Hussein Caves in Under Iraqi Pressure to Halt Harassment of Guerrillas

King Hussein, of Jordan has virtually capitulated to Iraqi pressure to stop harassing Palestinian guerrillas opposed to his regime’s acceptance of the American Mideast peace initiative. According to Israeli experts on Arab affairs, the Jordanian monarch was cowed by an ultimatum from Baghdad threatening to use Iraqi troops on the side of the guerrillas. A force of about 12,000 Iraqi troops has been stationed in northern Jordan since the June, 1967 war. According to reports this week, an additional 5000 have been shifted to Jordan from Syria. The Iraqis comprised part of the so-called Arab Eastern Command against Israel which was dissolved recently by decision of an Arab foreign minister’s meeting in Tripoli, Libya. Baghdad radio reported yesterday that the Iraqi Foreign Minister warned the Jordanian Ambassador that Iraqi forces would intervene unless King Hussein’s troops stopped attacking Palestinian guerrillas. Subsequently, street fighting that had been going on in Amman for the past three days subsided. Amman has denied that the Iraqi ultimatum was responsible for the shooting halt. Dov Yinnon, the Israel Broadcasting Service’s Arab affairs commentator said today that the Jordanian reply to the Iraqi ultimatum was conciliatory and tantamount to a surrender.

He said that instead of demanding the evacuation of Iraqi troops from Jordanian soil, the Hussein government, after four hours’ deliberation, saw fit only to deny the Iraqi charges that it was harassing the guerrillas. “The Jordanian government has evaded a showdown with Iraq,” Mr. Yinnon said. Not only did it fail to protest Iraq’s interference but it even expressed hope for continued cooperation with Iraq.” King Hussein narrowly escaped assassination yesterday in the second attempt on his life since June. Clashes between Jordanian Army regulars and Palestinian commandos had been going on since Saturday. Sporadic fighting has broken out in Jordan since King Hussein accepted the American peace initiative which the guerrillas and Iraq bitterly oppose. Iraqi military intervention against the Hussein government is believed certain to bring a swift reaction from Israel should it occur. The Israeli government has said on many occasions that it would take appropriate action to counter any threat to its security arising from a change in the Jordanian regime. King Hussein is also said to have the pledged support of President Nasser and of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia who is a bitter foe of the radical regimes in Iraq and Syria. Yassir Arafat, the El Fatah leader, has reportedly promised President Nasser that he would support Hussein against attempts by other commando groups to overthrow him.