Middle East: Friends and Enemies

Jordan and Egypt renew ties, as Israel and Syria try to cut a deal

The announcement flashed over Jordanian television at 8 p.m. Two hours later, a special bulletin appeared on Egyptian television. In both countries, the news was greeted with mild applause and much surprise. After a five-year rift, Jordan was restoring full diplomatic ties with its neighbor to the west. One of the 17 Arab nations that have severed relations with Egypt since the late President Anwar Sadat signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, Jordan now becomes the first country to rescind that gesture of disapproval....

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