Officials of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Japan reached agreement, Tuesday, on a plan to make the Jericho industrial zone a free-trade area to connect the PA with the rest of the Arab world via the nearby Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan, according to nrg. Officials of the three entities met in Jericho in what is believed to be the first open cooperation by the PA with Israel in years. Japan funds the industrial area under the Oslo accords.
The plan calls for Israel and Japan to invest 250 million shekels for road improvements on the way to the bridge with additional improvements to be made on the Jordanian side. Israel committed to meet the PA demand for electricity to the zone.
Deputy Minister for Regional Cooperation Ayoub Kara was a member of the Israeli delegation to the talks. He called the project part of the war against terror and extremism through the use of economic development.