Syria joined today the mounting chorus of Arab dissent over the six point Mideast peace plan offered by King Hussein of Jordan in Washington last week. The plan has been rejected by Saudi Arabia, South Yemen, Kuwait, Iraq and Algeria. On Tuesday, five Palestinian guerrilla organizations issued joint statement in Beirut rejecting “the latest Jordanian proposals and all other proposals to liquidate the Palestine cause.”
Syria, however, was the first of the three Arab combatant nations in the June. 1967 Six-Day War to explicitly turn down the Hussein proposals. Syrian President Noureddin al-Atassi’s statement in Damascus did not mention the Jordanian ruler by name. But there was no doubt that he referred to King Hussein’s plan when he said, “We refuse ill plans which would force us to make concessions. We are holding and will continue to hold onto our rights.” He said to achieve the ultimate goal of “complete liberation of Arab lands,” Syria would strengthen the popular resistance movement.
The joint guerrilla statement came from A groups which have been competing for prestige and feuding among themselves. The five organizations are the El Fatah, Al Saiqah, the Palestine Liberation Front, the Popular Democratic Front and the Palestine Liberation Organization. They said they decided on “a policy of unity to face such a critical situation” and would send delegations to Arab nations to seek definitions of their policies toward a peaceful settlement.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
