Israel Watches Outcome of Transjordan’s Elections; Abdullah Reported Eager to End War

Interest in Israel today centered on the general elections in Transjordan, the outcome of which may have a major effect on the continuation of peace negotiations between Israel and Transjordan. Today’s elections are being conducted both in Transjordan and those sections of Arab Palestine occupied by the Arab Legion.

Semi-official circles here believe that the Arab League’s recent threats against nember states which conclude separate agreements with the Jewish state have not killed the possibility of an agreement between Israel and Transjordan. It is ?elt that King Abdullah is as eager as ever to end the formal state of war between the two states. It is also known that he is strengthened in this resolve by a considerable body of influential opinion in Amean.

Authoritative opinion here believes that King Abdullah will be able to ride but any storm raised by the Arab League on this issue. Militarily he has no reason to fear the other members of the League since he is, and should remain, better situated from a military point of view than his closest rivals–Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

His anxisties in connection with the League are said to be twofold; fear of internal disturbances in Palestine stirred up by Egypt and the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem, and economic sanctions by members of the League, particularly Egypt. An internal disturbance of the kind feared by Abdullah was stirred up in Hablus last week by his political enemies.

As far as economic sanctions are concerned, it is stated here that if Britain for the United States agreed to supply Abdullah with such staple items as sugar, for which Transjordan now depends upon Egypt, the monarch’s concorn over Egypt would ##anish. However, no guarantees of furnishing such supplies have been made by either the U.S. or Britain.