JERUSALEM, Israel – Under pressure from members of parliament and citizens, Jordanian King Abdullah II announced Sunday that his kingdom would not renew the leases of two land areas included in the 1994 peace treaty with Israel, Naharayim near the Jordan River and the Tzofar enclave in the Arava desert. King Abdullah, who has been under increasing public pressure to end the leasing arrangements with Israel, told senior politicians the kingdom wanted to exercise its "full sovereignty" over the two areas, Petra state news agency said. Netanyahu, in public remarks, said Jordan wants to implement its option to end the lease, and Israel "will enter negotiations with it on the possibility of extending the current arrangement". The land was leased to Israel for a 25-year renewable period under annexes of the 1994 peace treaty that lay down a one-year notice period, with Jordan retaining sovereignty.“Israel was informed today of the Jordanian decision,” the monarch said, stressing that “Baqura and Ghumar are Jordanian land and will remain Jordanian”.“Baqura and Ghumar have always been at the top of our priorities, and we have decided to put an end to the application of the peace treaty annexes regarding Baqura and Ghumar,” he added.
King Abdullah II announces Jordan will reclaim two small plots of farmland territory leased to Israel under their 1994 peace treaty.