Israeli minister in Jordan next Wednesday

Next Wednesday, Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Ariel Sharon will pay Jordan a two-day visit during which he will meet with King Hussein and Jordanian Foreign Minister Fayez Al Tarawna.

This is the first official visit by an Israeli Minister to Jordan since the failed attempt to assassinate the head of the political office of the Islamic Struggle Movement (Hamas) in Amman, Khaled Mishal, last September by a number of agents of the Israeli Intelligence Service (Mossad). This attempt had caused a strain in the relations between the two countries.

The Israeli official will hold talks on dividing water between Jordan and Israel. The two countries had agreed last Monday to set up a joint economic authority for the development of the Valley of Jordan. However, a spokesman of the Israeli Ministry of Infrastructure declined to confirm this visit.