A group of 172 Jordanians arrived in Eilat on Thursday to begin working in that city’s hotels, an initiative of Interior Minister Silvan Shalom to bolster cooperation between Israel and its eastern neighbor. 1,500 Jordanians are expected to participate in the program.

Shalom greeted the workers Thursday saying, “This is a day of celebration for Israeli-Jordanian cooperation, a celebration for the two nations and a celebration for Eilat,” Shalom said in during the welcoming ceremony. “It is a move that will strengthen ties between Israel and Jordan, improve service in Eilat hotels and prevent illegal migrants from working in Israel.”

The program is the latest sign of increased cooperation cooperation between the two nations. Jordan’s King Abdullah, whose religious trust manages the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, recommended the installation of cameras as a means of reducing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, although the proposal hasn’t been implemented yet. And earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon revealed that Jordanian and Israeli pilots had both participated in the Red Flag military exercises in the United States in July.

[Photo: Prince Roy / Flickr ]