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Palestinian flag painting covered with graffiti in the Old City of Jerusalem, above; below, goats on trails in the West Bank; and, at the bottom, a view over the city of Jericho in the West Bank
Sunday, August 7, 1988
Relinquishing sovereignty, Jordan's Hussein says occupied territories belong to Palestinians
By David Alexander
AMMAN, Jordan (UPI) -- King Hussein said Sunday Jordan no longer claims sovereignty over the Israeli-occupied West Bank because the territory "belongs to the Palestinian people," but he ruled out canceling passports or closing bridges between the two areas.
Hussein, speaking at a news conference at the royal palace, also said he would immediately recognize a Palestinian government in exile if the Palestine Liberation Organization decides to create one, and he would accord the PLO the status of a diplomatic mission, "an embassy if you wish."
The monarch said in a speech last week he was reducing Jordanian ties with the West Bank because the relationship between the two had become a hindrance to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
In moves aimed at implementing the policy, Hussein has cut off Jordanian salaries to 21,000 employees in the West Bank, abolished the Cabinet minister post for the occupied territories, canceled a $1.3 billion development project in the region and dissolved the lower house of Jordan's parliament, half of whose 60 seats were reserved for residents of the West Bank.
Government sources in Israel say most of the 21,000 employees - mostly teachers and civil servants -- received between 30 percent and 50 percent of their total income from Amman. Some of the workers also receive pay from the Israeli Civil Administration.
The suddenness of Hussein's decision to cut ties and the fact the moves were not coordinated with the PLO led some Israeli government sources to speculate he was trying to prove the PLO could not fill Jordan's legal and administrative role in the territory.
But Hussein Sunday denied he had territorial ambitions in the West Bank, which Jordan annexed in 1950 but lost to Israel in the 1967 Six-day War. Hussein said his break with the territory was complete.
"Jordan does not have sovereignty over the West Bank. The West Bank belongs to the Palestinian people," he said. But Hussein indicated he still believed Jordan had responsibilities in the territory until the Palestinians had set up a system to ensure their rights.
He said the kingdom would not suspend passport privileges to the nearly 1 million Palestinians in the West Bank or close bridges between Jordan and the territory.
Both measures would have had a far greater impact on most West Bank residents than any action taken by the king so far. As Jordanian citizens, West Bank residents can easily travel between the territory and Jordan where they have relatives. The West Bank also exports farm products to Jordan over the bridge crossings.
"We believe the bridges to be the lifeline as far as the occupied territories are concerned and as far as we are concerned, we have no intention of closing the bridges nor does it cross our minds to think of doing that," he said.
"As far as passports are concerned, passports will remain until such time as a Palestinian state hopefully is created," the king said.
Hussein seemed to encourage the PLO to create a Palestinian state in exile, saying he would recognize the government "without any hesitation, immediately."
He said Jordan also would grant the PLO diplomatic status, adding, "I think they'll be accredited as a mission, an embassy if you wish."
The king also chastised the Israeli government for its failure to respond to Arab calls for an international peace conference.
"It has succeeded in losing opportunity after opportunity, through vagueness at best and an inability to realize that no solution can come from continued occupation of the land of others and denying them their rights," he said.
"Israel has yet not made any contributions toward peace in the region and I do not believe it will do so," he said. Regarding the U.S. role in trying to find peace, Hussein said, "as far as the United States, I would believe it has also not lived up to the hopes of many in terms of its position in this world as a superpower and in terms of the influence it could have exerted to have resolved this problem before this time."
Hussein made an emotional appeal for understanding from the Palestinians in the West Bank, saying, "Their suffering is alive in our hearts and souls."
He also appeared to urge the PLO not to misinterpret his motives. The PLO has frequently accused him of competing for the loyalty of West Bank residents.
"We hope that we have at least finally removed any reasons for doubt or suspicion," he said. But when asked what he would like to tell the PLO, he said, "We have nothing to say to the PLO."