Israel-Jordan Armistice Agreement
(April 3, 1949)
At the beginning of March 1949, talks began
on the island of Rhodes between Israeli and
Jordanian representatives under the chairmanship
of Ralph Bunche. The major issues raised by Israel
were free access to Jewish Holy Places in Jerusalem,
border rectification, and the presence of Iraqi
forces in the West Bank. Jordan sought to raise
the Arab refugee question and the question of
passage from the Old City of Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
On April 3, the agreement was signed, fixing
the armistice line of the West Bank, transferring
to Israel a number of Arab villages in the central
part of the country and providing for a mixed
committee to work out arrangements in Jerusalem
(Article VIII). Text of the agreement:
Preamble
The Parties to the present Agreement,
Responding to the Security Council resolution
of 16 November 1948, calling upon them, as
a further provisional measure under Article
40 of the Charter of the United Nations and
in order to facilitate the transition from
the present truce to permanent peace in Palestine,
to negotiate an armistice;
Having decided to enter into negotiations
under United Nations chairmanship concerning
the implementation of the Security Council
resolution of 16 November 1948; and having
appointed representatives empowered to negotiate
and conclude an Armistice Agreement;
The undersigned representatives of their
respective Governments, having exchanged their
full powers found to be in good and proper
form, have agreed upon the following provisions:
Article I
With a view to promoting the return of permanent
peace in Palestine and in recognition of the
importance in this regard of mutual assurances
concerning the future military operations
of the Parties, the following principles,
which shall be fully observed by both Parties
during the armistice, are hereby affirmed:
1. The injunction of the Security Council
against resort to military force in the settlement
of the Palestine question shall henceforth
be scrupulously respected by both Parties;
2. No aggressive action by the armed forces
- land, sea, or air - of either Party shall
be undertaken, planned, or threatened against
the people or the armed forces of the other;
it being understood that the use of the term planned in this context has no bearing
on normal staff planning as generally practised
in military organisations;
3. The right of each Party to its security
and freedom from fear of attack by the armed
forces of the other shall be fully respected;
4. The establishment of an armistice between
the armed forces of the two Parties is accepted
as an indispensable step toward the liquidation
of armed conflict and the restoration of peace
in Palestine.
Article II
With a specific view to the implementation
of the resolution of the Security Council
of 16 November 1948, the following principles
and purposes are affirmed:
1. The principle that no military or political
advantage should be gained under the truce
ordered by the Security Council is recognised;
2. It is also recognised that no provision
of this Agreement shall in any way prejudice
the rights, claims and positions of either
Party hereto in the ultimate peaceful settlement
of the Palestine question, the provisions
of this Agreement being dictated exclusively
by military considerations.
Article III
1. In pursuance of the foregoing principles
and of the resolution of the Security Council
of 16 November 1948, a general armistice between
the armed forces of the two Parties - land,
sea and air - is hereby established.
2. No element of the land, sea or air military
or para-military forces of either Party, including
non-regular forces, shall commit any warlike
or hostile act against the military or para-military
forces of the other Party, or against civilians
in territory under the control of that Party;
or shall advance beyond or pass over for any
purpose whatsoever the Armistice Demarcation
Lines set forth in articles V and VI of this
Agreement; or enter into or pass through the
air space of the other Party.
3. No warlike act or act of hostility shall
be conducted from territory controlled by
one of the Parties to this Agreement against
the other Party.
Article IV
1. The lines described in articles V and
VI of this Agreement shall be designated as
the Armistice Demarcation Lines and are delineated
in pursuance of the purpose and intent of
the resolution of the Security Council of
16 November 1948.
2. The basic purpose of the Armistice Demarcation
Lines is to delineate the lines beyond which
the armed forces of the respective Parties
shall not move.
3. Rules and regulations of the armed forces
of the Parties, which prohibit civilians from
crossing the fighting lines or entering the
area between the lines, shall remain in effect
after the signing of this Agreement with application
to the Armistice Demarcation Lines defined
in articles V and VI.
Article V
1. The Armistice Demarcation Lines for all
sectors other than the sector now held by
Iraqi forces shall be as delineated on the
maps in annex I to this Agreement, and shall
be defined as follows:
(a) In the sector Kh Deir Arab (MR 1510-1574)
to the northern terminus of the lines defined
in the 30 November 1948 Cease-Fire Agreement
for the Jerusalem area, the Armistice Demarcation
Lines shall follow the truce lines as certified
by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation;
(b) In the Jerusalem sector, the Armistice
Demarcation Lines shall correspond to the
lines defined in the 30 November 1948 Cease-Fire
Agreement for the Jerusalem area;
(c) In the Hebron-Dead Sea sector, the Armistice
Demarcation Line shall be as delineated on
map 1 and marked B in annex I to this Agreement;
(d) In the sector from a point on the Dead
Sea (MR 1925-0958) to the southernmost tip
of Palestine, the Armistice Demarcation Line
shall be determined by existing military positions
as surveyed in March 1949 by United Nations
observers, and shall run from north to south
as delineated on map 1 in annex I to this
Agreement.
Article VI
1. It is agreed that the forces of the Hashemite
Jordan Kingdom shall replace the forces of
Iraq in the sector now held by the latter
forces, the intention of the Government of
Iraq in this regard having been communicated
to the Acting Mediator in the message of 20
March from the Foreign Minister of Iraq authorising
the delegation of the Hashemite Jordan Kingdom
to negotiate for the Iraqi forces and stating
that those forces would be withdrawn.
2. The Armistice Demarcation Line for the
sector now held by Iraqi forces shall be as
delineated on map 1 in annex I to this Agreement
and marked A.
3. The Armistice Demarcation Line provided
for in paragraph 2 of this article shall be
established in stages as follows, pending
which the existing military lines may be maintained:
(a) In the area west of the road from Baqa
to Jaljulia, and thence to the east of Kafr
Qasim: within five weeks of the date on which
this Armistice Agreement is signed;
(b) In the area of Wadi Ara north of the
line from Baqa to Zubeiba: within seven weeks
of the date on which this Armistice Agreement
is signed;
(c) In all other areas of the Iraqi sector:
within fifteen weeks of the date on which
this Armistice Agreement is signed.
4. The Armistice Demarcation Line in the
Hebron-Dead Sea sector, referred to in paragraph
(c) of article V of this Agreement and marked
B on map 1 in annex I, which involves substantial
deviation from the existing military lines
in favour of the forces of the Hashemite Jordan
Kingdom, is designated to offset the modifications
of the existing military lilies in the Iraqi
sector set forth in paragraph 3 of this article.
5. In compensation for the road acquired
between Tulkarem and Qalqiliya, the Government
of Israel agrees to pay to the Government
of the Hashemite Jordan Kingdom the cost of
constructing twenty kilometres of first-class
new road.
6. Wherever villages may be affected by the
establishment of the Armistice Demarcation
Line provided for in paragraph 2 of this article,
the inhabitants of such villages shall be
entitled to maintain, and shall be protected
in, their full rights -of residence, property
and freedom. In the event any of the inhabitants
should decide to leave their villages, they
shall be entitled to take with them their
livestock and other movable property, and
to receive without delay full compensation
for the land which they have left. It shall
be prohibited for Israeli forces to enter
or to be stationed in such villages, in which
locally recruited Arab police shall be organised
and stationed for internal security purposes.
7. The Hashemite Jordan Kingdom accepts responsibility
for all Iraqi forces in Palestine.
8. The provisions of this article shall not
be interpreted as prejudicing, in any sense,
an ultimate political settlement between the
Parties to this Agreement.
9. The Armistice Demarcation Lines defined
in articles V and VI of this Agreement are
agreed upon by the Parties without prejudice
to future territorial settlements or boundary
lines or to claims of either Party relating
thereto.
10. Except where otherwise provided, the
Armistice Demarcation Lines shall be established,
including such withdrawal of forces as may
be necessary for this purpose, within ten
days from the date on which this Agreement
is signed.
11. The Armistice Demarcation Lines defined
in this article and in article V shall be
subject to such rectification as may be agreed
upon by the Parties to this Agreement, and
all such rectifications shall have the same
force and effect as if they had been incorporated
in full in this General Armistice Agreement.
Article VII
1. The military forces of the Parties to
this Agreement shall be limited to defensive
forces only in the areas extending ten kilometres
from each side of the Armistice Demarcation
Lines, except where geographical considerations
make this impractical, as at the southernmost
tip of Palestine and the coastal strip. Defensive
forces permissible in each sector shall be
as defined in annex II to this Agreement.
In the sector now held by Iraqi forces, calculations
oil the reduction of forces shall include
the number of Iraqi forces in this sector.
2. Reduction of forces to defensive strength
in accordance with the preceding paragraph
shall be completed within ten days of the
establishment of the Armistice Demarcation
Lines defined in this Agreement. In the same
way the removal of mines from mined roads
and areas evacuated by either Party, and the
transmission of plans showing the location
of such minefields to the other Party, shall
be completed within the same period.
3. The strength of the forces which may be
maintained by the Parties on each side of
the Armistice Demarcation Lines shall be subject
to periodical review with a view toward further
reduction of such forces by mutual
agreement of the Parties.
Article VIII
1. A Special Committee, composed of two representatives
of each Party designated by the respective
Governments, shall be established for the
purpose of formulating agreed plans and arrangements
designed to enlarge the scope of this Agreement
and to effect improvements in its application.
2. The Special Committee shall be organised
immediately following the coming into effect
of this Agreement and shall direct its attention
to the formulation of agreed plans and arrangements
for such matters as either Party may submit
to it, which, in any case, shall include the
following, on which agreement in principle
already exists: free movement of traffic on
vital roads, including the Bethlehem and Latrun-Jerusalem
roads; resumption of the normal functioning
of the cultural and humanitarian institutions
on Mount Scopus and free access thereto; free
access to the Holy Places and cultural institutions
and use of the cemetery on the Mount of Olives;
resumption of operation of the Latrun pumping
station; provision of electricity for the
Old City; and resumption of operation of the
railroad to Jerusalem.
3. The Special Committee shall have exclusive
competence over such matters as may be referred
to it. Agreed plans and arrangements formulated
by it may provide for the exercise of supervisory
functions by the Mixed Armistice Commission
established in article XI.
Article IX
Agreements reached between the Parties subsequent
to the signing of this Armistice Agreement
relating to such matters as further reduction
of forces as contemplated in paragraph 3 of
article VII, future adjustments of the Armistice
Demarcation Lines, and plans and arrangements
formulated by the Special Committee established
in article VIII, shall have the same force
and effect as the provisions of this Agreement
and shall be equally binding upon the Parties.
Article X
An exchange of prisoners of war having been
effected by special arrangement between the
Parties prior to the signing of this Agreement,
no further arrangements on this matter are
required except that the Mixed Armistice Commission
shall undertake to re-examine whether there
may be any prisoners of war belonging to either
Party which were not included in the previous
exchange. In the event that prisoners of war
shall be found to exist, the Mixed Armistice
Commission shall arrange for all early exchange
of such prisoners. The Parties to this Agreement
undertake to afford full co-operation to the
Mixed Armistice Commission in its discharge
of this responsibility.
Article XI
1. The execution of the provisions of this
Agreement, with the exception of such matters
as fall within the exclusive competence of
the Special Committee established in article
VIII, shall be supervised by a Mixed Armistice
Commission composed of five members, of whom
each Party to this Agreement shall designate
two, and whose Chairman shall be the United
Nations Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision
Organisation or a senior officer from the
observer personnel of that organisation designated
by him following consultation with both Parties
to this Agreement.
2. The Mixed Armistice Commission shall maintain
its headquarters at Jerusalem and shall hold
its meetings at such places and at such times
as it may deem necessary for the effective
conduct of its work.
3. The Mixed Armistice Commission shall be
convened in its first meeting by the United
Nations Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision
Organisation not later than one week following
the signing of this Agreement.
4. Decisions of the Mixed Armistice Commission,
to the extent possible, shall be based on
the principle of unanimity. In the absence
of unanimity, decisions shall be taken by
a majority vote of the members of the Commission
present and voting.
5. The Mixed Armistice Commission shall formulate
its own rules of procedure. Meetings shall
be held only after due notice to the members
by the Chairman. The quorum for its meetings
shall be a majority of its members.
6. The Commission shall be empowered to employ
observers, who may be from among the military
organisations of the Parties or from the military
personnel of the United Nations Truce Supervision
Organisation, or from both, in such numbers
as may be considered essential to the performance
of its functions. In the event United Nations
observers should be so employed, they shall
remain under the command of the United Nations
Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organisation.
Assignments of a general or special nature
given to United Nations observers attached
to the Mixed Armistice Commission shall be
subject to approval by the United Nations
Chief of Staff or his designated representative
on the Commission, whichever is serving as
Chairman.
7. Claims or complaints presented by either
Party relating to the application of this
Agreement shall be referred immediately to
the Mixed Armistice Commission through its
Chairman. The Commission shall take such action
on all such claims or complaints by means
of its observation and investigation machinery
as it may deem appropriate, with a view to
equitable and mutually satisfactory settlement.
8. Where interpretation of the meaning of
a particular provision of this Agreement,
other than the preamble and articles I and
II, is at issue, the Commission's interpretation
shall prevail. The Commission, in its discretion
and as the need arises, may from time to time
recommend to the Parties modifications in
the provisions of this Agreement.
9. The Mixed Armistice Commission shall submit
to both Parties reports on its activities
as frequently as it may consider necessary.
A copy of each such report shall be presented
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
for transmission to the appropriate organ
or agency of the United Nations.
10. Members of the Commission and its observers
shall be accorded such freedom of movement
and access in the area covered by this Agreement
as the Commission may determine to be necessary,
provided that when such decisions of the Commission
are reached by a majority vote United Nations
observers only shall be employed.
11. The expenses of the Commission, other
than those relating to United Nations observers,
shall be apportioned in equal shares between
the two Parties to this Agreement.
Article XII
1. The present Agreement is not subject to
ratification and shall come into force immediately
upon being signed.
2. This Agreement, having been negotiated
and concluded in pursuance of the resolution
of the Security Council of 16 November 1948
calling for the establishment of an armistice
in order to eliminate the threat to the peace
in Palestine and to facilitate the transition
from the present truce to permanent peace
in Palestine, shall remain in force until
a peaceful settlement between the Parties
is achieved, except as provided in paragraph
3 of this article.
3. The Parties to this Agreement may, by
mutual consent, revise this Agreement or any
of its provisions, or may suspend its application,
other than articles I and III, at any time.
In the absence of mutual agreement and after
this Agreement has been in effect for one
year from the date of its signing, either
of the Parties may call upon the Secretary-General
of the United Nations to convoke a conference
of representatives of the two Parties for
the purpose of reviewing, revising, or suspending
any of the provisions of this Agreement other
than articles I and III. Participation in
such conference shall be obligatory upon the
Parties.
4. If the conference provided for in paragraph
3 of this article does not result in an agreed
solution of a point in dispute, either Party
may bring the matter before the Security Council
of the United Nations for the relief sought
on the grounds that this Agreement has been
concluded in pursuance of Security Council
action toward the end of achieving peace in
Palestine.
5. This Agreement is signed in quintuplicate,
of which one copy shall be retained by each
Party, two copies communicated to the Secretary-General
of the United Nations for transmission to
the Security Council and to the United Nations
Conciliation Commission on Palestine, and
one copy to the United Nations Acting Mediator
on Palestine.
Done at Rhodes, Island of Rhodes, Greece,
on the third of April one thousand nine hundred
and forty-nine in the presence of the United
Nations Acting Mediator on Palestine and the
United Nations Chief of Staff of the Truce
Supervision Organisation.
For and on behalf of the Government of the
Hashemite Jordan Kingdom
Signed:
Colonel Ahmed Sudki El-Jundi
Lieutenant-Colonel Mohamed Maayte
For and on behalf of the Government of Israel
Signed:
Reuven Shiloah
Lieutenant-Colonel Moshe Dayan
Annex I
Maps Delineating Armistice Demarcation
Lines
[These maps follow annex II, and are explained
in the note by the Secretariat to article
V of the Agreement]
Annex II
Definition of Defensive Forces
1. For the purposes of this Agreement defensive
forces shall be defined as follows:
1. Land forces
(a) A standard battalion to consist of not
more than 800 officers and other ranks, and
to be composed of not more than:
(i) Four rifle companies with ordinary infantry
equipment; rifles, LMG's, SMG's, light mortars,
anti-tank rifles and PIAT.
The light mortars shall not be heavier than
2 inch.
The following number of weapons per battalion
shall not be exceeded: 48 LMG's, 16 mortars
2 inch, 8 PIAT's;
(ii) One support company with not more than
six MMG's, six mortars not heavier than 3
inch, four anti-tank guns not heavier than
six-pounders;
(iii) One headquarters company;
(b)
The artillery and anti-aircraft artillery to
be allotted to the defensive forces shall consist
of the following type of weapons: field guns
not heavier than twenty-five pounders, the anti-aircraft
guns not heavier than forty millimetres.
2. The following are excluded from the term
"defensive forces":
(a)
Armour, such as tanks of all types, armoured
cars, Bren gun carriers, halftracks, armoured
vehicles or load carriers, or any other armoured
vehicles;
(b)
All support arms and units other than those
specified in paragraphs I (a) i and ii, and
I (b) above;
(c)
Service units to be agreed upon.
3. Air forces
In the areas where defensive forces only
are permitted airfields, airstrips, landing
fields and other installations, and military
aircraft shall be employed for defensive and
normal supply purposes only.
11. The defensive forces which may be maintained
by each Party in the areas extending ten kilometres
from each side of the Armistice Demarcation
Lines, as provided in paragraph I of article
VI, shall be as follows for the sectors described
in article V, paragraph 1:
1. Sector Kh Deir Arab (MR 1510-1574) to
the northern terminus of the lines defined
in the 30 November 1948 Cease-Fire Agreement
for the Jerusalem area: one battalion each.
2. Jerusalem sector: two battalions each.
3. Hebron-Dead Sea sector: one battalion
each.
4. Sector Engeddi to Eylat: three battalions
each. In addition, each side will be allowed
one squadron of light armoured cars consisting
of not more than 13 light armoured cars or
half tracks. The weapons permissible on these
vehicles will be determined by the Mixed Armistice
Commission.
5. Sector now held by Iraqi forces: five
battalions each, and one squadron of armoured
cars each.
Sources: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs |