Overview of Peace Negotiations
The bilateral talks between Israel and Jordan,
initiated at the Madrid
Conference, continued for almost two years in Washington until
the signing of the Israeli-Jordanian
Common Agenda on September 14, 1993. The Common Agenda
constituted the blueprint for the peace treaty, comprising the
following components: security, water, refugees and displaced
persons, borders and territorial matters.
The first public meeting between King
Hussein and Prime Minister
Rabin took place in Washington, on July 25, 1994. Out of this
meeting emerged The Washington
Declaration, signed by Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein,
with President Clinton serving as a witness.
The major achievements of the Washington
Declaration were a series of agreements and concrete steps
symbolizing the new era:
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The state of belligerency between Jordan and
Israel was terminated.
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Both states agreed to seek a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace based on UN Resolutions 242 and 338.
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Israel will respect the special role of the
Hashemite Kingdom over Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem.
Concrete steps included the establishment of
direct telephone links, joint electricity grids, new border
crossings, free access to third country tourists, and cooperation
between the police forces in combating crime, with special emphasis
on drug smuggling. It was also decided to continue negotiations on
bilateral economic cooperation and abolishing economic boycotts, as
well as on the opening of an international air corridor between the
two countries.
The first meeting in the region of the Israeli and
Jordanian bilateral delegations took place on July 18-19, 1994 at Ein
Avrona, located in the boundary area north of Aqaba and Eilat. The
parties agreed to hold talks on a continuous basis, alternately on
the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the border. These talks culminated
in the signing of a Treaty of
Peace between Israel and Jordan on October 26, 1994.
With
the ratification of the peace treaty full diplomatic relations were
established between Israel and Jordan on November 27, 1994. Since
that time, relations between Israel and Jordan have been steadily
progressing. The Jordanian parliament's action in August 1995 to
rescind its adherence to the Arab boycott on Israel, as well as the
regional economic conference in Amman in November 1995, served as
significant positive indicators for the future.
The open border crossings between the two
countries have facilitated the normalization of relations. Joint
business ventures are being consistently initiated and the free
movement of businessmen, by both land and air, has created an
atmosphere of cooperation and open communication. Tourism between the
two countries has been on the rise.
The basis for the implementation of the peace
treaty with Jordan was set with the 15 bilateral agreements which
have since been signed and ratified. These agreements cover the
following areas: Environmental Protection, Commerce and Trade,
Transportation, Air Transport, Water, Agriculture, Combating Crime
and Illicit Drugs, Communications and Mail, Science and Culture,
Education, Health, Borders, The Eilat-Aqaba Region, Tourism and
Energy. These treaties are to serve as the foundation of the
peaceful, normal relationship between Israel and the Hashemite
Kingdom.
These are some of the recent highlights of
activity:
Commerce and Trade: Since trade began
between Jordan and Israel in July 1996, the figures indicate a steady
growth in Jordanian-Israeli commerce. In 1996 Israel exported some 9
million dollars' worth of goods to Jordan, while importing products
valued at 5 million dollars. In 1997 the value of exports rose to
about 20 million dollars, and imports from Jordan amounted to 12.5
million. Estimates for the period January-September 1998 alone show
exports and imports at more than 29 million dollars.
Economic Cooperation: An important part of
the economic cooperation between Jordan and Israel is taking place in
the Hassan Industrial Park in Irbid — the first area to be granted
the status of duty-free export to the USA (QIZ). Cooperation in this
region is mainly in the areas of textiles and the manufacture of
jewelry and electronic equipment. Thousands of Jordanians are
employed in these industries, as well as in other industrial areas
throughout the country. The success of the joint industrial park in
Irbid has given rise to a decision reached by the Ministers of
Industry and Trade of the two countries with regard to the expansion
of this move to additional industrial parks in the border area
between Jordan and Israel subject to approval by the United States.
International Cooperation and Agriculture:
In October 1995 an agreement on cooperation in these areas was signed
between Jordan and Israel. Under the terms of this agreement, the
Israel Foreign Ministry's Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV)
works together with several government ministries in Jordan and with
a number of non-governmental organizations for the promotion of
economic and social development for the benefit of both peoples. The
two countries have established a joint enterprise for the marketing
of agricultural produce, with a view to developing new markets for
the agricultural produce being grown in the eastern Jordan River
Valley with the help of Israeli technologies.
Air Transport: A "pilot project"
has been activated involving the use of Aqaba Airport for flights
from Europe bringing tourists to Eilat. With the completion of the
new terminal on the Israeli side, all international flights currently
landing at Ovda and Eilat Airports will be transferred to the
Aqaba-Eilat Peace Airport. Moreover, the number of flights between
Amman and Ben-Gurion Airport have been stepped up this year to 14,
and a new line has been put in, linking Amman with Haifa twice a
week.
Tourism: In 1996, and again in 1997, some
125,000 Israeli tourists visited Jordan. The number of Jordanian
tourists visiting Israel came to about 50,000 annually (not counting
family visits). There has been an increase in the level of
cooperation between the tourist agencies of the two countries in the
matter of marketing package tours for Israel and Jordan. There is
agreement, too, between the two countries concerning cooperation with
the approach of the year 2000 and the expected stream of tourists to
the Holy Land from all over the world.
Water: Under the terms of the peace treaty,
Israel today provides Jordan with nearly 75 million cubic meters of
water per year. Work is to begin soon on the erection of a dam
deigned to divert water from the Yarmouk River: another aspect of the
cooperation between Jordan and Israel in this domain.
Trilateral Israel-Jordan-U.S.
Economic Committee
A Trilateral Israel-Jordan-U.S. Economic Committee
was established at the October 1993 White House meeting between
President Clinton, Crown Prince Hassan and Foreign
Minister Peres to discuss economic cooperation and development.
This forum first convened in Washington D.C. on November 30, 1993,
and then periodically in the region. Sub-groups were established to
discuss specific issues, such as: trade, finance and banking; Jordan
Valley cooperative projects; and civil aviation. The outcome of these
talks have been incorporated in the Peace Treaty between Israel and
Jordan.
The convening of the fifth meeting of the
Trilateral Economic Committee at the Dead Sea Spa Hotel in Jordan on
July 20-21, 1994 was the occasion for the first public meeting of
Israeli and Jordanian leaders in the region — Jordanian Prime
Minister Majali and Israeli Foreign Minister Peres.
Sources: Israeli
Foreign Ministry |