Arab League Says No to IDF in Jordan Valley

In an emergency meeting called by PA president Mahmoud Abbas, the Arab League rejected a US proposal that IDF troops would remain in the Jordan Valley for a 10 year period, according to a report in Reuters.

Abbas said that he would not accept a single Israeli soldier in "Palestine", but he could accept US troops.

Besides being an integral part of the Land of Israel, the Jordan Valley is an important component of Israel's security on the eastern front. The IDF presence in the Jordan Valley also prevents smuggling of weapons into the Palestinian Authority, and possibly also protects the Kingdom of Jordan from a Palestinian takeover.

Last week, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon toured the Jewish towns in the Jordan Valley and emphasized how strategically important they are to the State of Israel.