14 May 2020; MEMO: The Jordanian Constitutional Court has ruled that it is illegal to cancel the natural gas deal signed with Israel, RT Arabic reported yesterday.
The court said that it would be “completely inconsistent” with obligations stipulated in the peace agreement between the two countries.
In a statement, the court said that the Jordanian Constitution stipulates that only the king can declare war or ratify treaties and agreements.
International agreements that were ratified are binding on the state as long as they are in force, and a law cannot be issued amending or abrogating such agreements, it explained.
The ruling was made in response to a question by the Jordanian government related to a parliamentary request proposed to cancel the gas deal with Israel.
The gas deal has been widely condemned in the streets and in parliament, with numerous demonstrations being held in protest.
In March 2019, parliament took a unanimous ruling against the gas deal, but the Constitutional Court decided that the deal did not need the agreement of the parliament, because it was signed between two private firms, not between governments.
On 15 December 2015, at least 58 MPs out of 130 signed a petition calling for the cancellation of the deal.
According to the pact, which was reached in September 2016, Israel is to supply 45 billion cubic metres of gas within 15 years, commencing in January 2020.
