Israeli farmers lament the end of Jordan land deal

[webfact]

Israeli farmers lament the end of Jordan land deal

By Elana Ringler

 

The national flags of Israel and Jordan are seen in an area known as Naharayim in Hebrew and Baquora in Arabic, in the border area between Israel and Jordan, as seen from the Israeli side November 10, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

 

NAHARAYIM (Reuters) - It has been a bitter harvest for some Israeli farmers on the border with Jordan. On Sunday, a 25-year-old deal between the two countries that has allowed them to cultivate land there formally expires.

 

Under the deal, part of the 1994 Jordan-Israel peace treaty, two territories straddling the border were recognised as under Jordanian sovereignty but with special provisions allowing Israeli farmers to work the land and visitors to tour the Isle of Peace park in the area.

 

But in 2018, Jordan said it did not want to continue the arrangement, in what was widely seen as a sign of increasingly strained diplomatic relations.

 

King Abdullah formally declared on Sunday the end of the 25-year special regime, which most Jordanians saw as a humiliation that perpetuated Israeli "occupation" of Jordanian territory.

 

"I announce the end of the work in the special annex in the two areas Ghumar and Baqoura, in the peace treaty and impose our full sovereignty on every inch of them," the king said in a speech marking the start of a new parliamentary session, drawing applause from parlimentarians and officials.

 

For the Israelis farming the land, the agreement's expiry is a sharp blow.

 

"It was like a punch to the face," said Eli Arazi, 74, a farmer whose kibbutz, or agricultural community, worked one of the land parcels that in Hebrew is called Naharayim and in Arabic, Baqoura.

 

Naharayim, which means "two rivers" in Hebrew, straddles the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers. Israelis trace private ownership rights there to the 1920s, when the territory was part of British-mandated Palestine.

 

Arazi said his kibbutz, Ashdot Yaacov Meuhad, had been growing crops there for 70 years, including olives, bananas and avocados.

 

In the 1994 peace treaty, Jordanian sovereignty over the area was confirmed, while Israelis retained private land ownership and special provisions that allow free travel.

 

Jordan will continue to respect the ownership rights of Israelis with property in Naharayim, according to Israeli and Jordanian officials.

 

But without the special provisions, they will now face the hassle of normal border crossings, making their work much more difficult.

 

At the second land parcel, Tzofar, further south, the entire arrangement is now ended, though Israel's Foreign Ministry said: "The government of Jordan will allow Israeli farmers to harvest the crops that were planted before the annex expired."

 

'ONGOING ARGUMENTS'

Jordan is one of only two Arab states that has a peace accord with Israel, and the neighbours have a long history of close security ties. But the treaty is unpopular in Jordan where pro-Palestinian sentiment is widespread.

 

The end of the land deal comes at a low point in Israeli-Jordanian relations, Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel told Reuters: "We are not on a honeymoon but rather in a period of ongoing arguments."

 

Amman was recently rattled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's promise during campaigning for a September election to annex the Jordan Valley.

 

Over the past few years, the deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and disputes over a Jerusalem compound, sacred to both Muslims and Jews, have further weighed on relations.

 

Ariel said the Israeli government should have tried earlier to convince Jordan to extend the deal.

 

(Additional reporting by Suleiman al Khalidi in Amman; Editing by Maayan Lubell and Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-11

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[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"It was like a punch to the face," said Eli Arazi, 74, a farmer whose kibbutz, or agricultural community, worked one of the land parcels that in Hebrew is called Naharayim and in Arabic, Baqoura.

 

Naharayim, which means "two rivers" in Hebrew, straddles the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers. Israelis trace private ownership rights there to the 1920s, when the territory was part of British-mandated Palestine.

 

Arazi said his kibbutz, Ashdot Yaacov Meuhad, had been growing crops there for 70 years, including olives, bananas and avocados.

Now he knows how Palestinians that have their land confiscated and olive trees are destroyed to build new illegal settlements on Palestinain land feel.

[Jingthing]

Sounds like a very stressful situation for the impacted farmers. I hope they get the help they might need to adjust to relocation. 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sounds like a very stressful situation for the impacted farmers. I hope they get the help they might need to adjust to relocation. 

They deserve to have as much help as Palestinians get after they are evicted from their land so illegal Israeli settlements can be extended.

[Matt96]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

They deserve to have as much help as Palestinians get after they are evicted from their land so illegal Israeli settlements can be extended.

why? was that these farmers who evicted Palestinians in 1948th?

 

or are they guilty BECAUSE they are Jews?

 

 

[abrahamzvi]

42 minutes ago, Matt96 said:

why? was that these farmers who evicted Palestinians in 1948th?

 

or are they guilty BECAUSE they are Jews?

 

 

Nothing to do with being Jews. Simple rule: equality for all. My question is, why are the poor Palestinian farmers not getting any help when they are evicted from their lands. Because they are non Jews?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, abrahamzvi said:

Nothing to do with being Jews. Simple rule: equality for all. My question is, why are the poor Palestinian farmers not getting any help when they are evicted from their lands. Because they are non Jews?

The topic here is about the Israeli farmers. The topic here is not the history of Palestinians in the region. Why do people insist on making every topic about touching on Israel and/or Jews anywhere in the world to be able the Israeli Palestinian conflict? Back to the OP, well this agreement was made and Jordan is holding Israeli to it, so good or bad, so it goes.

[Matt96]

5 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

My question is, why are the poor Palestinian farmers not getting any help when they are evicted from their lands.

this news has nothing to do with 1948th eviction

 

5 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

Simple rule: equality for all.

good rule. what about equality for all religions and nationalities in Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordania?

[JulesMad]

Standard Israeli behaviour: just take the land! Once, a long long time ago, it might have been 'ours'...

 

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, Matt96 said:

this news has nothing to do with 1948th eviction

 

good rule. what about equality for all religions and nationalities in Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordania?

Why don't you vent your frustrations about Iran in a thread related to that? This is about Israeli farming on Jordanian land, now coming to an end. Not about religious freedom in Qatar.

[Happy Grumpy]

6 minutes ago, JulesMad said:

Standard Israeli behaviour: just take the land!

I think you'll find that it's Jordan taking the land, after going back on an agreement they signed. 

[stevenl]

9 minutes ago, Happy Grumpy said:

I think you'll find that it's Jordan taking the land, after going back on an agreement they signed. 

No. it is "Jordan taking the land, after going back to an agreement they and Israel signed. " They are sticking to the agreement, not as you say 'going back on it'.

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"It was like a punch to the face,"

Like the punch to the face for Jordan when Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's Capital in an area that was under Jordan's administrative responsiility?

[puipuitom]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Now he knows how Palestinians that have their land confiscated and olive trees are destroyed to build new illegal settlements on Palestinain land feel.

Quite some israeli's know that feeling since 1948, when over a 700.000 jews had to leave the countries they lived for 2 millenia or longer. The big difference is, these jews got nothing as compensation nor aid, but the palestinians a US$ 1.3 BILLION per year since 1949.

[Matt96]

23 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Why don't you vent your frustrations about Iran in a thread related to that? This is about Israeli farming on Jordanian land, now coming to an end. Not about religious freedom in Qatar.

i did not ask you, I asked abrahamzvi because he spoke about equality.

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, abrahamzvi said:

Nothing to do with being Jews. Simple rule: equality for all. My question is, why are the poor Palestinian farmers not getting any help when they are evicted from their lands. Because they are non Jews?

Wrong thread , this thread isnt about that subject .

[Scot123]

I really feel sorry for the farmers regardless what religion they are. I also feel sorry for Israel surrounded by countries on all sides who want to kill them and who all joined together in June 1967 to whipe out the Jews and 6 days later their army's lay in flames. Hope things work out for the farmers who are just trying to live thier lives on land they have farmed for several generations. 

[sanemax]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Now he knows how Palestinians that have their land confiscated and olive trees are destroyed to build new illegal settlements on Palestinain land feel.

Yes , Israel should annex the West Bank and stop the animosity once and for all 

[GreasyFingers]

32 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Quite some israeli's know that feeling since 1948, when over a 700.000 jews had to leave the countries they lived for 2 millenia or longer. The big difference is, these jews got nothing as compensation nor aid, but the palestinians a US$ 1.3 BILLION per year since 1949.

You obviously read different history books to me. Can you give me their titles so I can catch up.

[Jingthing]

48 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Yes , Israel should annex the West Bank and stop the animosity once and for all 

So that would end the animosity? Like in Gaza? ????

[Jingthing]

40 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

You obviously read different history books to me. Can you give me their titles so I can catch up.

Yes, many (most?) people are not aware of this:

 

[BritManToo]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

'ONGOING ARGUMENTS'

Jordan is one of only two Arab states that has a peace accord with Israel, and the neighbours have a long history of close security ties. But the treaty is unpopular in Jordan where pro-Palestinian sentiment is widespread.

I was in Jordan in the 1990s, the Aqaba coast had watchtowers all along with infa-red scopes watching for Israeli infiltrators from across the gulf. When I subsequently tried to enter Israel, they nearly wouldn't let me in because I had a Jordanian VISA in my passport, and I was subjected to heavy questioning by two separate Israeli intelligence officers. 

 

Hardly a long history of security ties.

[Bluespunk]

8 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

I think you'll find that it's Jordan taking the land, after going back on an agreement they signed. 

From the OP

 

”Jordan will continue to respect the ownership rights of Israelis with property in Naharayim, according to Israeli and Jordanian officials.”

[Hanuman2547]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, many (most?) people are not aware of this:

 

It kind of looks like this source will be a bit biased in their view of events.  

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, Hanuman2547 said:

It kind of looks like this source will be a bit biased in their view of events.  

It happened. People should know about it. 

[bristolboy]

19 hours ago, Matt96 said:

why? was that these farmers who evicted Palestinians in 1948th?

 

or are they guilty BECAUSE they are Jews?

 

 

It isn't just about ancient history. The eviction of Palestinian farmers from their land is still ongoing.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Hope things work out for the farmers who are just trying to live thier lives on land they have farmed for several generations. 

How many generations in 25 years? That's how long the deal has been in place- read OP.

[dexterm]

23 hours ago, sanemax said:

Yes , Israel should annex the West Bank and stop the animosity once and for all 

No problem, provided Israel also annexes the 2.8 million Palestinians living there by making them Israeli citizens.

 

The expanded truly democratic Israel could then form some sort of EU/US style confederation with Jordan, so that the OP farmers and everyone else could live, work, worship and travel wherever they liked without border checks.

 

Too much religious nationalism and bigotry to allow that at the moment, but it is inevitable that the different peoples and religions who are geographic neighbors for eternity will eventually share the land.

[Hanuman2547]

On 11/11/2019 at 12:03 PM, Jingthing said:

It happened. People should know about it. 

Yes, they should but from both viewpoints.