King Hussein of Jordan was branded a “criminal” by the Congress of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Cairo which urged all Arab states to follow Egypt’s example and break off diplomatic relations with Amman, Cairo radio reported today. The PLO meeting was attended by representatives of most Palestinian terrorist groups. including Yassir Arafat, the El Fatah chief. It called on the Arab states to apply an economic boycott against Jordan in the same manner that the Arabs boycott Israel.
The PLO’s resolution stemmed from Hussein’s recent proposal to create a federation of the east and west banks of the Jordan, a move regarded in some Arab circles as tantamount to making a separate peace with Israel. The PLO denounced the Hussein plan as a de facto recognition of Israel in its pre-1967 borders which is contrary to Arab policy and aspirations, The Congress said that the State of Israel in its present form must disappear. There was talk of trying King Hussein in absentia but no indication of what court could try him.
Observers here believe that the various Arab states will each be guided by its own interests regarding its future relations with Jordan regardless of the PLO’s resolution. They noted that Egypt severed relations with Jordan before the Congress met.
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