Jordan has returned its ambassador to Israel, more than four years after diplomatic relations were downgraded at the start of the Palestinian uprising.
Ambassador Marouf al-Bakhit, formerly Jordan's chief envoy to Turkey, arrived in Israel early Sunday and went straight to his country's embassy in Tel Aviv.
Jordan pledged to upgrade relations with Israel to full ambassadorial level during the Mideast summit February 8 in Egypt, where Israel and the Palestinians promised to end violence between them. Egypt also said its ambassador would return to Israel, but no date has been set.
Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab states that have signed peace treaties with Israel. They recalled their ambassadors to the Jewish state following Israel's forceful crackdown on the Palestinian uprising, which began in September 2000.