ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN TO THE KNESSET
DEBATE ON THE APPROVAL OF THE PEACE TREATY
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND JORDAN
October 25, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Members of Knesset,
It is with great satisfaction and gladness that the Government of Israel
is placing before the Knesset the treaty of peace between the State of
Israel and the Governemnt of Jordan, which has been initialled. Tomorrow
afternoon, the peace treaty will be signed at the Arava border crossing
near Eilat. Tomorrow afternoon, we all hope that decades of hostility, war
and bloodshed will come to an end. The time of peace has arrived.
Members of Knesset,
For many years we lived in the face of the rifle-sights and battlements of
Jordanian sharpshooters. Civilians were shot and killed, IDF soldiers fell
in reprisal operations, while maintaining security and in war. For many
long years, we lived in the shadow of other words: infiltrators,
Mandelbaum Gate, the city line, the Fast Hotel, bi-weekly convoys to Mount
Scopus, the Hebrew University, Abu Tor, archeologists shot at Ramat
Rachel, death at Mevo Betar.
There are many among us who still retain memories of night battles in
Nahalin, Husan and Kalkilya. Some of our best soldiers paid with their
lives.
We withstood two major wars against the Arab Legion and the Jordanian army
the War of Independence and the Six Day War. In both, we defended our
homes. In both we achieved our goals.
Generations were brought up here in this pain-filled land on deeds and
words rooted in the bloody battles waged against the Jordanians: the
falling of Gush Etzion and the murder of some of its residents, the loss
of the Old City of Jerusalem, the empty marketplace, those who could not
pray on the Temple Mount; Ammunition Hill, Augusta Victoria, the High
Commissioner's residence and Tel el-Ful, French Hill and Givat Hamivtar;
the War of Attrition which claimed so many lives, and the shells fired on
Beit She'an; infiltrations from Jordan into Yardena and Beit Yosef.
Each such name is a heated battle, each such name is a story, each such
name is a legend. Each reflects daring and ardent people those who are
no longer with us because they remained on the killing fields, and those
who have reached this day of peace. It is to those who fell, and to you,
the living, that this peace is dedicated. Statesmen wrote it, you fought
for it.
Members of Knesset,
The road to peace between Israel and Jordan began officially at the Madrid
Conference three years ago. But the dialogue between us and the Jordanians
has taken many shapes, on both sides of the Jordan, for the past 70 years.
All Israeli governments, all Israeli prime ministers, maintained contacts
with Jordan and strove for peace with that country. Historians and
scholars will have much to relate in the generations to come about the
complex relations between Amman and Jerusalem, relations of love and
animosity, of war and peace.
The time of peace with Jordan has now come. In Madrid and in Washington,
in the Arava, on both sides of the Dead Sea, in Beit Gavriel on the shores
of the Sea of Galilee, in the Knesset, in Eilat, in Aqaba and in Amman
over the past year, we have moved step by step towards peace.
In the Washington Declaration, signed in the presence of the U.S.
President on July 25 this year, we announced the end of belligerency, of
war, between Israel and Jordan. We presented this Declaration to you, and
it was approved in the Knesset by a large majority, reflecting the broad
national consensus in favor of the efforts to achieve peace with Jordan,
of which we are glad. In the days that have passed since the Washington
Declaration, the negotiations took on new momentum, and throughout the
nights representatives of Israel and Jordan met and worked to formulate
the draft treaty of peace between Israel and Jordan.
In addressing the opening of the winter session of the Knesset, I said
that I believed that a peace treaty with Jordan would be signed before the
end of the current year. We kept our promise.
Following intensive negotiations in Aqaba and in Amman, we have arrived at
the momentous hour. Last week, the peace treaty was initialled in Amman.
The draft treaty was approved by the government of Israel, and to the best
of my knowledge, by the government of Jordan as well. Today we are
presenting it for the Knesset's approval.
This is a time of grace, and a time of thanks. I would like to thank the
many people in the various government ministries and the ministers who
head them, certainly the Foreign Minister who invested great effort all
those who worked day and night in order to arrive at this moving day. I
would like to express special thanks to two faithful civil servants
Elyakim Rubinstein and Ephraim Halevy. The praise which they deserve is
boundless.
Mr. Speaker, Members of Knesset,
You have before you the peace treaty with Jordan, in Hebrew and in
English, where the English text is binding. The peace treaty with Jordan
comprises 30 articles, and includes five annexes which address among
others boundary matters, boundary demarcation, the Baqura/Naharayim and
Zofar areas. The treaty also deals with water issues, police cooperation,
environment, and interim arrangements for mutual border crossings. I would
like to bring your attention to the 'agreed minutes' which have also been
placed before you, which deal with various activities or the
interpretation of certain articles. A map is appended as well. The actual
treaty contains aerial photographs and detailed satellite photographs.
Members of Knesset,
What does the peace treaty with Jordan contain? In the Washington
Declaration we announced the end to the state of belligerency between
Israel and Jordan. The peace treaty which will be signed tomorrow elevates
our relations to the highest level full peace and it comprises
everything: from full diplomatic relations, the appointment of ambassadors
and the establishment of embassies, to environment, the economy, and every
field of endeavor.
What did we argue about, discuss? About the demarcation of the
international boundary, water, security, the refugee problem, the nature
of bilateral relations in short, normalization. Normalization means an
Israeli bus departing from the central bus station in Jerusalem for Amman;
normalization means Jordanian commercial planes crossing Israeli airspace
on their way to Europe.
The international boundary is delimited, according to the treaty, with
reference to the Mandatory boundary between the land of Israel and
Transjordan. I must note here that this boundary was defined only verbally
at the beginning of the Mandate period, and, with the exception of several
kilometers at its southern end, was never demarcated. We had to jointly
delimit the boundary and agree on how to mark it. We agreed, following
negotiations, on a boundary based on the Mandate boundary the armistice
line between Jordan and Israel in 1949, which has appeared on our maps
since the early days of the state.
However, both sides also agreed to take into consideration the reality
that has been created over the years, by means of mutual, minor border
corrections. Neither state conceded a single square centimeter of land in
relation to the boundary defined in the armistice agreement. These
corrections will enable the settlements in the Arava to continue to
cultivate the land as they do today. These lands will remain under Israeli
sovereignty, and they will continue to use the same water for irrigation.
The minor border corrections also took into account security
considerations and the proximity to the Arava road. In one location, a
special arrangement was agreed upon with regard to some of the lands of
Zofar.
Members of Knesset,
The question of the transfer of land to Jordan in return for land
transfered from Jordan to Israeli sovereignty was reviewed by the Attorney
General, along with the other legal aspects of the treaty. To the extent
that the implementation of the peace treaty will require legislation,
appropriate bills will be submitted to the Knesset in order to complete
the legislation wihtin the three months allotted in the treaty.
The peace treaty with Jordan stipulates that the supply of water to the
settlements in the Arava will be provided from the Jordanian side in the
current quantity, and perhaps beyond that. Parallel to this, we shall
transfer to Jordan considerable amounts of water, as detailed in the
treaty, from the north. The existing wells, whether under Israeli or
Jordanian sovereignty, will be operated technically by an Israeli company
under Jordanian sovereignty.
Minor border corrections could not be applied to the cultivated lands of
the settlement of Zofar, which are located several kilometers inside
Jordan, according to the new international boundary. A special arrangement
was therefore agreed upon, to continue for 25 years, with an option of
extension. This arrangement, which will allow for the continued
cultivation of the land, is based on an arrangement previously arrived at
through negotiation with regard to the small island [on the Jordan River]
located near Ashdot Ya'acov. This tract of land, 830 dunams, under the
private ownership of the Israeli Electric Company since the time of Pinhas
Rotenberg, remained within Israeli territory after 1948, although under
Jordan sovereignty. This is not a leasing arrangement but rather an
arrangement that will allow for the continuation of current activity as
well as for the development of jonit projects with Jordan. The Arava
settlements and Kibbutz Ashdot Ya'acov which will be affected by the
arrangement have expressed their consent.
Members of Knesset,
With regard to water, Israel agreed to transfer to Jordan 50 million cubic
meters of water annually from the northern part of the country. The
parties agreed to establish two dams, on the Jordan and Yarmouk Rivers,
once funds will be found for this purpose. These will provide Jordan with
an additional, similar quantity of water. Future plans also include water
projects in the Arava which will allow for joint development, in both
Israeli and Jordanian sovereign territory.
Mr. Speaker, Members of Knesset,
The major purpose of the security provisions of the treaty is to ensure
that neither state, and for us the emphasis is of course on Jordan, will
be able to join a hostile coalition. We believe that the treaty provides
an apt solution to this. Jordan committed itself to wage war against
terrorism, both operatives and infrastructure, and to cooperate to prevent
the infiltration of terrorists across the border between us.
Our Jordanian neighbors also raised the refugee issue. The negotiations
were not easy. Article 8 of the treaty addresses this issue. It notes that
the Arab-Israeli conflict gave rise to human problems on both sides, not
only on one. The treaty defines frameworks to deal with the problems of
the refugees and displaced persons. Of course, and this is the basic
premise of all parties, these problems can only be resolved on a bilateral
basis.
The reference to the sites holy to Islam in Jerusalem reiterates precisely
the wording in the Washington Declaration, with no addition or detraction.
The treaty makes no other reference to Jerusalem.
Most of the remaining articles of the treaty deal with bilateral matters,
namely normalization. A series of negotiations was decided upon, from
culture and science to the war against crime and drugs, transportation and
roads, civil aviation, posts and telecommunications, tourism, environment,
energy, the development of the Jordan Rift Valley, health, agriculture,
and the Aqaba/Eilat area.
A joint committee will monitor the negotiations on economic agreements.
These include, of course, the termination of boycotts and the formation of
trade agreements, including a free trade zone.
Members of Knesset,
We very much wanted the people of Israel to actually sense the peace. It
was therefore agreed that even before the establishment of diplomatic
relations and before the completion of the tourism agreement within three
months, controlled mutual tourism will begin immediately after the
exchange of the instruments of ratification of the treaty. According to
Jordanian law, the Jordanian parliament will ratify the agreement only
after the signing ceremony tomorrow, and the instruments of ratification
will be exchanged after the ratification of the treaty by the government
of Israel. I presume that this will take place within about 10 days.
The agreed minutes also include a mutual commitment to consult on all
economic and monetary issues in Judea and Samaria, in order to prevent
detriment to either side.
Mr. Speaker, Members of Knesset,
The peace treaty presented today for the approval of the Knesset is a
balanced document, which each side can see as fulfilling his major
demands, and so it should be. For only a peace between two satisfied
parties is a lasting peace. In this peace, there are no losers. In this
peace, we are all winners.
This is the second peace treaty for the Israeli people, following after
the peace treaty with Egypt signed by the late Prime Minister Menahem
Begin. It constitutes another important step in consolidating the status
of the Jewish people in the land of Israel, its historic homeland.
The peace treaty is not only a political agreement, but a fundamental and
substantial change in our lives here. No longer are we a people living
apart. This is a profound and fundamental change, which will affect our
daily lives trucks will leave Haifa carrying freight to Amman; planes
will take off from Sde Dov in Tel Aviv and land 30 minutes later in Amman;
businessmen will fly to Jordan in the morning to close a deal and return
in the evening to Jerusalem; families will take their children on a trip
to Petra, three hours from Tel-Aviv. This change will affect each and
every one of us, every day.
A word about Syria: We want to believe that the peace treaty with Jordan
will advance an agreement with Syria. We do not yet have an agreement with
Syria; talks yes, agreement no. The agreement with the Kingdom of Jordan,
following upon the treaty with Egypt and the agreement with the
Palestinians, proves that patience has its compensation, that there is
validity in a serious approach.
I cannot conclude without addressing the problem of terrorism the
current terrorism carried out by the enemies of peace, the radical Islamic
terrorist organizations who are responsible for 90 percent of the
terrorist attacks carried out against us from among the Palestinian
population in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, as well as the Lebanese
organizations which carry out attacks against IDF and SLA forces in
southern Lebanon. This terrorism hurts us, and we have been living with it
for a long time.
There are those who ask: What is the sense of peace if terrorism
continues? I say to them: I cannot promise that terrorism will cease. I
can only promise that, in the end, we will defeat it. Peace is the only
way to isolate terrorism. Peace will prove to the peoples of the region
that there is an alternative.
Mr. Speaker, Members of Knesset, citizens of Israel,
Last week, we stood at night on the balcony of the royal palace in Amman,
and saw the lights of Jerusalem glowing. So near, only several dozen
kilometers away, but 46 years of hostility separated Amman from Jerusalem.
Members of Knesset, from now on the road is safe.
The government of Israel is today submitting to the people of Israel the
peace treaty initialled with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. In Jerusalem
and Amman, in Eilat and Aqaba, in Irbid and in Tiberias, a new page in the
history of the State of Israel will be opened tomorrow, a wonderful page.
Blessed is the people who have achieved this.
I shall conclude with the words of the prophet Isaiah: 'How beautiful upon
the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that
announceth peace; the harbinger of good tidings, that announceth
salvation.' [Isaiah 52:7]
Members of Knesset, I ask that you approve the treaty of peace between
Jordan and Israel.
Thank you.