Young King Hussein of Jordan, under renewed propaganda attack by the two pro-Soviet Arab countries, Egypt and Syria, pledged yesterday before the first conference of Arab refugees in Amman that Jordan would never give up its fight for the restoration of “your usurped homeland” in Israel.
His speech was a reply to Egyptian and Syrian charges that Jordan and Israel were conducting secret talks on the Arab refugees and that the talks would end along lines desired by Israel. The refugees, who went into Jordan after Israel was proclaimed, make up a large part of Jordan’s population.
The delegates, after hearing King Hussein’s promise that “we shall continue to defend Arab countries until your usurped homeland is restored,” adopted a resolution assailing the unjust campaign of lies and intrigue launched against Hussein by the trumpets of Egyptian propaganda.”
At the same time, thousands of other Arab refugees demonstrated in the streets of Damascus, roaring for King Hussein’s death. The demonstrators carried banners denouncing the Jordan monarch for the alleged secret dealings with Israel. The demonstrations apparently were touched off by a week of reports by Damascus radio and newspapers from Cairo of alleged efforts by King Hussein to reach settlement with Israel of the Arab refugee problem.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.