The West Bank buzzed with rumors today that one of the most controversial figures in the Arab world, Haj Amin el Husseini, the one-time Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, may go to Amman, Jordan at the invitation of King Hussein. The rumors have come from travelers arriving from Amman, some of them considered reliable informants. But most Arabs and Israeli officials find it hard to believe that Hussein would extend the olive branch to a fanatic political extremist who was implicated in the assassination of his grandfather, King Abdullah, in 1951. Husseini is widely despised by Arabs and Israelis alike. Arabs hold him responsible for promoting bitter factionalism within their ranks which persists to this day. Israelis remember Husseini as the instigator of the bloody anti-Jewish, anti-British riots in mandated Palestine in 1929 and 1936. His anti-Jewish activity was capped during World War II when the ex-Mufti lived in Berlin under Hitler’s protection. He was regarded as the prime Nazi collaborator from the Middle East.
Husseini turned up in Cairo after the war where he plotted against King Abdullah. Since 1948 he has been living in luxurious exile in a heavily guarded Beirut villa. He is believed to be nearly 80 years old though his exact age is unknown. One of the most influential West Bank leaders, Mayor Mohammed Ali el-Jaabari of Hebron, recently described the Mufti, whom he knew, as a despicable character on every count. Other Arab leaders have expressed surprise at the suggestion that King Hussein would invite an extremist of his stamp to Jordan which already has its hands full with Palestinian guerrillas. But some sources said Hussein could be planning to use the former Mufti to discredit El Fatah leader Yassir Arafat among extremist elements who still admire the former Grand Mufti. The reasoning was that Arafat would pale by comparison with the old time leader. Other sources said however that the aging el-Husseini, a relic of a past era, would have no appeal to the young, Marxist-oriented Palestinians however extreme their views on Israel may be.
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.
