Figure 1.--The Palistinians in Jordon very quickly moved to create their own state within Jordon. It was inevitable. The Jordanians had their state and did not want to destroy it with a perpetual war with Israel. The Palistinibas did not have a state and were detemined to estroy Israel no matter what the cost to themselves or to any people who gave them refuge. There was no caption here. All we know is that it was taken in 1970 in Jordon. We know they are Palistinians vecause the boy has a gun. Notice the boy's attitude towaed the press photographer. At this time it was still safe for Western journalists. The PLO needed them for publicity. This would eventually change.

The huge number of Palistinians that sought refuge in Jordan had no loyalty to the Jordanian Government or eventually any willingness to recognize Jordanian authority. Theor loyalty was to the PLO. The Palestinians who were haavily armed began to set up their own government. The lightly armed Jordanian Police and even the Army began losing their authority. Uniformed PLO militants often carrying automatic weapons began acting like the police. They openly flaunted their authority. They began setting up checkpoints outside the refugeecamps and other areas where they clustered. They began extort 'taxes' from Jordanians on the roads. The PLO thus became became a serious security threat, establising the Jordanian state. King Hussein not only had domestic security issues, but also Israel to contend with. The heavily armed PLO meant that not only was it impossibke to negotiate any arrangements with Israel, but Palistinian attacks on Israel resuled in Israeli incursions. Thus both indirectly and directly the PLO undermined the monarchy. The PLO covenant committed to 'liberating' mandatory Palestine meaning all of Israel meant that Jordan was being pulled into another war with Israel. And actual death threats aimed at the King was nothing short of a intention of over tirning the state. The PLO conduct in Jordon reached a level that a showdown with King Hussein was unavoidable. The PLO wanted the King out and control the state with a real army to wage a war with Israel.

Created: 9:54 PM 8/15/2017
Last updated: 9:54 PM 8/15/2017