Jordan says no renewal, extension of land lease to Israel

新華網| 2019-11-11 05:56:47|Editor: xuxin
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MIDEAST-ISRAEL-JORDAN-LAND LEASE-END

People visit the "Island of Peace" in an area known as "Naharayim" in Hebrew and "Baquora" in Arabic, on the border of Jordan and Israel on Nov. 9, 2019. King Abdullah II of Jordan on Nov. 10 announced the official termination of an agreement which leases part of Jordan's land to Israel. In the 1994 peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, Jordan agreed to let Israel lease the two areas of Baqoura and Ghumar for 25 years but has the right not to renew the land lease. (Gil Eliyahu/JINI/Handout via Xinhua)

AMMAN, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Sunday said there will be no extension or renewal of an agreement which leases part of the Jordan's lands to Israel.

Early Sunday, King Abdullah II of Jordan announced the official termination of an agreement which leases part of the kingdom's lands to Israel.

"Today, I also announce the expiration of the Peace Treaty annexes on Baqoura and Ghumar and the imposition of our full sovereignty over every inch of those lands," the king said at the fourth ordinary session of the 18th parliament.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Jordan will respect all the rights in the two areas of Baqoura and Ghumar, adding that Jordan acknowledges the private property for 820 dunams (820,000 square meters) of land in Baqoura.

Jordan will allow the Israelis who own a plot of land to enter the area after receiving a visa from the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv and entry will be through the official border crossings.

The ministry added that Jordan will also allow farmers to collect their crops planted before termination of the two annexes in the peace treaty, according to the statement.

In October 2018, Jordan officially informed Israel of its decision not to renew an agreement that leases part of its lands to Israel.

Also last year, King Abdullah II said Jordan will terminate Israel's "annexation" of Baqoura and Ghumar areas under the Jordan-Israel peace treaty in 1994.

Reclaiming Baqoura and Ghumar is on Jordan's top agenda, the Jordanian king said on his official Twitter account last year.

Under the 1994 peace treaty with Israel, Jordan has the right not to renew the agreement that leases areas in Baqoura and Ghumar to Israeli farmers.

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