Abbas and the Jordanian Passport Affair

The problem: You're a Jordanian official who likes to keep the kingdom's Palestinians "in their place" till they can one…

By February 09, 2011

The problem: You’re a Jordanian official who likes to keep the kingdom’s Palestinians “in their place” till they can one day return to the western side of the Jordan River. You read the PaliLeaks, and you’re utterly convinced the PA and Fatah are going hopeless soft on the right of return. You don’t want to be stuck with an estimated two million refugees for the long haul.

The solution: Leak some info about PA leaders who hold Jordanian passports. Drop names like Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qureia, Mohammed Dahlan and Nabil Abu Rudaineh — but don’t provide any context. How or when they obtained those passports is less important than the hornet’s nest you’re sure to stir up.

Jordan’s already revoked thousands of passports it issued to Palestinians, but it’s nothing you’re ashamed of.

After all, if Mahmoud Abbas is acting like Jordan is Palestine, what will the Israelis say? And where will that leave you? 

© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025

Pesach Benson

Pesach Benson

A Baltimore native, Pesach was with HonestReporting from 2011 to 2020. He edited the Israel Daily News Stream and authored the e-book, Red Lines: HonestReporting’s 8 Categories of Media Bias. Before moving to Israel in 1995, he worked as a reporter for the Baltimore Jewish Times. Pesach has a B.A. in political science from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, where he was executive editor of the campus newspaper.

Discover More

Get clear, reliable Israel news and tools to fight media bias.

Subscribe