JERUSALEM – Jordan has returned its ambassador to Israel after a four-year absence, in the wake of the recent Sharm el-Sheikh summit and declarations of a Palestinian-Israeli truce.
The new ambassador, Dr. Marouf al-Bakhit, was formerly Jordan's ambassador to Turkey. Al-Bakhit is set to take up his duties Monday.
Meanwhile, Egypt has turned to Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and asked that he approve the appointment of Mohammed Assem Ibrahim to the post of ambassador in Israel. Shalom approved the nomination late Sunday.
The 59-year-old Assem Ibrahim, who is currently his country's ambassador to Sudan, holds a BA degree in economics and political science and speaks English, French, and German. His wife is the Egyptian ambassador to Switzerland.
'It's a welcome step'
Al-Bakhit's appointment was announced following a Feb. 8 Mideast summit in Egypt, where Israel and the Palestinians pledged to end violence between them, and Egypt and Jordan said they would once again post ambassadors to Israel.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said on his arrival that this is an important moment in the framework of efforts to renew and expand relations with the Arab states.
Shalom said he would meet al-Bakhit on Monday.
Housing Minister Yitzhak Hertzog also reacted positively when addressing reporters at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting.
"It's a very welcome step and it's very important in enhancing the relationship between Israel and its neighbors," he said.
"We commend the Jordanian kingdom and we believe it is a partner for peace and advancement in the area," he said.
Considered a shrewd diplomat
Egypt and Jordan, the only Arab countries that have signed peace treaties with Israel, downgraded relations after the September 2000 outbreak of a Palestinian uprising, protesting what they said was Israel's forceful response.
Al-Bakhit is considered a shrewd diplomat with moderate views. He is a retired army major general with a doctorate in political science. He served as the head of a state committee that oversaw the implementation of the peace treaty that Jordan signed with Israel in 1994.
The last Jordanian ambassador to Israel, Abdul-Illah al-Kurdi, was named in August 2000, but never took up his post.
Since the summit, Shalom has held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of Oman, Morocco, and Qatar.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report