The Law on Economic Boycott and Banning Dealing with the Enemy (Article 6) states that "it is impermissible for foreign persons or corporate entities that do not hold an Arab nationality to purchase, lease, or own directly or indirectly any immovable property in the kingdom." The only exceptions require high level political authorization.But Jordan is still nervous that Jews might want to buy land in their country, especially in Petra which they are frightened will be taken over by Jews.
Local Petra officials have been strengthening their laws against selling land specifically to stop any chance of selling land to Jews - not just Israeli Jews but any Jews. This follows national laws that were meant to loosen restrictions on foreign investment.
However, other Jordanians believe that this is not enough to counter the danger of Jews buying land. Although the buyers must reveal their nationality, they fear that Jews could go through middle-men and purchase the land that way. As a result, this columnist would prefer that there be no foreign investment in Jordanian real estate rather than allow the slightest chance that Jews could purchase land:
Israelis under these amendments can now buy land, through Jews holding foreign nationality, and the requirement that the buyer reveals any other nationality is unrealistic, because no one is able to make sure the buyer doesn't hold any other nationalities...fWhat can be said here is that the House of Representatives has a duty to answer these amendments and prevent the sale of land in Petra for non-Jordanians, because all the other guarantees of bans of sales to Israeli Jews are not convincing, and we know that there are Arab and international front-men who will come to buy the land, but no one knows who he really represents. ...We are talking frankly that the amendments (allowing foreign investment) make us uncomfortable, even if they are meant to stimulate investment.The fear of selling land to Jews is quite explicit in these articles.
CAMERA has a nice backgrounder on both Israeli and Jordanian laws for allowing foreign purchase of real estate.
