The impact of the situation in the West Bank on Jordanian national security
The right of return has been at the heart of the Palestinian issue since the Nakba of 1948. It is an inalienable individual and collective right, linked to identity, ownership and historical justice, and not merely a circumstantial political demand. This right is embodied today in the reality of millions of Palestinian refugees, in the conditions of the camps, in the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and in the house demolitions, military operations and forced displacement that West Bank camps are subjected to developments with direct and indirect repercussions on Jordanian national security.
The number of Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA is approximately 5.9 million, distributed across its five areas of operation. More than 2.39 million registered Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan, making it the country hosting the largest number of Palestinian refugees. This figure reflects the intrinsic link between the Palestinian issue and Jordanian stability. Any negative development in the refugee situation or any new wave of displacement is not confined to the Palestinian territories; its humanitarian, economic, and security repercussions extend to Jordan.
UNRWA plays a pivotal role in providing education, healthcare, relief and social services to millions of refugees, forming a vital safety net in the camps. However, the increasing pressures facing the agency financial, political, and operational coincide with an unprecedented deterioration in humanitarian conditions within the West Bank camps. This exacerbates the already fragile social and economic situation and increases the likelihood of unrest, violence and instability.
During 2025, Israeli military operations escalated within the camps of the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams. These operations were accompanied by widespread destruction of infrastructure, including roads, water and electricity networks, as well as the demolition and damage of homes. The destruction of 1,640 buildings in these camps has been documented, ranging from destruction to severe or moderate damage. This figure reflects the scale of the devastation in densely populated areas already suffering from poverty and high unemployment rates.
As a result of these operations, at least 33,919 Palestinian refugees have been displaced from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps and their surrounding areas since the beginning of 2025, marking one of the largest waves of internal displacement in the West Bank in years. Concurrently, the policy of demolishing Palestinian homes and structures under the pretext of lack of permits continued, particularly in Area C and East Jerusalem. More than 1,500 Palestinians were displaced during 2025 because of these demolitions, exacerbating the reality of forced displacement and undermining social stability.
On the humanitarian and security front, data indicates a significant increase in the number of martyrs and wounded. Between October 7, 2023, and June 10, 2024, 110 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, among them 126 children, and more than 5,200 Palestinians were injured, including approximately 800 children. A significant proportion of these injuries and deaths occurred during military operations inside or around refugee camps. In 2025 alone, the number of wounded in the West Bank exceeded 3,200 by mid-October, reflecting the continued escalation and expansion of violence.
The issue of arrests constitutes one of the most prominent forms of pressure on Palestinian society. As of November 2025, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons reached approximately 9,183, including those convicted, detained, and held under administrative detention. From October 7, 2023, to May 2025, more than 17,000 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank, including Jerusalem an unprecedented number that has profound social and psychological repercussions for families and society, exacerbating tensions and instability.
These developments have a direct and profound impact on Jordanian national security, given the geographical proximity, demographic overlap, and political and humanitarian ties between Jordan and the West Bank. The continued demolition of camps and the destruction of their neighborhoods, along with the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, raises serious concerns about scenarios of wider forced displacement or a gradual exodus eastward.
This could place additional burdens on Jordan's limited resources, infrastructure, and basic services, especially considering that it already hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees. Furthermore, the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the rising numbers of martyrs, wounded, and detainees deepen feelings of anger, despair, and frustration within Palestinian society. These feelings are not confined geographically but could impact regional stability and provide fertile ground for extremism and violence.
This challenge is amplified by any reduction in UNRWA services or weakening of its role, given the direct impact this has on social and economic stability. The fragile situation in the West Bank and the limited capacity of Palestinian institutions to maintain order increase the likelihood of unrest near Jordan's vital sphere of influence, making addressing these developments a national security imperative, not merely a political or humanitarian stance.
Furthermore, any weakening of UNRWA's role or any decline in its ability to provide services threatens the disintegration of social protection systems within the camps, which has direct repercussions for Jordan given the deep demographic, social, and economic ties. Therefore, what is happening in the West Bank camps cannot be separated from the concept of Jordanian national security, which is closely linked to protecting the right of return, rejecting displacement policies, supporting the resilience of refugees, and preventing the ongoing Palestinian tragedy from escalating into a new regional crisis.
The right of return has been at the heart of the Palestinian issue since the Nakba of 1948. It is an inalienable individual and collective right, linked to identity, ownership and historical justice, and not merely a circumstantial political demand. This right is embodied today in the reality of millions of Palestinian refugees, in the conditions of the camps, in the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and in the house demolitions, military operations and forced displacement that West Bank camps are subjected to developments with direct and indirect repercussions on Jordanian national security.
The number of Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA is approximately 5.9 million, distributed across its five areas of operation. More than 2.39 million registered Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan, making it the country hosting the largest number of Palestinian refugees. This figure reflects the intrinsic link between the Palestinian issue and Jordanian stability. Any negative development in the refugee situation or any new wave of displacement is not confined to the Palestinian territories; its humanitarian, economic, and security repercussions extend to Jordan.
UNRWA plays a pivotal role in providing education, healthcare, relief and social services to millions of refugees, forming a vital safety net in the camps. However, the increasing pressures facing the agency financial, political, and operational coincide with an unprecedented deterioration in humanitarian conditions within the West Bank camps. This exacerbates the already fragile social and economic situation and increases the likelihood of unrest, violence and instability.
During 2025, Israeli military operations escalated within the camps of the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams. These operations were accompanied by widespread destruction of infrastructure, including roads, water and electricity networks, as well as the demolition and damage of homes. The destruction of 1,640 buildings in these camps has been documented, ranging from destruction to severe or moderate damage. This figure reflects the scale of the devastation in densely populated areas already suffering from poverty and high unemployment rates.
As a result of these operations, at least 33,919 Palestinian refugees have been displaced from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps and their surrounding areas since the beginning of 2025, marking one of the largest waves of internal displacement in the West Bank in years. Concurrently, the policy of demolishing Palestinian homes and structures under the pretext of lack of permits continued, particularly in Area C and East Jerusalem. More than 1,500 Palestinians were displaced during 2025 because of these demolitions, exacerbating the reality of forced displacement and undermining social stability.
On the humanitarian and security front, data indicates a significant increase in the number of martyrs and wounded. Between October 7, 2023, and June 10, 2024, 110 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, among them 126 children, and more than 5,200 Palestinians were injured, including approximately 800 children. A significant proportion of these injuries and deaths occurred during military operations inside or around refugee camps. In 2025 alone, the number of wounded in the West Bank exceeded 3,200 by mid-October, reflecting the continued escalation and expansion of violence.
The issue of arrests constitutes one of the most prominent forms of pressure on Palestinian society. As of November 2025, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons reached approximately 9,183, including those convicted, detained, and held under administrative detention. From October 7, 2023, to May 2025, more than 17,000 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank, including Jerusalem an unprecedented number that has profound social and psychological repercussions for families and society, exacerbating tensions and instability.
These developments have a direct and profound impact on Jordanian national security, given the geographical proximity, demographic overlap, and political and humanitarian ties between Jordan and the West Bank. The continued demolition of camps and the destruction of their neighborhoods, along with the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, raises serious concerns about scenarios of wider forced displacement or a gradual exodus eastward.
This could place additional burdens on Jordan's limited resources, infrastructure, and basic services, especially considering that it already hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees. Furthermore, the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the rising numbers of martyrs, wounded, and detainees deepen feelings of anger, despair, and frustration within Palestinian society. These feelings are not confined geographically but could impact regional stability and provide fertile ground for extremism and violence.
This challenge is amplified by any reduction in UNRWA services or weakening of its role, given the direct impact this has on social and economic stability. The fragile situation in the West Bank and the limited capacity of Palestinian institutions to maintain order increase the likelihood of unrest near Jordan's vital sphere of influence, making addressing these developments a national security imperative, not merely a political or humanitarian stance.
Furthermore, any weakening of UNRWA's role or any decline in its ability to provide services threatens the disintegration of social protection systems within the camps, which has direct repercussions for Jordan given the deep demographic, social, and economic ties. Therefore, what is happening in the West Bank camps cannot be separated from the concept of Jordanian national security, which is closely linked to protecting the right of return, rejecting displacement policies, supporting the resilience of refugees, and preventing the ongoing Palestinian tragedy from escalating into a new regional crisis.
The right of return has been at the heart of the Palestinian issue since the Nakba of 1948. It is an inalienable individual and collective right, linked to identity, ownership and historical justice, and not merely a circumstantial political demand. This right is embodied today in the reality of millions of Palestinian refugees, in the conditions of the camps, in the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and in the house demolitions, military operations and forced displacement that West Bank camps are subjected to developments with direct and indirect repercussions on Jordanian national security.
The number of Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA is approximately 5.9 million, distributed across its five areas of operation. More than 2.39 million registered Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan, making it the country hosting the largest number of Palestinian refugees. This figure reflects the intrinsic link between the Palestinian issue and Jordanian stability. Any negative development in the refugee situation or any new wave of displacement is not confined to the Palestinian territories; its humanitarian, economic, and security repercussions extend to Jordan.
UNRWA plays a pivotal role in providing education, healthcare, relief and social services to millions of refugees, forming a vital safety net in the camps. However, the increasing pressures facing the agency financial, political, and operational coincide with an unprecedented deterioration in humanitarian conditions within the West Bank camps. This exacerbates the already fragile social and economic situation and increases the likelihood of unrest, violence and instability.
During 2025, Israeli military operations escalated within the camps of the northern West Bank, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams. These operations were accompanied by widespread destruction of infrastructure, including roads, water and electricity networks, as well as the demolition and damage of homes. The destruction of 1,640 buildings in these camps has been documented, ranging from destruction to severe or moderate damage. This figure reflects the scale of the devastation in densely populated areas already suffering from poverty and high unemployment rates.
As a result of these operations, at least 33,919 Palestinian refugees have been displaced from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps and their surrounding areas since the beginning of 2025, marking one of the largest waves of internal displacement in the West Bank in years. Concurrently, the policy of demolishing Palestinian homes and structures under the pretext of lack of permits continued, particularly in Area C and East Jerusalem. More than 1,500 Palestinians were displaced during 2025 because of these demolitions, exacerbating the reality of forced displacement and undermining social stability.
On the humanitarian and security front, data indicates a significant increase in the number of martyrs and wounded. Between October 7, 2023, and June 10, 2024, 110 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, among them 126 children, and more than 5,200 Palestinians were injured, including approximately 800 children. A significant proportion of these injuries and deaths occurred during military operations inside or around refugee camps. In 2025 alone, the number of wounded in the West Bank exceeded 3,200 by mid-October, reflecting the continued escalation and expansion of violence.
The issue of arrests constitutes one of the most prominent forms of pressure on Palestinian society. As of November 2025, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons reached approximately 9,183, including those convicted, detained, and held under administrative detention. From October 7, 2023, to May 2025, more than 17,000 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank, including Jerusalem an unprecedented number that has profound social and psychological repercussions for families and society, exacerbating tensions and instability.
These developments have a direct and profound impact on Jordanian national security, given the geographical proximity, demographic overlap, and political and humanitarian ties between Jordan and the West Bank. The continued demolition of camps and the destruction of their neighborhoods, along with the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees, raises serious concerns about scenarios of wider forced displacement or a gradual exodus eastward.
This could place additional burdens on Jordan's limited resources, infrastructure, and basic services, especially considering that it already hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees. Furthermore, the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the rising numbers of martyrs, wounded, and detainees deepen feelings of anger, despair, and frustration within Palestinian society. These feelings are not confined geographically but could impact regional stability and provide fertile ground for extremism and violence.
This challenge is amplified by any reduction in UNRWA services or weakening of its role, given the direct impact this has on social and economic stability. The fragile situation in the West Bank and the limited capacity of Palestinian institutions to maintain order increase the likelihood of unrest near Jordan's vital sphere of influence, making addressing these developments a national security imperative, not merely a political or humanitarian stance.
Furthermore, any weakening of UNRWA's role or any decline in its ability to provide services threatens the disintegration of social protection systems within the camps, which has direct repercussions for Jordan given the deep demographic, social, and economic ties. Therefore, what is happening in the West Bank camps cannot be separated from the concept of Jordanian national security, which is closely linked to protecting the right of return, rejecting displacement policies, supporting the resilience of refugees, and preventing the ongoing Palestinian tragedy from escalating into a new regional crisis.
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The impact of the situation in the West Bank on Jordanian national security
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