Jordan’s King Abdullah announces ‘full sovereignty’ over lands leased by Israel

Jordan’s King Abdullah announces ‘full sovereignty’ over lands leased by Israel
November 10, 2019, 10:49 am

King Abdullah II speaking during a meeting with local political figures in Amman in 2018. (File photo AFP)

Jordan’s king on Sunday announced “full sovereignty” over two pieces of land leased by Israel, ending a 25-year arrangement spelled out in the countries’ landmark peace agreement.

King Abdullah II said in a speech to the government’s new Cabinet on Sunday that Jordan would end the “annex of the two areas, Ghumar and Al-Baqoura, in the peace treaty and impose our full sovereignty on every inch of them.”

Israel, which has controlled the lands for over 70 years, had been permitted to lease the areas under the 1994 peace agreement. One of the areas, a popular visitors’ site in northern Israel, is known in Hebrew as the “Peace Island.”

But with relations cool, Abdullah announced earlier this year that he would end the lease.

Israelis were prevented from entering Jordanian border enclaves on Sunday after a deal allowing farmers to work the land there expired.

Just last month, Amman recalled its ambassador from Israel over the prolonged detention without trial in Israel of two Jordanians. The ambassador returned after the two were released.

source:The Associated Press

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