AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced that Israeli farmers will no longer be allowed to work their fields in an enclave of southern Jordan, ending a more than 25-year arrangement meant to shore up a historic peace agreement.
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The announcement reflects the poor relations between the two countries, which have been underscored by Jordan’s vocal opposition to Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Under their landmark 1994 peace deal, Jordan granted Israel a 25-year lease on two small areas along their border, Baqura and Ghamr. Last year, Jordan said it would not renew the leases, but agreed to allow Israeli farmers to continue to harvest their crops in Ghamr, known to Israelis as Tsofar, for one more season.
It required the farmers, however, to obtain visas and enter the country through official border crossings, instead of the former system of allowing them to enter the areas freely.
On Thursday, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ambassador Dhaifallah Al-Fayez, said the additional harvesting period “will end this evening.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment.
The peace treaty, Israel’s second with an Arab nation, began with great optimism, but relations have steadily deteriorated.
The accord remains a vital strategic asset for both countries, which maintain tight security cooperation and joint economic projects. But Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its policies in east Jerusalem, where Jordan has custodial rights over Muslim holy sites, have repeatedly raised tensions. A large part of Jordan’s population is Palestinian, and public opinion has remained largely against normalized relations with Israel.
On Thursday, Jordan joined other Arab countries in condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex large parts of the West Bank, including Israel settlements and the strategic Jordan Valley. The annexation plan, which would extinguish Palestinian hopes of establishing an independent state that includes all of the West Bank, has drawn widespread international opposition.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi said annexation “would kill a two-state solution, undermine the foundations fo the peace process, and set off the conflict.”
Isnt this good it forces jews to be in Israel
It has long seemed the Jordan has been the one level-headed mature player in the region.
The following is false and malicious slander against the Israeli people, most of whom are Jews:
“But Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its policies in east Jerusalem, where Jordan has custodial rights over Muslim holy sites, have repeatedly raised tensions.”
According to international law the exclusive ownership of the land west of the Jordan River is that of the Jewish People via the country of Israel. Israel foolishly permits Jordan to run some of the Muslim property. They have no obligation to do that.
Israel should retaliate by removing Jordanian control over such places, which makes no sense, anyway, in that Jordan is across the Jordan River where they were illegally granted at least 78% of the what was The Jewish National Home The League of Nations gave Great Britain a mandate to create.
The only tensions raised since 1948 have been by Jordan & the worldwide evil fake-news drive-by lamestream media, never by Israel.
And who are the idiots on the Israeli side that signed such an agreement.
As far as I remember (I was there!) we WON in 67.
The Jordanians attacked us intending to obliterate the state of Israel.
They even announced their intention clearly over the radio (as I clearly remember hearing this!)
And now we reward them by giving them land when all we get in return is a FAKE peace.
The government of Israel could win the Nobel Prize for stupidity
Annex. It’s ours via Hashem.
Annex now and don’t pay attention to the world including Jewish erev rav malshinim.