[3] As a result of the agreement, Jordan became a "magnet for apparel manufacturing," as American companies such as Walmart, Target and Hanes established factories so they could cut costs by eliminating tariffs.

Ideally, the "economic linkages" generated by the FTA would "normalize strained relationships and offer institutional mechanisms to resolve and prevent political disputes.

[7] The assumption was that in the course of jointly controlling and valuating rules of origin, Jordanian and Israeli customs officers would engage in interpersonal interactions resulting in understanding if not friendship.

[10] In 2006, the National Labor Committee, an American non-governmental organization, released a series of reports on Jordanian sweatshops, whose conditions according to the NLC's executive director were "the worst:" 20-hour workdays, not being paid for months, and physical abuse.

Most laborers are not Jordanians; they are contracted guest workers from countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China who pay a lump sum of about $2,000 to $3,000 to get hired by a garment factory.