Israel-Jordan: Towards acceleration of joint industrial zone establishment

Israel Sunday said it would accelerate the process of setting up a shared industrial zone with Jordan as part of efforts to accelerate cooperation with the kingdom.

“Twenty-eight years since the peace agreement with Jordan, we are taking the good neighborly relations between our two countries another step forward,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said.

“This is a breakthrough that will contribute greatly to developing and strengthening the region. The final details regarding this initiative were addressed last week during my visit with King Abdullah II in Amman.”

“This is a joint industrial zone on the border. It will allow Israeli and Jordanian entrepreneurs and businesspeople to communicate directly. It will produce joint initiatives in trade, technology, and local industry,” he said.

The industrial zone project was first proposed during talks on the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty that was signed in 1994.

The final details of the initiative were addressed last week during Lapid’s visit to Amman where he met with King Abdullah II, Arab News reports. The project includes advancing the operation of the Jordan Gateway Park Terminal for pedestrians, which will also be a crossing for entrepreneurs interested in the initiative and the industrial zone on the Jordanian side.

Also, as part of the deal, Israel’s Airports Authority will build and operate the Jordan Gateway Park Terminal, subject to budgetary agreements and the approval of the Knesset Economics Committee.