The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back How the Dawson’s Field Hijackings Forced Jordan to Take Action Against the PLO
On September 21, 1970 the cover of Time Magazine read simply “Pirates in the Sky.” It was referring to the hijacking of four planes by the Palestinian militant group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or the PFLP. This incident was one of the first cases of airplane hijacking as a took for political blackmail, and it played a significant role in king Hussein’s decision to attack the Palestinian organizations on his territory in the month now known as Black September. On the date of the hijacking, Jordan was under significant strain. The increased international exposure, and its accompanying pressure provided the final push, forcing Jordan into the …show more content…
Their forces had been decimated. Their honor was in tatters. And there was very little they could do about it. As a result, something was needed to fill the void. That something was the growth of Palestinian Resistance Movements (PRMs)6. The environment in the Arab world was something of a perfect storm for the PRMs. In addition to providing much-needed hope to the Palestinian people, the PRMs emerged at time when many other revolutionary movements were gaining momentum (such as one in Cuba).7 To understand how the growth of the PRM was a significant issue for Jordan, we must first examine how Jordan was changed by the 1948 war. After this was, Jordan’s population increased significantly, as all of the Palestinians in the West Bank became Jordanian citizens, drastically shifting the demographics within the country. Thus, Jordan was thrust into a prominent role in trying to solve the issue of Israel and the Palestinians. Shortly after, Nasser took power in Egypt. His fiery rhetoric contrasted with the subdued Jordanian regime, and bred frustration within Jordan’s Palestinian
On September 21, 1970 the cover of Time Magazine read simply “Pirates in the Sky.” It was referring to the hijacking of four planes by the Palestinian militant group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or the PFLP. This incident was one of the first cases of airplane hijacking as a took for political blackmail, and it played a significant role in king Hussein’s decision to attack the Palestinian organizations on his territory in the month now known as Black September. On the date of the hijacking, Jordan was under significant strain. The increased international exposure, and its accompanying pressure provided the final push, forcing Jordan into the …show more content…
Their forces had been decimated. Their honor was in tatters. And there was very little they could do about it. As a result, something was needed to fill the void. That something was the growth of Palestinian Resistance Movements (PRMs)6. The environment in the Arab world was something of a perfect storm for the PRMs. In addition to providing much-needed hope to the Palestinian people, the PRMs emerged at time when many other revolutionary movements were gaining momentum (such as one in Cuba).7 To understand how the growth of the PRM was a significant issue for Jordan, we must first examine how Jordan was changed by the 1948 war. After this was, Jordan’s population increased significantly, as all of the Palestinians in the West Bank became Jordanian citizens, drastically shifting the demographics within the country. Thus, Jordan was thrust into a prominent role in trying to solve the issue of Israel and the Palestinians. Shortly after, Nasser took power in Egypt. His fiery rhetoric contrasted with the subdued Jordanian regime, and bred frustration within Jordan’s Palestinian