325. Intelligence Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1
02452/70
Jordan
(Supplement to 1200 Situation Report)
According to a sensitive State Department cable, Foreign Minister Eban told Ambassador Yost at the UN on September 23 that while Israel, on balance, favored Husayn as of this time, ‘the world would not [Page 909] come to an end if he departed the scene.’ Eban said the Palestinians would become more responsible when saddled with the day-to-day burdens of government, and the long-term trend in Jordan was toward greater recognition of the fact that Jordan was 70 percent Palestinian. Yost added that Eban seemed to imply that, sooner or later, Israel had to find an accommodation with the Palestinians and that it might in the long run be easier if they dominated the state of Jordan.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 615, Country Files, Middle East, Jordan, Vol. V. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Background Use Only; Exdis. Prepared in the Directorate of Intelligence of the Central Intelligence Agency. Received in the White House at 1:07 p.m. An unidentified handwritten note reads, “Interesting comment by Eban to effect that Israel could live with Palestinian regime in Jordan if Hussein were toppled.” Kissinger initialed the memorandum.↩