Recent developments in southern Syria demonstrate the growing threat from terrorist and criminal groups in the area, and the need to pay closer attention to the evolving situation.

Potential instability on the borders is a critical risk for all countries, especially in the Middle East.

While the Israeli government has not officially announced a date, many expected the implementation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex the West Bank on the July 1, last week.

There is no doubt that economic indicators suggest that Jordan is facing difficult times, and the recent financial measures taken by the government could fuel more anger amongst Jordanians in the near future.

Over the last few years, there has been an ongoing escalation of diplomatic and political tension between Jordan and Israel that does not reflect the existing peace treaty, nor the level of security cooperation that exists between the two parts.

The challenges in the Middle East continue as the region appears to be facing a new wave of destabilisation from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and the West Bank.The Lebanese political crisis appears to be deepening as the economic crisis grips tighter.

There is no doubt that there is a real desire to conduct parliamentarian elections this year in Jordan. It is critical, however, that there is a fundamental change in the image of the parliament, which several recent polls suggest is facing widespread negative perceptions.

While the world has been focused on dealing with COVID-19, and the resources of the security apparatus confronted the epidemic, transforming institutions to apply restrictions and maintain social distancing, more traditional security threats have been operating with less pressure

Jordan continues to face challenges internally and regionally, and as the annexation of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley announced by the Israeli government is approaching, this adds more challenges to the issues Jordan faces.