HUSSEIN WARNS OF EXPLOSIVE M.E.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31231, 1 December 1966, Page 17

HUSSEIN WARNS OF EXPLOSIVE M.E.

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

AMMAN (Jordan) November 30.

The Middle East is on the brink of an explosion more dangerous to world peace than the Suez crisis of 1956, King Hussein, of Jordan, said today.

His warning was directed at Israel, the Arab world and the West.

He said his armed forces would strike back at Israel —“and strike extremely hard”—if Israel attacked again across the armistice line.

“Our patience is at an end and we won’t stand for any further aggression,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press at the Royal Palace in Amman.

King Hussein said there was no justification whatsoever to Israel’s claim that it was retaliating against terrorist raids across the border when it raided Samua and two other Jordanian frontier villages on November 13. The raid set off violent demonstrations in West Jordan demanding ‘arms against Israel and denouncing the government for the weakness of its border defences. The disturbances were brought under control, possibly temporarily, only when troops of King Hussein’s tough Arab Legion moved into the area. Remained Loyal The Army so far has remained loyal to its 31-year-old monarch, as it has through other crises of his 14-year reign. King Hussein charged that some of his Arab neighbours were serving Communist ends by calling for his overthrow He said they were trying to exploit the current crisis “to undermine the morale and confidence of my people and to destroy everything we have built up.” King Hussein has enjoyed peaks of popularity among his people, especially when he has espoused Arab nationalist causes, but his pro-Western policies are opposed by his neighbours in Syria and the United Arab Republic and do not arouse the enthusiastic support of the Arab masses. Three Fronts “I hope our friends in the free world will realise what is at stake here today,” the King said.

He said Jordan was threatened on three fronts —by Israel, by the threats and propaganda attacks of some of its Arab neighbours, and by Communist and pro-Commun-ist subversion within its borders.

Jordan, he said, had scrupulously observed the armis-

tice agreement against raids across the border. “If terrorists do infiltrate

the border despite every preventative measure that we take, Israel has equal responsibility to seal its side of the line,” he continued. Border Raids “If it fails to do this, it is equally to blame for whatever may follow.” King Hussein said ths Arab States had agreed to refrain from border raids and the United Arab command had repeatedly assured him that such raids would not be attempted. The El Assifa Arab terrorist organisation based in Syria claims credit for the raids in Israel, and the Syrian Government has denied it has any control over them.

King Hussein said he had grounds to fear that the Samua attack “was not an isolated incident but was the beginning of something that could lead to a general war.” East-West Camps He suggested that the attack and the disturbances in Jordan that followed it might have been motivated by an Israeli desire to split the Middle East into two opposing East-West camps. “Maybe the Israelis feel it is in their interest to destroy our country,” he said. “Maybe they think it will result in a new alignment, with the Western Powers supporting Israel and the Communists supporting the Arab world. This possibility ought to be examined very carefully.” “We are determined,” King Hussein said, “to fight with every ounce of strength we have if the battle is forced on us. It is obviously our fight. “But the outside pressures being exerted in this area are

of vital interest to the free world.

“My country has become a symbol of freedom and stability and this obviously disturbs many people. “We are doing everything possible to build up our defences to deter attack or to meet it if necessary.” “We need more arms. We

need the moral support of the free world and we need all the help our friends in the Arab world can give us.”

Little Hope

King Hussein appeared to hold little hope, however, for a united Arab front or a concerted Arab effort against Israel.

“This is what I have always hoped for and worked toward, but forces outside the Arab world exert such pressures that all our efforts have been in vain,” the King said. He said his security forces were taking every measure to stamp out subversion in Jordan and to prevent the possibility of a campaign of terror getting started here.