Israel and Jordan formally marked most of the international border between them at a ceremony in the Arava on Monday.
With this, Israel completed the handover to Jordan of disputed lands in the southern Arava, as agreed in the peace treaty. The only parts not transferred are ones used for security patrols.
The southern part of the border, extending from Neot Hakikar in the southern Arava to Eilat is now officially marked. Final border adjustments farther north, in the Beit She’an area, are expected to be completed by Feb. 10.
Under the accord, Israeli farmers are being allowed to work land now officially under Jordanian jurisdiction. This applies to two communities, Moshav Tsofar and Naharayim, whose residents have been promised access to their fields under the accord.
Although the bulldozers may have completed their job in preparing a new border fence, legislative work was still unfinished.
Knesset speaker Shevach Weiss complained on Monday that the ceremony took place before the Parliament had passed a low allowing the government to concede territory to Jordan.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
