Abdullah Sawalha

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Nemesis-Abdullah-Suwalha

Overview:
Abdullah Sawalha, a Jordanian researcher, is one of the few voices who blatantly support Israel’s genocidal policies in Jordan. He promotes Israel as being a “reliable ally” for Jordan and other Arab countries. His field of study is Israeli politics, government, and society, and has a PhD in Israeli studies.
Abdullah is the founder and director of the Center for Israel Studies Jordan (CIS). He works with the Washington Institute (WINEP), which is an affiliated institution of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He suggests improving economic and social relations between Israel and Arab countries, which necessitates working on improving Arab public opinion towards Israel. Israeli media and newspapers frequently publish his views. Abdullah currently resides in the UAE and is one of the advisers of the UAE government.
In short, Sawalha can be regarded as one of Israel’s Arab mouthpieces working as part of Tel Aviv’s “outside-in” strategy. The “outside-in” strategy seeks to stifle the Palestinian cause by breaking external Arab regional support for it, while also wining legitimacy, crucial information and added access to regional resources for Israel.

Founder and Director of the Center for Israel Studies in Jordan (CIS)

In 2014, Sawalha founded the Center for Israel Studies Jordan (CIS). This Jordanian think tank claims to be an independent non-profit that studies Israeli politics and society, seeking to provide opportunities “for anyone interested in Israel”. Abdullah states that the think tank wants to increase the influence of the Zionist Israeli government in the Arab world by media, science and research activity.1

Cooperation with Zionist Lobby in US

Abdullah Sawalha works in the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP). Deeper investigations indicate that this institution is affiliated with the AIPAC organization. His cooperation with WINEP is still standing.2

In instance of Sawalha’s articles praising Arab-Israel rapprochement published in WINEP’s “Fikra Forum”

Normalizing the Apartheid State

Sawalha established the Center for Israel Studies (CIS) in Jordan without facing legal obstacles. It is clear that the establishment of such a think tank is possible only with either Jordanian or Zionist support. In a notable instance, the CIS sent 6 Jordanian students to Tel Aviv to study Israeli politics, social matters and learn Hebrew in 2016. Such exchanges, unhampered by Jordanian authorities, demonstrate a certain level of coordination between the Jordanian government and the apartheid Israeli regime.3

Moving to UAE after “Abraham Accords”

Sawalha has been in Jordan for many years, but since 2021, shifted his work to supporting the UAE government and its policies. Such a shift, only a year after the UAE recognized the Israeli regime as part of the “Abraham Accords”, demonstrates a meaningful pattern, matching immediate Israeli foreign interests in the Middle East. Sawalha currently lives in the UAE and is considered a UAE government advisor.

Sawalha tweet congratulating UAE’s national day

Sawalha’s Presence in Israeli Media

Israeli media and newspapers commonly publish Sawalha’s views on various issues and, if necessary, do exclusive interviews with him. For example, in 2015, “The Times of Israel” interviewed him in the office of the CIS.4 In a statement, Abdullah said that to change the attitude and view of the people of Arab countries towards Israel, the development of Israel’s economic and social relations with these countries “is an urgent and fundamental need”. He further stated that the Arab governments consider Israel “not an enemy but a partner”.5


1: https://cisamman.org/

2: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/ar/policy-analysis/alardn-ywd-aly-althalf-alsny-alasrayyly

3: https://www.7iber.com/politics-economics/academic-relations-with-israel/

4: https://www.timesofisrael.com/what-jordanians-talk-about-when-they-talk-about-israel/

5: https://www.raialyoum.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%91-%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%AA/

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