Jordan’s House of Representatives has unanimously agreed to review the country’s agreements with Israel, including the 1994 peace treaty and a 2016 gas supply deal, signaling renewed parliamentary pressure on bilateral relations in the Middle East.
The Jordanian parliament tasked its Legal Committee with examining all agreements signed with Israel and providing recommendations to the government on the matter. The move reflects ongoing domestic and regional tensions that have intensified scrutiny of the three-decade-old peace framework.
The main agreements under review include the Jordan-Israel peace treaty signed on October 26, 1994, which ended 46 years of hostility between the two nations, as well as accords covering water, energy, and natural gas supplies. The 2016 gas deal, worth over $10 billion with Israeli suppliers through Jordan’s National Electric Power Company, has been particularly controversial domestically.
The 1994 peace treaty represented a landmark agreement in the Middle East. Under the treaty, Israel recognized Jordan’s special role as custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, while Jordan received the restoration of approximately 380 square kilometers of occupied land and an equitable share of water from the Yarmouk River. The agreement was brokered with significant U.S. involvement, with President Bill Clinton pressuring negotiations and promising debt forgiveness for Jordan.
Parliamentary reviews of these agreements have occurred repeatedly over the years, reflecting the tension between Jordan’s strategic alliance with Israel and public sentiment opposed to the relationship. The unanimous nature of the vote underscores the breadth of parliamentary concern about the agreements’ terms and their alignment with national interests amid regional instability.
Sources
- Anadolu Agency — Jordan’s House of Representatives unanimously agreed to review all agreements with Israel, with the Legal Committee tasked to examine the 1994 peace treaty and 2016 gas supply deal
- Shafaq News — Jordanian House of Representatives voted unanimously to review agreements with Israel
- The Straits Times — Lawmakers tasked a parliamentary committee to review all agreements with Israel, including the 1994 peace treaty
- Brookings Institution — Historical context on the Jordan-Israel peace treaty of 1994 and its significance
- King Hussein Official Website — Details on the 1994 peace treaty, including land restoration and water rights for Jordan
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