Jordan cancels Israeli Land Deal (after emergency session on Sunday?)
Jordan will cancel a land-annexing article in its peace treaty with Israel, King Abdullah announced on Sunday in a move celebrated by many across the country who long believed Tel Aviv had taken ties with its neighbour for granted.
In a meeting with Jordanian political figures at the royal palace, King Abdullah announced his decision to terminate an agreement in the kingdom’s 1994 peace treaty that allowed the Israeli government and farmers to annex Jordanian lands of Baqoura and Ghamr near the border.
“Baqoura and Ghamr are Jordanian lands and will remain Jordanian and we will exercise full sovereignty over our territory,” the King said as he announced the decision, a Royal Court statement reported.
“In such difficult regional circumstances, our priorities are to protect our interests and do everything that is necessary for Jordan and Jordanians,” the monarch added.
On Sunday afternoon, the government held an emergency session to discuss how to fulfill the King’s directives and end the lease agreement and strike it from the Wadi Araba peace deal. The Jordanian Foreign Ministry promptly informed the Israeli government of its intentions.
The decision came amid growing public pressure for Jordan to reclaim the lands. After a months-long campaign via social media, largescale protests attended by thousands shut down streets in Amman on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
In response to the King’s decision, hundreds of Jordanians took to social media to thank the monarch, posting Tweets and posts reading “thank you Your Majesty”, “congratulations”, “welcome back Baqoura” and “the people’s rights have been restored.”
The King even took to Twitter himself to post a rare tweet explaining the decision.
“Baqoura and Ghamr have always been at the top of our priorities and our decision is to terminate the annexation of Baqoura and Ghamr from the peace treaty is based on our commitment to take all necessary decisions for Jordan and Jordanians,” the King said in an Arabic tweet.
The move marked a rare retribution from Jordan over Israeli policies…
https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/jordan-s-king-announces-return-of-full-sovereignty-as-he-cancels-israeli-land-deal-1.782760