King Hussein of Jordan proposed today the creation of a federated “United Arab Kingdom” comprising the Jordanian kingdom east of the Jordan River and the Israel-occupied West Bank. Hussein’s proposal, broadcast live over Amman radio, was made before a gathering of 500 prominent Arabs of whom not more than a dozen were from the West Bank. Observers here viewed the King’s speech as a major policy statement intended to have long-range effects.
Official Israeli reaction is expected tomorrow from Premier Golda Meir or a senior member of her government. But Israel is expected to reject the plan categorically as it intimates a return by Israel to its pre-June 1967 boundaries and a return of Jordanian sovereignty over East Jerusalem. (See separate story on reactions.) Hussein delivered his speech following a flurry of reports emanating mainly from Baghdad radio that Jordan had arranged a separate peace with Israel.
Spokesmen for both Jordan and Israel emphatically denied this yesterday and the King’s speech contained no reference to such an agreement. Hussein did, however, say that any other part of the “Arab homeland” may unite with the Federation when it is liberated and if it expresses a will to do so. This was taken as an open invitation to the Arabs of the Gaza Strip who were under Egyptian sovereignty until the 1967 Six-Day War.
According to Hussein’s plan, the West Bank region of the Federation would be called Palestine and its capital would be Jerusalem while the overall capital of the Federation would be Amman. There would be two federal parliaments and a governor and government for each of the two regions. King Hussein would remain the chief executive and head of state for both regions but the supreme bodies of the United Kingdom would be composed of both West Bank and east bank Jordanians in equal numbers.
THREE POSSIBLE GOALS OF PLAN
Israeli sources analyzing Hussein’s plan today seemed to think that his immediate purpose was to re-focus world attention on the Jordan-Israel aspects of the Middle East conflict which have been overshadowed in recent months by efforts to achieve an accord between Israel and Egypt.
In addition, Hussein is believed to have three major goals in mind: to drive a wedge between the West Bank population and the remnants of the Palestinian terrorist organizations in Jordan; to gain the tacit approval of the United States and possibly other Western governments for the plan; to head off separatist elements on the West Bank on the eve of the first municipal elections there since 1967.
Observers here believe, however, that the elections are only a minor matter in the context of overall Jordanian strategy. Amman abandoned its open opposition to the elections weeks ago and it seemed unlikely that Hussein’s speech could in any way hinder the election process.
Brig. Gen. Raphael Vardi, the West Bank military commander, said today at a press conference that Hussein’s plan would not have much influence on the elections. He said he didn’t think West Bank residents would “boycott the polls.” Vardi announced that unrestricted electioneering would begin tomorrow and said the voting would reflect the process of normalizing life on the West Bank.
The first balloting will be on March 28 when some 17,000 eligible voters will elect 8-11 councillors each in towns and villages in the Judaea-Samaria regions. The elections will be held according to Jordanian law which restricts the ballot to male property owners over 21 years of age. They will be conducted under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Interior.
PREDICT ARAB OPPOSITION
Israeli sources predicted that Hussein’s a federation plan will be opposed by other Arab states. Although it would put “Palestine” back on the map which no Arab state can openly oppose, the fact that the new entity would include only the West Bank and possibly the Gaza Strip opens Hussein to the charge that he is abandoning the rest of Palestine, meaning Israel. The other Arab states are not considered likely to approve of a revived Palestine under Jordanian auspices.
Hussein’s invitation to the Gaza Strip was viewed as an effort to interest the US in the plan. According to the Rogers Plan which the US has never repudiated, the Gaza Strip is not to be returned to Egyptian sovereignty nor is it to remain under Israeli control.
Menachem Beigin, leader of the Gahal opposition party, reacted sharply against Hussein’s proposed federation plan today. He demanded the immediate extension of Israeli law to the West Bank, a move that would be tantamount to annexation. Beigin was supported by Shmuel Tamir of the Free Center faction. Both factions submitted urgent agenda motions in the Knesset to debate Hussein’s plan and Israeli action with regard to it.
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