185. Editorial Note
At 8 a.m., July 17, Charge Wright reported from Amman that British Chargé Mason had been instructed to deliver a message to King Hussein informing him that the British Government had acceded to Jordan’s request for military intervention. The troops arriving later that morning from Cyprus would be used to protect the capital city, the person of King Hussein, and Western interests in Jordan. (Telegram 139 from Amman, July 17; Department of State, Central Files, 785.00/7–1758)
[Page 317]The first elements of the British Sixteenth Parachute Brigade began arriving at Amman airport at approximately noon, and took up positions around the airfield. The remainder of the brigade, however, was turned back to Cyprus by Israeli fighters which fired on the British transports crossing Israeli airspace without permission. The British request for permission was still pending in Tel Aviv at the time, and the remainder of the brigade was delayed on Cyprus for over 5 hours until the United States, at British request, intervened with the Israeli Government and secured permission for the overflight of British forces into Jordan. (Telegram 57 from Tel Aviv, July 16; telegram 37 to Tel Aviv, July 17; telegram 58 from Tel Aviv, July 17, and telegrams 358 and 371 from London, July 17; ibid., 785.00/7–1658 and 785.00/7–1758; all included in the microfiche supplement)