Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969–1972; Jordan, September 1970

246. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, September 15, 1970.

SUBJECT

• Evening Report on the Hijacking Situation

There have been two major developments today: (1) King Hussein has decided to move tonight to an all or nothing showdown with the fedayeen and (2) the PFLP has presented another list of unacceptable demands for the release of the remaining hostages.

The Situation in Jordan:

King Hussein had advised our embassy he is moving tonight to an all or nothing showdown with the fedayeen in order to “establish law and order.”² Having waited three days, he is determined now to compel fedayeen to implement the cease-fire agreement and remove their forces from Amman. During the early hours of tomorrow morning he will establish a military government. This will be announced at 7 a.m. in Amman (1 a.m. EDT). Army units will be pre-positioned around the city but Hussein will not force the issue unless the fedayeen do. The army will only enter the city against the fedayeen if necessary. The military government will take over communications and if necessary declare a curfew.

King Hussein urgently requested that the U.S. take steps to assure that the Israelis do nothing to prejudice or aggravate the situation. He also stressed that, depending on fedayeen reactions, he may need to call for U.S. and Israeli assistance.

If King Hussein carries through with his plans tonight the 54 hostages in the hands of the PFLP will be in grave danger. At our urging, Hussein has agreed to include in his announcement tomorrow morning a warning of most serious consequences should the fedayeen harm the hostages, but this may not be enough to stop them if they are desperate.

I am convening an emergency WSAG meeting to consider this situation.³

The Negotiations

The PFLP issued a press statement today giving its conditions for the release of the hostages. The statement began with the declaration that the PFLP “is itself” holding the hostages and considers itself “responsible” for them. The PFLP warns that any “stupid attempt by any party to try to retake these hostages would expose their lives to great danger.” The statement then lists the following demands:

• —The PFLP will release the Swiss, Germans and British hostages in exchange for the six fedayeen in their hands plus Leila Khaled and the body of her companion.
• —Announcement by the Israelis of the “acceptance of the principle of the return” of the two Algerian officials recently arrested at Lod Airport, of a Swiss youth arrested for belonging to the PFLP, of ten Lebanese soldiers and “likewise of the exchange of prisoners with the Palestine resistance.” Only then will the PFLP provide the names of the prisoners which “Israel must release” in exchange for the release of the “detained Israelis and those holding dual Israeli-American citizenship.” (No specific mention made of single passport American hostages.)

The PFLP statement concludes with a charge that the Red Cross is playing a “biased role” and “shirking its duty as a disinterested party.” The PFLP therefore considers that “direct responsibility” falls on the states concerned and that it is incumbent on them to announce their agreement to the PFLP’s demands.

Our embassy in Amman opines that the PFLP statement seems designed to split the already strained unity of the Bern Group.⁴ The discriminatory terms presented to the members of the Bern Group, the call for bilateral talks and the denunciation of the Red Cross effort all seem designed to tempt the other Bern Powers to break ranks. Moreover, it now looks as if the PFLP is prepared to withhold the list of Israelis it wants—the crucial point in getting the Israelis to accept any package deal—and to dangle the temptations of its offers before the other four powers involved.

Our representative to the Bern Group has been instructed to express in strong terms our hope that the British, Swiss and Germans do not permit themselves to be drawn into any individual negotiations with the PFLP and will continue to channel all their efforts through the Red Cross. He is also to stress the importance of obtaining from the PFLP a list of the prisoners in Israel they want and urge the Red Cross to press hard on this.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 331, Subject Files, Hijackings. Secret. Sent for information.
2. As reported in telegram 4808 from Amman, September 15, 2040Z. (Ibid., Box 615, Country Files, Middle East, Jordan, Vol. V)
3. A WSAG meeting took place on September 15 from approximately 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. No substantive record of the meeting has been found. The time of the meeting is drawn from a 1973 summary of events and meetings related to the Jordan crisis (see footnote 2, Document 209).
4. Telegram 4806 from Amman, September 15, 1845Z. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 331, Subject Files, Hijackings) Ambassador L. Dean Brown arrived at the Embassy in Amman on September 15 after having been sworn in on September 9. (Ibid., Box 615, Country Files, Middle East, Jordan, Vol. V) He replaced Ambassador Harrison M. Symmes, who left post on May 7. Due to the crisis, Brown did not formally present his credentials to King Hussein until September 29. (Telegram 5421 from Amman, September 29, 1800Z; ibid.)