Israel and Jordan have signed an agreement on the sale of water, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
According to reports, the Hashemite Kingdom will receive 50 million cubic meters of water from its neighbor. This equates to 50 billion liters. The agreement was finalized at a meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) and his counterpart Ayman Safadi at a checkpoint on the Jordanian border. Further details of the agreement are not known. This was reported by the Israeli online newspaper "Times of Israel.".
The head of the environmental organization EcoPeace Middle East, Gidon Bromberg, described the negotiated water volume as a "dramatic increase" compared to previous deliveries. Nevertheless, Jordan still faces a significant water deficit. The 1994 peace agreement between the two countries guaranteed Jordan 30 million cubic meters of water annually from Israel.
According to Israeli media reports, the water deal was preceded by a meeting between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (Yamina) and Jordanian King Abdullah II in Amman. The meeting reportedly took place last Tuesday. There has been no official confirmation of the meeting.
Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world. This is compounded by years of persistent drought and increased water consumption due to refugees from Syria and Iraq. Water is also scarce in Israel; however, the country is considered a leader in seawater desalination.
The upper limit for goods exports has been raised
In the interview, Lapid called Jordan a "partner" of Israel. As foreign minister, he said he wanted to continue a continuous dialogue with the neighboring country in order to "maintain and strengthen relations.".
In addition to the water deal, the two foreign ministers also agreed on another economic agreement. They agreed on a new financial ceiling for Jordanian products imported into the West Bank. This ceiling will be set at €590 million. Previously, imports were limited to €135 million.
The US welcomed the two agreements. A statement from the State Department on Thursday said: "These steps increase prosperity for all and promote regional stability." Both Bennett and Abdullah II are expected to visit US President Joe Biden in Washington soon.
