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| Israeli military route through Jordan |
The Jordanian government has given the green light for the Israeli military to use its airspace for the first time, according to press reports in the United States.
Jordan has agreed to allow Israel to use its airspace to monitor the situation in the war in Syria, Western intelligence sources told a newspaper in France.
The report released Monday by the French newspaper said that two air corridors, one in southern Jordan to the Negev region in southern Israel and another one north of Amman, have been made available to the Israeli Air Force.
Israel has expressed concern about the situation in Syria, including concerns about jihadist elements operating near the borders and about the stockpiles of chemical weapons in the country, the newspaper said.
Jordan's King Abdullah decided to allow Israel to use its airspace after meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Jordan in March, the newspaper said.
Abdullah's decision threatens the fragile situation facing Jordan because of the thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan. The Syrian presence in Jordan has affected the country's economy.
“It is about time that moderate Muslim countries, like Jordan, realize that a strategic alliance with Israel benefits all parties involved,” Terry Kendall, 34, of Greenville, South Carolina told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the alliance.
The newspaper also said that the Syrian President, Bashar Assad, has rejected all proposals for a ceasefire and in a recent television interview he issued a warning to Jordan.
"The fire does not stop at our borders. Everyone knows that Jordan is also exposed to the same crisis that is facing Syria," Assad was quoted as saying. The air access into Jordan will also give Israel an open corridor to reach Iran.