The Ministry for Regional Cooperation is currently releasing a tender for the construction of a new bridge over the Jordan River, connecting Israel and Jordan, as part of the “Jordan Gate’ project – an industrial zone and joint employment project. The tender was issued through the Valley of Springs Regional Council, on whose land the project will be built.

The project, which is the first and only joint infrastructure project between Israel and Jordan, includes two industrial and employment parks on each side of the Jordan River and the bridge connecting them. Israeli and Jordanian factories will be built on the Jordanian side on ​​700 hectares of land, while the Israeli facility, which will serve as a logistics base and for the transfer of goods to ports in Israel, will be built on an area of ​​about 245 acres adjacent to Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi.

Pursuant to the Government decision and the approval of the Jordanian government in April 2015, final approval for the construction of the bridge was given recently at a meeting of the Israel-Jordan Committee for Security and Transportation. The cost of the Jordan Gate construction project, on the Israeli side is estimated at NIS 200 million, of which NIS 55 million is for building the bridge.

The establishment of the industrial zone is intended to deepen economic and trade relations between Jordan and Israel as well as regional cooperation and stability. In addition, the industrial zone will expand employment opportunities for residents of the region – Israeli and Jordanian – and will contribute to the strengthening and development of the region.

Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation Ayoub Kara welcomed the issuance of the tender for the establishment of the bridge, and said: “The Jordan Gate Project is among the most important in Israel-Jordan relations and will greatly contribute to improving bilateral relations. I am glad that the tender is being published paradoxically at this time, as it proves that peace between Israel and Jordan is stronger than all the extremists who are trying to drive a wedge between the two countries and undermine our joint efforts to bring about a better future for the peoples of the region.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)