Yaakov Rosen, the fifth Israeli ambassador to Jordan since a peace treaty was signed between the two nations in 1994, met Tuesday with Khaldoun al-Talhouni, Secretary-General of the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. Rosen is no stranger to the Hashemite kingdom, having previously served as Charge D’Affaires at the Israeli Embassy there shortly after the peace treaty was signed.
Rosen is replacing Yaakov Hadas Handelsman, whose term in Jordan ended in December 2005. It was decided to delay appointing a new ambassador until after a new government was in place following Israel's March 2006 elections.
The Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II, is given the right to approve the nomination of a new ambassador prior to his appointment, a diplomatic courtesy. The new envoy’s credentials are also endorsed by the Jordanian government before he reaches his new post.
Jordan also recently appointed a new ambassador to Israel - Ali al-Ayed - who previously served as a Jordanian foreign ministry spokesman, a Charge D’Affaires at the kingdom’s embassy in Washington D.C., and most recently as a political affairs advisor in the prime minister’s office. Al-Ayed began his tenure as Ambassador to Israel two months ago. His predecessor, Marouf al-Bakhit, is now the Jordanian prime minister.
Jordan and Israel Cooperation Continues; New Electricity Initiative
Jordan and Israel have cooperated on a number of issues since the signing of the peace treaty, primarily in the areas of health and national infrastructures.
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer approved a license this week to connect the Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled city of Jericho to the Jordanian electricity grid. Jordan until now has received power from the Israel Electric Company alone.
A 33-kilowatt high-tension wire, operated by the East Jerusalem Electric Company, will carry the electricity from Jordan to Israel. The company also holds a license from the ministry to supply electricity to residents in Bethlehem, Ramallah and eastern Jerusalem.
The move is expected to relieve stress on the Israeli electricity system, which has seen a number of brownouts and blackouts – planned and unplanned – over the past year.
A ministry statement noted the agreement constitutes “a trade relationship in the electricity field between a neighboring country and Israeli society,” despite the fact that the company does not supply power to Israeli consumers.
Jordanian-Israeli Cooperation Not a New Phenomenon
A little more than four months ago, Ben-Eliezer announced that Jordan and Israel would work together on an ambitious project to transport water from the Red Sea to the rapidly evaporating Dead Sea. “Israel and Jordan have a common interest in water and water technologies,” he said, adding that he intended to “strengthen cooperation in these areas.” Jordanian water professionals were to visit the Jewish State to examine wastewater treatment and desalination techniques.
Prior to that, Israeli and Jordanian veterinary service officials agreed to work together to fight the spread of the avian flu that threatened the region a year ago, in October 2005. At that time, veterinarians from the two countries agreed to collaborate at an Israeli laboratory in Beit Dagan. Jordanian professionals also served as a conduit for indirect coordination with other Arab nations such as Syria and Iraq in the effort to fight the spread of the epidemic.
Rosen is replacing Yaakov Hadas Handelsman, whose term in Jordan ended in December 2005. It was decided to delay appointing a new ambassador until after a new government was in place following Israel's March 2006 elections.
The Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II, is given the right to approve the nomination of a new ambassador prior to his appointment, a diplomatic courtesy. The new envoy’s credentials are also endorsed by the Jordanian government before he reaches his new post.
Jordan also recently appointed a new ambassador to Israel - Ali al-Ayed - who previously served as a Jordanian foreign ministry spokesman, a Charge D’Affaires at the kingdom’s embassy in Washington D.C., and most recently as a political affairs advisor in the prime minister’s office. Al-Ayed began his tenure as Ambassador to Israel two months ago. His predecessor, Marouf al-Bakhit, is now the Jordanian prime minister.
Jordan and Israel Cooperation Continues; New Electricity Initiative
Jordan and Israel have cooperated on a number of issues since the signing of the peace treaty, primarily in the areas of health and national infrastructures.
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer approved a license this week to connect the Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled city of Jericho to the Jordanian electricity grid. Jordan until now has received power from the Israel Electric Company alone.
A 33-kilowatt high-tension wire, operated by the East Jerusalem Electric Company, will carry the electricity from Jordan to Israel. The company also holds a license from the ministry to supply electricity to residents in Bethlehem, Ramallah and eastern Jerusalem.
The move is expected to relieve stress on the Israeli electricity system, which has seen a number of brownouts and blackouts – planned and unplanned – over the past year.
A ministry statement noted the agreement constitutes “a trade relationship in the electricity field between a neighboring country and Israeli society,” despite the fact that the company does not supply power to Israeli consumers.
Jordanian-Israeli Cooperation Not a New Phenomenon
A little more than four months ago, Ben-Eliezer announced that Jordan and Israel would work together on an ambitious project to transport water from the Red Sea to the rapidly evaporating Dead Sea. “Israel and Jordan have a common interest in water and water technologies,” he said, adding that he intended to “strengthen cooperation in these areas.” Jordanian water professionals were to visit the Jewish State to examine wastewater treatment and desalination techniques.
Prior to that, Israeli and Jordanian veterinary service officials agreed to work together to fight the spread of the avian flu that threatened the region a year ago, in October 2005. At that time, veterinarians from the two countries agreed to collaborate at an Israeli laboratory in Beit Dagan. Jordanian professionals also served as a conduit for indirect coordination with other Arab nations such as Syria and Iraq in the effort to fight the spread of the epidemic.