Jun. 24, 2015
New Jordanian Think Tank Focuses on Israel – Karin Laub (AP)
The Center for Israel Studies has quietly began operations in Amman, Jordan, setting up a website this year that publishes Arabic translations of Israeli articles about Israel and its views of the Arab world, as well as producing its own studies about Israel.
Director Abdullah Sawalha, a former employee in Jordan’s government spokesman’s office, said, “Israel exists in this region….Many, many people (in Jordan) have an interest in this subject, but they don’t talk about it.”
Oded Eran, a former Israeli ambassador to Jordan, said, “I really admire their courage because it is not easy in an Arab country to speak objectively about Israel.”