The Middle East in Turmoil

So much has happened in one week that it has become a challenge to keep up with the latest developments. On Friday Russia transported fighter jets by cargo planes to Iraq to fight the Islamist group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).  During the same week the United States sent drones to Iraq to assist the Iraqi government forces against ISIS. Jordan and Saudi Arabia have deployed tank divisions on their borders against ISIS encroachments. Jordan placed their army on high alert as ISIL made no bones of the fact that they are on their way to Jordan.

Today (Sunday, 29 June 2014) The Times of Israel reported as follow:

“The rapid advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in northern Iraq has set off warning bells in Jerusalem, which fears a Jihadist takeover of Jordan, Israel’s eastern neighbour and a Western ally. Former national security adviser Yaakov Amidror told Army Radio on Sunday that Israel should extend aid to Jordan in its potential fight against ISIL on its eastern border, if such assistance is requested.”

In Ma’an, a southern city of Jordan, protesters dubbed themselves “the Falloujah of Jordan,” a reference to the staunchly Sunni city in Iraq’s Anbar Province where ISIS has gained popular support.

Also this week, Syrian fighter jets bombarded rebel fighters on the Iraqi border. In the midst of all this developments ISIS captured even more territory in Iraq and on the border of Syria.

Debkafile reports that the sights of the Islamist State of Iraq and Levant (ISIS) also include “Palestine” (Israel). For them, the Levant is not just Syria and Lebanon and Jordan, but also Israel.

While writing this article, the news broke in The Independent (a UK newspaper), that ISIS declared a new Islamic state in the Middle East with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as Caliph, removing Iraq and Syria from its name. Experts say the move announced by an official ISIS spokesman, represents a new era of international Jihad.

Charlie Cooper, a researcher for the Quilliam counter-extremism think-tank told The Independent: “There hasn’t been a Caliph since the Ottoman Empire, and the Caliph is appointed as the only legitimate successor to Prophet Mohammed. The fact that Isis has done this has huge ideological and theological implications.”

We are certainly entering a new era in the Middle East and this upsurge in Jihadism has the potential to ignite the whole region. The following few months will be a very critical period.

Watch video: ISIS entered Jordan