Israel: 2014 Commemorative Coin Features Jordan River

[Bimat]

New Israeli coin to feature Jordan River

[2/20/2014 11:18:20 AM]

AMMONNEWS - Israel is preparing to release a new coin featuring the hotly disputed Jordan River.

Although Israel's Maariv newspaper claimed that the image of the Jordan River was chosen out of respect for it being mentioned in the Torah many times as a place of miracles, the image looks set to anger many Palestinians.

The Jordan River is a natural border between Jordan and what is traditionally known as Palestine, and was accepted as an official border in 1967.

However, as it lies in the east of the West Bank, which the Palestinians hope to establish as an internationally recognized independent country free from the Israeli occupation, the symbolization of the river on Israeli currency may be interpreted as a demonstration of sovereignty over it.

Israel demands full control over the Jordan River as a condition in the ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians.

Source: Ammon News

[Figleaf]

The usual politically deformed bunk. Jordanian and Israeli technicians have been talking in the joint water commission (JWC) for Israel and the Palestinian Authority for years. For more info (Israeli POV) see this document.

Peter

[Prosit]

Pretty good document but nothing about the river specifically.
Dale

The usual politically deformed bunk. Jordanian and Israeli technicians have been talking in the joint water commission (JWC) for Israel and the Palestinian Authority for years. For more info (Israeli POV) see this document.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Indeed. I linked to the doc because it is solid evidence that the JWC exists, which many people are inclined to doubt or deny. The JWC is based on the Oslo I accord, which speaks of co-operation on water in general terms and does not exclude the river Jordan. I suspect there is little agreement on the river water, though. I have seen enough reports of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the Danube Commission to know that even when the parties are on good terms, it is hard to achieve anything on the subject of international rivers. I wonder if the US and Mexico do any better on the Rio Grande in the International Boundary and Water Commission.

Anyway, my point is that at least they're talking and the picture painted by the journalist is false. See also the last, bold printed sentence in the doc.

Peter

[Prosit]

They come to wonderful agreements and everybody is happy and everyone ignores the treaties....but they all get along pretty good 

Now Texas and the surrounding States have been in a legal water fight pretty much continuously and since day one.
Those agreements get upheld...some of the time.

Dale

I wonder if the US and Mexico do any better on the Rio Grande in the International Boundary and Water Commission.
Peter

[chrisild]

The "Jordan River" coins can be had now. There are three denominations (same design):

1 NIS (Ag 925) 14.4 g, 30 mm - mintage 1,800
2 NIS (Ag 999) 31.1 g, 38.7 mm - mintage 2,800
10 NIS (Au 917) 16.96 g, 30 mm - mintage 555

Designed by Meir Eshel, minted in Norway.

Christian