October 26, 2004

Jordan Times

Opinion

Ten Years Down the Road to Peace
By Marwan J. Muasher

On Oct. 26 ten years ago, Jordan signed a peace treaty with the state of Israel at Wadi Araba.

This peace treaty was and still remains a strategic choice for Jordan. Through the treaty, Jordan regained all its rights from Israel. More than 15 bilateral agreements were signed, that dealt with tourism, energy, trade, water and the environment. More than 50 plants now operate at the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs), Jordan's exports to the United States market have shot up from $13 million in 1999 to some $420 million in 2002, and we are expecting it to reach $1 billion by the end of this year.

On the diplomatic front, the treaty has helped Jordan undertake a major role in supporting the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis. Jordan has always been a staunch searcher for peace in the region and the peace treaty has provided Jordan with a unique opportunity to proactively contribute to the process.

The treaty has also elevated Jordan's stature in the world as a model of coexistence in a region beleaguered by conflict and strife and has led to extending the important and strategic relationship with the United States.

On another front, it is apparent to everyone that the relation cannot be compartmentalised or isolated from the overall political environment in the region and, in specific, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. This has been the case, despite the numerous economic benefits to Jordan, directly through arrangements with Israel, such as the QIZs, or through arrangements with Israel and the United States.

It was very clear, though, that the relations between the two countries depended tremendously on whether the state of Israel was proactively pursuing peace with the Palestinians or not. The relationship developed positively whenever there was evident progress in the peace process and it suffered whenever there was a lack of progress.

It is also becoming very clear to everyone in the region that Jordan's main objective is a two-state solution, leading to the emergence of an independent and viable Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security with the state of Israel and its other neighbours; a two-state solution that will resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and end the occupation that began in 1967.

This objective has clearly emerged as the outcome of choice for Jordan, which explicates our relentless efforts towards the attainment of a two-state solution and our support for and contribution to the inception and acceptance of the Arab peace initiative — endorsed by the Beirut Arab League summit — calling for the acceptance of Israel as a neighbour living in peace and security, in the context of a comprehensive settlement.

This explains our persistent support for the roadmap to peace and contribution to its inception and development. The roadmap remains the only acceptable solution to all parties, despite its many questions and shortcomings, in addition to which it explains our public criticism of the Palestinian National Authority or Israel whenever we felt that either side was not seriously working towards the objective of a final settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict based on a two-state solution.

It also explains Jordan's position vis-?-vis the construction of the Israeli “security” barrier in the West Bank and its route. The current route of the separation barrier constitutes a grave threat to Jordan's national security. The route of the barrier, which cuts into the West Bank in several places, will prevent the establishment of any independent Palestinian state in the future.

Ten years down the line from that day in Wadi Araba, there are several lessons to be learned:

1. The peace treaty endured despite all the difficulties it went through, which serves as an indication of Jordan's seriousness in holding its commitment. The government of the Jordan will remain committed to the spirit and letter of the treaty, which it intends to uphold and consolidate for the mutual benefit of both nations.

2. It is obvious that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict needs to be settled for peace to evolve in the Middle East, turning the region into a stable and developing region in the hope of a more amicable and normal future.

The writer is deputy prime minister and minister of state for prime ministry affairs and government performance. He served as Jordan's first ambassador to Israel and was foreign minister from 2002 until October 2004. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.