Functional Cooperation With The Jordanian - Israeli Peace Process (1967-1994)

Despite the fact that Jordan and Israel were still in the shadow of war during the period of 1967-1994, it seems that their relationship had been more harmonious than that between Egypt and Israel who have already signed a formal peace treaty in 1979. The main reason is that Jordan and Israel had established a series of informal arrangements on numerous functional issues. In other words, the two countries had reached tacit agreements and conducted smooth cooperation in low politics. Owing to that, Jordan and Israel were dubbed by one writer "the best of enemies".This thesis, by means of Functionalism, explains the Jordanian as well as Israeli motivation of conducting functional cooperation. It elaborates the practice of the Jordanian-Israeli functional cooperation in such fields as Open Bridges policy, West Bank administration, education, agriculture, trade, travel, Aqaba/Eilat, media, aviation, banking, water resource, etc. It also analyses the achievements and limitation of the Jordanian-Israeli functional cooperation. It is expected that the thesis would offer a better understanding of the role functional cooperation plays in peace process.The thesis comes to a conclusion as follows: Functional cooperation is conducive to eliminating misunderstandings, promoting common interests and realizing de facto peace; Functional cooperation is perhaps the most feasible and ideal option to countries in dispute; Functional cooperation increases the cost of coming into confrontation by means of promoting common interests, and therefore prevents deterioration of relationship; Functional cooperation could be expanded from low politics to high politics. Nevertheless, functional cooperation will not necessarily lead to peace. Instead, it is always subject to ideology and geo-politics just as its establishment requires the political willingness from both rivals.