1. Summary: Feeling the fragility of the Hashemite throne, Jordan’s strong woman, Queen Rania, has ordered her intelligence apparatus to enlist the help of an Arab-Israeli journalist to groom Israeli Minister of Security Itamar Ben-Gvir into befriending the Hashemite kingdom or at least accept Jordan’s claim of “sovereignty” over Al-Aqsa Mosque. The said Arab Israeli journalist has been a valuable asset for the Jordanian General Intelligence Department (GID) for decades. He received orders to approach Ben-Gvir from his Jordanian handlers amid a trip to the United States. He swiftly outreached to Ben-Gvir’s office as soon as he returned to Israel. Nonetheless, the Israeli security agencies have been aware of the plot from the beginning and are keeping an eye on the said journalist’s actions and movements. In addition, it is not remotely possible that Ben-Gvir would fall for the amateurish Jordanian plot.
2. Israeli intelligence sources have confirmed with JaFaJ that Jordan’s Royal Family is trying to find a way to either “befriend or neutralize the Israeli Minister of Security Itamar Ben-Gvir.” JaFaJ has learned that upon orders from Jordan’s Queen Rania, the palace-controlled Jordanian intelligence apparatus was instructed to “find a way to make peace with this crazy guy” [COMMENT: Queen Rania of Jordan is considered by many to be Jordan’s de facto ruler. King Abdullah, her husband, is known for delegating most policy decisions to her as indicated by cables produced by the American Embassy in Amman and made available over the Wikileaks website, https://search.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/02AMMAN3978_a.html END COMMENT].
3. Note: The Government of Jordan (GOJ) considers Itamar Ben-Gvir a threat because of his views on expanding Israel’s access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, an action that is considered a threat to the Hashemite Kingdom’s prestige as the custodian of Islam’s third holiest site. Since taking over his position as Minister of Security in the Government of Israel, Ben-Gvir has made multiple visits to the premises of Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as the holy shine. The visits are not banned by either the Israeli government or the Jordanian Waqf which runs the Muslim side of the holy site. Nonetheless, the Hashemite Kingdom has been making a huge fuss about this, and has enlisted her closest allies, such as the United Arab Emirates, to “condemn Ben-Gvir’s visits.”
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The Journalist Turned Hitman
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4. JaFaJ has learned that Queen Rania’s office has enlisted the help of a long-time Jordanian intelligence asset – a Jerusalem-based Arab Israeli journalist. According to an Israeli intelligence source, “The said journalist has gained the trust of the Jordanian intelligence leadership as he proved himself an irreplaceable asset to them over the years.” A Jordanian intelligence source who now resides in Europe confirmed to JaFaJ, “He is our hitman, if the guys [GID] want to attack anyone in Israel or defame him, he was the man they went to, he is very cunning and a horrible narcissist, and has carried out effective campaigns in Israel on behalf of the Mukhabarat [GID]”
5. To avoid Israeli detection, the Jordanians conveyed their orders to the journalist during a trip he made to the United States. Unbeknown to the journalist and his Jordanian handlers, the Israelis had been watching all the way. JaFaJ has learned that a Jordanian intelligence operative met with the journalist in a major American city, and handed him the task, as well as “greetings from His Majesty the King himself.” When the journalist expressed concerns that the Israeli agencies were watching him closely, he said that he feared “that he could get caught spying for Jordan.” According to sources, his Jordanian handler responded that the journalist should fear nothing “because the King secured the release of the Jordanian MP who smuggled weapons and gold to Israel, right under the Israelis’ nose.” The handlers assured the journalist “If they [the Israelis] bother you, His Majesty will be able to secure your release too. Nobody is going to touch a hair on your head.”
6. The said journalist contacted Ben-Gvir’s office on Sunday the 25th of June, a working day in Israel, and requested a meeting with Ben-Gvir within his professional capacity as a journalist. Ben-Gvir’s offices asked that he “put his request in writing and explain the purpose of the interview.” He responded with a letter in which he said that he “wanted to help Ben-Gvir polish his image.”
7. Note: Ben-Gvir has been facing a huge defamation campaign lately. The Israeli left is portraying him as crazy radical, while the Israeli right doubts his sincerity and capability to fulfil his job as Security Minister. An outsider to the Israeli establishment, Ben-Gvir does not have many sympathizers. For example, because of his views on settlements and Israel’s sovereignty in the West Bank, the American Embassy has excluded him from their 4th of July celebration. [COMMENT: The yearly event is considered a political Woodstock for Israel’s elite: END COMMENT]. On the face of it, it appears that the journalist wanted to play on Ben-Gvir’s weakness, offering him help with his public image in an effort to both approach him and groom him. JaFaJ’s Jordanian intelligence source who is now retired in Europe described the said journalist as “a master of manipulation who has a habit of promising Israelis to do a lot of things for them, and in some cases, we helped him deliver fiscal advantages to many influential Israelis and American Jews in the form of gifts”.
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Ben-Gvir Not Falling for It
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8. An Israeli security source opined to JaFaJ that “Ben-Gvir is not stupid, and he is not going to fall for this.” The source added, “We are keeping an eye on the Arab journalist and following his movements closely.” The source added that “It seems the Jordanian monarchy is so desperate and afraid that they are resorting to desperate measures.” The source concluded by saying that “This is Israel, not Syria. They cannot groom a senior Israeli security official” [COMMENT: The Hashemite monarchy ruling Jordan has been facing growing internal economic, political and social challenges. The Queen, Rania, is obsessed with what she believes is an Israeli-American-Saudi plot to depose her husband. Neither country has exhibited any form of hostility to the Jordanian monarchy over the past decade. Nonetheless, Rania’s obsession with this conspiracy theory and her uncalculated actions are unstoppable. END COMMENT]