Amman envoy returns to Israel

Jordan has sent a new ambassador to Israel after four years of absence, according to an embassy spokeswoman.

The announcement came after the Sharm al-Shaikh summit

A new Jordanian ambassador has arrived in Israel, marking the resumption of top-level diplomatic ties after a four-year hiatus due to the Palestinian uprising, a spokeswoman at the embassy in Tel Aviv said on Sunday.

“We expect he will present his credentials later in the week,” she added.

Jordan and Egypt – the only two Arab states to have peace treaties with Israel – announced the return of their ambassadors after a Palestinian-Israeli peace summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Shaikh on 8 February.

Egypt withdrew its ambassador shortly after the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada in September 2000, while Amman did not replace a departing envoy in protest at Israel‘s actions to quell the uprising.

The new Jordanian envoy is Maruf Bakhit, who has just wound up a posting as ambassador to Turkey.

Source: AFP