Israel—Jordan Peace Treaty

   On 17 October 1994, Israeli and Jordanian negotiators initialed a peace agreement in Amman, Jordan. The treaty was formally signed by Prime Minister Abdul-Salam Majali of Jordan and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel in a gala ceremony on 26 October 1994 in the Jordan Valley. The treaty was comprised of 30 articles and 5 annexes, which addressed such diverse issues as boundary demarcations, water issues, policy cooperation, environmental issues, refugees, and mutual border crossings. The international border (left undefined since the 1948 war and the 1949 armistice agreements) was to be based on maps dating from the British mandate. In a novel move, Jordan agreed to lease back (for 25 years, with an option to renew) to Israel farm land in the Arava Desert that was returned to Jordan in the treaty. Yet another interesting element was Israel's commitment to respect Jordan's special interests in Muslim holy places in Jerusalem in any peace agreement affecting the city. The treaty also formalized cooperation between Israel and Jordan in the areas of tourism and other economic endeavors, the exploiting and distribution of water and other natural resources, and combating terrorism.