Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty
The Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty, signed on October 26, 1994, marked a significant milestone in Middle Eastern diplomacy, concluding decades of hostility between Israel and Jordan. This agreement positioned Jordan as the second Arab nation, following Egypt, to formally recognize Israel. The historical backdrop includes a series of conflicts that started shortly after Israel's establishment in 1948, with Jordan being one of the key Arab adversaries. Efforts to achieve peace gained momentum in the early 1990s, facilitated by U.S. diplomatic initiatives.
The treaty includes important provisions such as the delineation of borders, mutual commitments to prevent violence and hostility, and cooperation on water rights. It also emphasizes the significance of facilitating civilian travel and addressing refugee issues, primarily concerning Palestinians. Following the treaty, both nations established diplomatic relations, appointing ambassadors and opening embassies. As of the early 21st century, Israel and Jordan have made substantial progress in maintaining peace and enhancing economic cooperation, illustrating the potential for reconciliation in a historically volatile region.
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Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty
Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty
The nations of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, generally known simply as Jordan, signed a historic peace treaty on October 26, 1994, ending nearly half a century of hostility between them. In so doing Jordan also became the second Arab nation (Egypt was the first) to establish relations with Israel.
Israel and Jordan became enemies almost immediately after Israel became a nation in 1948. Jordan and other Arab countries bordering Israel resented the presence of the new Jewish state and, with the support of other Arab states in the Middle East, warred constantly against Israel for decades. Of Israel's major combatants, namely Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, Jordan was the weakest and was consistently on the losing end of these conflicts. Jordan and Israel agreed to a number of truces during this period, typically involving Jordanian concessions in the face of Israeli military superiority, but there was never a lasting peace. In the 1970s, however, Egypt and Israel were able to reconcile their differences and sign a peace treaty which involved establishing diplomatic relations as well. Egypt was ostracized by other Arab nations for many years, but as the largest of Israel's adversaries, its actions paved the way for more states to follow.
By the early 1990s talks between King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel were proceeding apace, encouraged by the administration of U.S. president Bill Clinton. On July 25, 1994, Hussein and Rabin reached a preliminary agreement on outstanding disputes in the American capital of Washington, d.c. The formal peace treaty between Israel and Jordan was then signed on October 26 of that same year by Rabin and Jordanian prime minister Abdul-Salam Majali at the Arava/ Araba crossing point between Israel and Jordan.
The treaty's major provisions concern the following:
defining the borders between Israel and Jordan, including territorial waters and air space, and providing for some minor mutual border modifications;
a mutual commitment to refrain from any acts of hostility or threats of violence against the other, including a commitment to prevent the same from originating within their respective territory, including measures necessary to prevent acts of terrorism;
a mutual pledge never to join coalitions whose objectives include military aggression against the other party;
water rights respecting the Jordan and Yarmouk Rivers;
travel by civilians between the two nations, including access to places of religious and historical significance, such as those in the ancient city of Jerusalem, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims;
a pledge to work on the problems presented by refugees and other displaced persons, primarily the Palestinians; and
the normalization of relations between the two countries, including but not limited to reducing trade barriers.
Beginning on November 27, 1994, diplomatic relations between Israel and Jordan were formally established with the mutual appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies. As of the writing of this book in the early 21st century, the countries have achieved considerable progress, including preserving the peace between them and increasing bilateral economic cooperation.