On October 26, 1994, Israel and Jordan signed a historic peace treaty at the Arava border crossing near Eilat, making Jordan the second Arab country, after Egypt, to formally make peace with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Jordanian Prime Minister Abdel Salam al-Majali signed the agreement, with King Hussein in attendance and US President Bill Clinton signing as a witness. The ceremony brought a relationship long conducted behind closed doors into the open.
Despite years of conflict, Israeli and Jordanian leaders had maintained secret contacts for decades. Shared security interests helped sustain those channels, even when public relations remained hostile. In July 1994, Rabin and Hussein signed the Washington Declaration, formally ending the state of war between their countries and preparing the way for the treaty three months later.
The agreement addressed practical issues that mattered to both sides: Borders, water sharing, diplomatic relations and security. It committed both countries to preventing their territory from being used for attacks against the other, and established a framework for cooperation in trade, tourism and other civilian fields. Israel also recognized Jordan's special role in Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem.
The significance went beyond a handshake or a signing ceremony. Two neighboring countries that had fought each other chose to settle their disputes through negotiation and build a relationship around mutual recognition and shared interests. It was a major step toward a Middle East where peace with Israel could become an accepted reality.
