Jordan fears Israel more than Iran. Is the Middle East's buffer state about to crack?

Wedged between Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Jordan has spent decades surviving crises that would have broken many states.

It hosts millions of refugees, depends heavily on US support and now sits at the centre of the widening confrontation involving Iran, Israel and Washington. This year alone, Jordan is due to receive almost US$2 billion in American aid while also finding itself increasingly exposed to regional conflict.

But according to political scientist Sean Yom, Jordan's greatest fear isn't Iran. It's the possibility that Israel moves to annex the West Bank, triggering a new wave of Palestinian displacement across the Jordan River. For a country where an estimated 50 to 65 per cent of citizens are of Palestinian origin, the consequences could be profound.

Could the kingdom absorb another refugee influx? What happens if Donald Trump backs away from opposition to annexation? And why does King Abdullah believe Jordan's crisis could become the Middle East's crisis?

Laura Tingle and Latika Bourke speak with Jordan specialist Sean Yom, Author of Jordan: Politics in an Accidental Crucible about the strategic pressure bearing down on one of Washington's most important Arab allies, and why Australia's visitors from Amman may have more urgent messages than ever before.

Guest: Sean Yom, Author of Jordan: Politics in an Accidental Crucible and Professor of Political Science at Temple University

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