1949 Armistice Agreements

The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

Agreements

With Egypt

The agreement with Egypt was signed on February 24. The main points were:

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• The armistice line was drawn along the international border (dating back to 1906) for the most part, except near the Mediterranean Sea, where Egypt remained in control of a strip of land along the coast, which became known as the Gaza Strip.
• The Egyptian forces besieged in the Faluja Pocket were allowed to return to Egypt with their weapons, and the area was handed over to Israel.
• A zone on both sides of the border around 'Uja al-Hafeer (Nitzana) was to be demilitarized, and became the seat of the bilateral armistice committee.

With Lebanon

The agreement with Lebanon was signed on March 23. The main points were:

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• The armistice line ('the Blue line') was drawn along the international border.
• Unlike the other agreements, there was no clause disclaiming this line as an international border, which was thereafter treated as it had been previously, as a de jure international border.
• Israel withdrew its forces from 13 villages in Lebanese territory, which were occupied during the war.

With Jordan

The agreement with Jordan was signed on April 3. The main points:

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• Jordanian forces remained in most positions held by them in the West Bank, particularly East Jerusalem which included the Old City.
• Jordan withdrew its forces from their front posts overlooking the Plain of Sharon. In return, Israel agreed to allow Jordanian forces to take over positions in the West Bank previously held by Iraqi forces.
• A Special Committee was to be formed to make arrangements for safe movement of traffic between Jerusalem and Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University, along the Latrun-Jerusalem Highway, free access to the Holy Places, and other matters.

With Syria

The agreement with Syria was signed on July 20. Syria withdrew its forces from most of the territories it controlled west of the international border, which became demilitarized zones.

Related Topics:
July 20 - Demilitarized zone

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Others

Iraq, whose forces took an active part in the war (although it has no common border with Israel), withdrew its forces from the region in March 1949. The front occupied by Iraqi forces was covered by the armistice agreement between Israel and Jordan and there was no separate agreement with Iraq.

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