Much of the misinformation about Israel that finds its way into the mainstream press originates with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) devoted to defaming the Jewish state. These NGOs, generally Israeli or Palestinian, receive funding from a variety of European organizations, which in turn receive public funds from their governments. Gerald Steinberg explains:

During its first decade, Zochrot was a fringe NGO with little impact. The rapid rise in the visibility of its activities . . . as well as mainstream media coverage were mainly due to a significant increase in funding, primarily originating from European governments. . . . [T]he funding processes are generally not subject to the norms of accountability and transparency and constitute a significant “democratic deficit.”

By funding [these] organizations . . . European governments have become enablers of the NGOs’ radical agenda. These activities and overall agendas do not advance the stated objectives of democracy and human rights and are often incompatible with declared European foreign-policy objectives.

Last week, Jordanian police arrested sixteen members of the country’s branch of the Muslim Brotherhood for acquiring explosives, trying to manufacture drones, and planning rocket attacks. The cell was likely working in coordination with Hamas (the Palestinian offshoot of the Brotherhood) and Hizballah, and perhaps receiving funding from Iran. Ghaith al-Omari provides some background:

The Brotherhood has been active in Jordan since the 1940s, and its relations with the government remained largely cooperative for decades even as other political parties were banned in the 1950s. In exchange, the Brotherhood usually (but not always) supported the palace’s foreign policy and security measures, particularly against Communist and socialist parties.

Relations became more adversarial near the turn of the century after the Brotherhood vociferously opposed the 1994 peace treaty with Israel. The Arab Spring movement that emerged in 2011 saw further deterioration. Unlike other states in the region, however, Jordan did not completely crack down on the MB, instead seeking to limit its influence.

Yet the current Gaza war has seen another escalation, with the MB repeatedly accusing the government of cooperating with Israel and not doing enough to support the Palestinians.

Jordanian security circles are particularly worried about the MB’s vocal wartime identification with Hamas, an organization that was considered such a grave security threat that it was expelled from the kingdom in 1999. The sentiment among many Jordanian officials is that the previous lenient approach failed to change the MB’s behavior, emboldening the group instead.