Landowners’ compensation for Israeli pipeline project stalled

AMMAN — The government’s compensation plan for those whose lands have been expropriated for the construction of the Israeli gas pipeline has been interrupted by the Lower House’s decision to remove the allocated sum from the Ministry of Energy’s budget.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Amani Azzam told The Jordan Times over the phone that the ministry has so far spent JD2.22 million to compensate 118 families whose lands were expropriated to make way for the gas line.

This year, the ministry initially allocated JD8 million to compensate the remaining landowners, but the Lower House Finance Committee’s decision to scrap the amount from the ministry’s budget for 2020 is “hindering the process of disbursing the compensation”, according to Azzam.

“We are currently working with the Ministry of Finance to find solutions that comply with the acquisition solutions that we promised citizens back in 2018, which is to pay a total of JD11 million to all affected citizens. We owe it to the remaining citizens to compensate them as we did the others,” Azzam added.

The Department of Lands and Survey previously acquired lands on behalf of the ministry for the construction of the Israeli natural gas pipeline project. The expropriated lands extend from the supply point located on the Jordanian border near the Jordan River Crossing to the residential area of Al Khanasri in Mafraq. 

Government-acquired land consists of 344 dunums, and temporarily — leased land consists of 611 dunums, which pass through 18 different towns in the governorates of Irbid and Mafraq, as previously announced by the ministry.

The Lower House Finance Committee was unavailable for comment on its decision.