In northern Jordan, there is a monument to a house where leaders of the Arab Revolt met in 1920. The house is near the beautiful ruins of Umm Qais, a site that overlooks the Jordan Valley and also the Yarmuk River basin, which links the Kingdom of Jordan and Syria.
As such, the meeting place in 1920 was also where Arab leaders could look out over what was Ottoman Palestine, which had transitioned to British rule, and Syria, which was about to transition to French rule.
Why does this matter? Because this landscape is connected. Umm Qais is near the ruins of ancient Gadara, which was a center of Greek culture during the third century BCE.
It was later conquered by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus and became part of the Roman Decapolis cities in the area in the first century BCE. Today, it’s a ruin in the Kingdom of Jordan.
Jordan and Syria are working toward closer strategic ties across economic and other sectors
Currently, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to forge closer ties with Jordan.
Syrian-Jordan ties are natural because many southern Syrian tribes have connections with people in northern Jordan. During the Syrian civil war, around a million Syrians fled to Jordan, which hosted them.
Many of them have returned to Syria. The total number is unclear. Nevertheless, there is a lot of legacy in Jordan in terms of support for the Syrian rebellion against Bashar al-Assad, and they are pleased that a new government came to power.
Jordan is worried about any instability in southern Syria near Daraa or Yarmuk. It knows that a decade ago, there was an ISIS cell near the border with Israel. It also knows that today, Israel has expanded operations into the buffer zone area of the 1974 ceasefire lines. As such, Jordan is watching closely what comes next.
For Amman, another issue remains. The Syrian Druze city of Sweida and the Druze area around it – known as Jabal al-Druze, or the Mountain of the Druze – is seeking more independence in Syria. Israel has backed the Druze. Amman is concerned that this area near Sweida serves as a center of drug smuggling.
“Jordan and Syria reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation and advancing towards a comprehensive strategic partnership following a high-level meeting in Amman,” the Jordan Times reported Monday.
“The second session of the Higher Coordination Council between the two countries was held in Amman on Sunday, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani,” the report said.
This is important. Jordan and Syria are seeking strategic ties to work closely on economic and other issues. Thirty ministers from both countries joined the meetings on April 13.
“In a joint statement, both sides emphasized their commitment to strengthening coordination across sectors and deepening cooperation in line with the leaderships’ directives, according to a Foreign Ministry statement,” the Jordan Times reported. “Ministers from the two countries reviewed progress since the council’s inaugural session in Damascus in May 2025, citing increased bilateral visits and expanding collaboration in key sectors.”
The groups discussed topics such as “energy, water, transport, trade, agriculture, health, education, tourism, and technology,” the report said. “The council welcomed agreements reached during preparatory meetings and highlighted their role in reinforcing long-term cooperation.”
The energy and water deals are important.
“In energy, officials welcomed a natural-gas supply agreement signed earlier this year and agreed to resume gas deliveries to Syria within days,” the Jordan Times reported. “Progress was also noted on restoring electricity interconnection, with plans to supply power from Jordan based on Syrian needs.”
They discussed connecting air and land routes and also ties with Turkey. This could transform the Levant.
Like the 1920 meeting, the meetings in Jordan this month may be laying the foundations for a new era. This is a new era of Arab states linked together in the wake of the Iran war. They are also linked to Turkey and the Gulf. Syria is a key connector.
They are also wary of Israel’s aggressive moves.
“The council addressed regional developments, condemning repeated Israeli strikes on Syrian territory as violations of international law and Syrian sovereignty,” the Jordan Times reported. “It called for Israel’s withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines and warned of the broader risks to regional stability.”
They also discussed Sweida and the need to prevent “partition” of Syria. They also said they backed a two-state solution.
“The council also condemned Israeli attacks on Lebanon and expressed support for Lebanese sovereignty and state authority,” the report added.
On April 14, the two sides also met to discuss air travel.
Head of the “Syrian Civil Aviation Authority Omar Hosari discussed Tuesday with Jordan’s Ambassador to Syria Sufyan Qudah ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of civil aviation,” Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Syria’s official news agency, reported. “The meeting, held at the authority’s headquarters in Damascus, focused on agreements expected to be signed in the coming phase aimed at developing air transport and improving air connectivity between the two countries, in a way that facilitates travel and trade.”
“Hosari said the talks come within the framework of joint efforts to advance cooperation in the aviation sector, noting that the next phase will witness practical steps to implement these agreements and enhance air traffic,” the report said.