussion

13:30 Key Take Aways & Closing Remarks

14:00 End of Workshop

14:00 Lunch