The British Foreign Office refers to Jordan as "one of the UK's most trusted allies in the Middle East. With our close royal, political and security links, the relationship is a modern, dynamic partnership serving the interests of both countries."[1]
Both countries share a close relationship in part because of the Hashemites, the royal family and leaders of Jordan, who received British help to overthrow Ottoman rule in the country during World War I and the Arab Revolt.[2] In the aftermath of the First World War, the League of Nations granted Britain a mandate over several territories in the Middle East, including the area that would become Jordan. Britain established the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921 under the leadership of King Abdullah I, a British protectorate until its independence in 1946. Ties remained close and Britain continued to provide military and financial support to Jordan.
During World War I, the Hashemites requested help and support from the British Empire via its administration in Cairo to fight against the Ottomans.[4] The sudden revolt led by the Hashemite family, while not be able to secure total support from other Arab tribes, played an instrumental role on the collapse of Ottoman rule in Jordan. However, the main goal of Hashemite-led revolt – a unitary and independent Arab state – was not honored by London and its French ally.[5] Eventually Britain placed Sharif Abdullah as ruler of the Emirate of Transjordan, hoping to reduce tensions.[6]
Until 1956, the Emirate, while governed by the Hashemites, was not fully independent of British influence. John Bagot Glubb, known as Glubb Pasha, was the de facto ruler of the country; he laid the foundation of the Arab Legion, which would eventually become the Jordanian Armed Forces.[7] Meanwhile, Glubb Pasha played a controversial role, which is still debated in the history of modern Jordanian Kingdom.[8] Transjordan was an integral part of Britain's informal empire. This system of indirect rule continued even after Jordan's independence in 1946.[9]
During the Arab–Israeli War of 1948, Britain secretly favored a total Jordanian invasion of West Bank hoping to wipe out the possible creation of a Palestinian state led by Amin al-Husseini. The invasion was a success and secured British influence within Transjordan. Britain continued to support Jordan during the Jordanian Civil War against the PLO.[10][11] Britain also secretly supported Israeli jets to fly in Jordan when Syria sent troops to invade the country, forcing the Syrians to retreat.[12]
British Prime Minister James Callaghan and King Hussein formed a close working relationship in the late 1970s, however, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Jordan became even closer and warmer during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. Contributing to this was the fact that in the context of the Cold War, Jordan took a decisively pro-western stance. Margaret Thatcher, who was a hardline anti-communist saw this as an opening for a closer relationship with Jordan.
At the same time, Jordan was looking for strong partners to bolster their own position in the region. These factors combined in such a way that the administration of Margaret Thatcher and the Jordanian government under
King Hussein of Jordan began coordinating with one another and cooperating with one another on a wide variety of issues.[13][14]
In late 1990 and early 1991, King Hussein of Jordan worked closely with Prime Minister John Major over the issue of what to do with Saddam Hussein's Iraq during Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait.[15] In the late 1990s and early 2000s, King Abdullah worked closely with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair visited Jordan in late 2001 and King Abdullah visited Blair in London that same year. The two countries greatly enhanced their already close defense cooperation during those years. In 2002, Prime Minister Tony Blair and King Abdullah worked together to help Jordan restructure their debt.[16]
After Brexit, ties between Jordan and the United Kingdom grew even closer under the leadership of Prime Minister Theresa May. Prime Minister Theresa May and the government of Jordan worked out a trade deal between the UK and Jordan which allowed the two countries to work together much more closely than they would have been allowed to had the United Kingdom stayed in the European Union. The trade deal went into effect on May 1 of 2021.[17][18]
In August 2019, King Abdullah II visited Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London to discuss economic co-operation.[19] Prime Minister Johnson expressed the UK's commitment to working with Jordan on issues as far ranging as the economy, COVID-19 and combatting terrorism.[20]
Modern ties
Because of this strong kinship and the later marriage between Hussein and Muna, Jordan and the United Kingdom maintain a strong relationship.[21] British PM Theresa May considered Jordan a noteworthy ally; this was reciprocated with the same mutual trust from the Jordanian PM.[22] Two countries also set to expand their bilateral ties.[23]
Britain and Jordan have cultivated robust military ties that underscore their mutual commitment to regional stability and security. This relationship is exemplified through frequent joint military exercises, such as Exercise Olive Grove and Joint Theatre Entry (JTE). These exercises involve the British Army's 16 Air Assault Brigade and Jordan's Quick Reaction Force, enhancing interoperability and operational readiness in challenging environments.
The collaboration extends to advanced training programs at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, which hosts international exercises like Eager Lion, involving elite units from multiple countries, including the UK. The partnership between the UK and Jordan is not limited to joint exercises but also includes strategic defense initiatives and intelligence sharing. British special forces have worked alongside Jordanian counterparts in various regional operations, highlighting the strategic importance of their alliance. This cooperation is reinforced by high-level visits and ongoing dialogue between military leaders from both nations, aiming to address shared security threats and enhance regional defense capabilities.[24][25]
Both countries have been involved in mediating peace talks between Israel and Palestine.[26] Co-operation has continued during the Israel-Hamas war since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, in order to provide humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians and secure the stability of the Jordanian government.[27]
Prime Minister Kier Starmer meets the Abdullah II, King of Jordan
According from King Abdullah II, the relationship has become true partnership.[28]
In November 2019, Jordan and the United Kingdom renewed an existing security cooperation for another three-year term for the Public Security Directorate and the General Directorate of Gendarmerie. The cooperation program aims to support Jordan's counterterrorism, public order management and the executive sector.[29]
In June 2023, the UK announced that starting February 2024, visitors from Jordan will no longer have to apply for a visa to enter the UK, but will be able to obtain an online ETA permit for £10.[32][33][34] In September that year, the United Kingdom suspended visa-exempt status for Jordanian nationals traveling to the UK due to an increase in asylum claims made by Jordanians.[35]
Alon, Yoav. "‘Heart-Beguiling Araby’ on the Frontier of Empire: Early Anglo-Arab Relations in Transjordan." British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 36.1 (2009): 55-72.
Ashton, Nigel J. "‘A “Special Relationship” sometimes in spite of ourselves’: Britain and Jordan, 1957–73." Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History 33.2 (2005): 221-244.
Oren, Michael B. "A Winter of Discontent: Britain's Crisis in Jordan, December 1955-March 1956." International Journal of Middle East Studies 22.2 (1990): 171–184.
Ovendale, Ritchie. "Great Britain and the Anglo-American invasion of Jordan and Lebanon in 1958." International History Review 16.2 (1994): 284–303.
Tal, Lawrence. "Britain and the Jordan Crisis of 1958." Middle Eastern Studies 31.1 (1995): 39–57.
Wilson, Mary Christina. King Abdullah, Britain and the making of Jordan (Cambridge University Press, 1990).
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