by Nasouh Majali | Nov 04, 2012 | 21:45

In spite of the fact that Jordan respected the Egyptian wish to raise the prices of gas, while Israel insisted on keeping the low price, the Egyptian authorities terminated the gas agreement with Jordan and honoured the low-price agreement with Israel.

Israel has priority because gas supplies to Israel are related indirectly to the American assistance given to Egypt. If Egypt stops supplying gas to Israel or changes the price, the Jewish lobby in the US could lead a campaign to decrease the American financial and military assistance to Egypt.

Terminating the gas agreement with Jordan, on the other hand, is a means of extending political assistance to the ambitious extremist leaders of the Islamic Action Front.

Jordan has to pay the price for not yielding to the political agenda of the IAF.

In both cases, the political factor is dominant. In the case of Israel, Egypt defends its interests, while in the Jordanian case, Egypt ignores the Kingdom’s interests to extend support to one of its political parties.

Egypt is considered a leader in the Arab region. It has a major role in promoting regional economic cooperation and solidarity in the Arab world, for economic strength is key to a political role in their world.

In the Arab world, unfortunately, we still submit economic interests to the fluctuating political factors. That is why trade, fuel supplies, water rights, investments, employment and tourism are affected by political contradictions in the Arab world.

Using economic power as a means of political pressure, if accepted as a rule in political dealings among Arab states, will divide the Arab region even more and will create conflict.

One hopes that Egypt will reconsider its decision and take into consideration the vital interest of our people and the historic relations, not only the interests of one political group in the country.

Those who think that increasing the economic difficulties will lead to more social tension and pressure on the Jordanian state choose to inflict serious economic damage on the Jordanian people at a very critical time, to serve their political purpose.

Continuing to press Jordan while giving priority to Israel and accepting its unjust conditions will definitely reflect badly on their political image.

It will also lead to questioning the real political intentions of the new political regime in Egypt.

Jordan deserves more brotherly understanding, not pressure.

The writer is former minister of information and media expert. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.

http://jordantimes.com/gas—-a-means-of-political-pressure