Jordan and the emergence of a Hashemite state
Jordan-Jordan, History, 2/20/1999

The emergence of the Hashemite state as it is known today goes back to 80 years ago. It is a story which started at the end of the first world war and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, as well as the launching of what is known as "the greater Arab revolution," led by al-Sharif Hussein in al-Hijaz.

Before these two events, during the Ottoman era and far beyond in oldest time, Jordan was an integral part of Syria, geographically speaking. However, East Jordan has ever been part of Syria or Bilad al-Sham. On its territories the famous al-Yarmouk battle took place marking the conquest of Bilad al-Sham by the Arabs.

Throughout history, East Jordan had no real significance. It was a mere crossroads for caravan transit between al-Bilad al-Sham and al-Hijaz. When the Turks joined World War I in 1914 beside Germany, the process of events drastically changed in the region.

Thence, Britain, France, Russia of the Tsar had agreed to partition what was known as the Middle East as one of the war's gains, from the Ottoman Empire (which used to be called the "sick man"). However "Greater Syria" or "Syria proper" and Mesopotamia were the very object of a conflict between Britain and France, a conflict which resulted in the famous Sykis - Picot agreement of 1916.

According to the agreement France and Britain divided among themselves the influence areas. "Syria proper" was divided into four parts. France was given Syria and Lebanon, Britain was given Palestine (besides the Mesopotamia ). East Jordan was kept -- as part of Palestine -- under the British mandate but had no definite status.

Just one month after signing Sykis - Picot agreement, the greater Arab revolution was announced in al-Hijaz. It was the aim of Hussein, the Sharif of Mecca, as a leader of the revolution, that Arabs would announce their independence from the Ottoman Empire by announcing the united Arab kingdom, composed of all Arab territories in Asia.

It was agreed then with Britain (according to Hussein - MacMahon correspondence) to support the Arab revolution, under the condition that the Arabs will help the British and the axis countries against the Ottoman Turks.

The Arab forces fought against the Turks from Mecca in the south until Aleppo in the North under the leadership of four of al-Sharif Hussein's sons: Ali, Abdullah, Faisal and Zeid. When the war was over and the allied countries won, the first Arab country was announced in Syria (as it is known today) and with East Jordan as part of it, under Prince Faisal.

Iraq and Palestine came under the direct British control. Lebanon became under the full French control. The Arabs then believed the British alleged support for the establishment of an Arab state, but Britain resorted to implementing the Sykis - Picot agreement instead of obliging itself to the promises given to al-Sharif Hussein during his correspondence with MacMahon.

In July 1920, Britain permitted France to enter into Syria, occupy it and defeat the Arab army in it, to occupy Damascus and topple Faisal from the throne. As Faisal was removed from Syria, France did not continue its invasion to the south toward East Jordan, which used to be part of the Syrian Kingdom under Faisal. Therefore, East Jordan remained under British control.

The French troops were met with great resistance from Syrian nationalists who were working in East Jordan. In the meantime, the Syrians and Jordanians were asking for the help of al-Sharif Hussein in al-Hijaz to send one of his sons to lead a new Arab resistance against the French.

Once again al-Sharif Hussein asked his second son Abdullah to head to the north towards Syria. Al-Sharif Hussein was then in a very bad situation, after his forces were defeated by Ibn Saud's troops before the year 1919. His condition had already begun to worsen when Britain suspended financial aid to him in June 1916, but despite these difficult conditions he did not hesitate to send his son Abdullah to Syria.

Prince Abdullah was the foreign minister for his father in al-Hijaz kingdom. He left Mecca for al-Madina and then with some troops he used the train together with a group of volunteering Bedouins, and following a very tiring journey he arrived in Muaan, in Jordan in November, 1921. From Muaan, Abdullah announced that he came as a deputy for his brother Faisal, calling upon the Syrians to commit to his leadership to attack the French in Damascus to restore the throne.

Following drastic events, in March 12, 1921 the Cairo conference was held, and some 50 sessions within its framework were held, attended by all sides concerned in the Middle East. The conference concluded with the establishment of a four-element plan, the most important of which was the throne of the Mesopotamia (Iraq was still then named so), which was given to Faisal Bin al-Hussein (Prince Faisal who was removed by the French from Syria), with the Iraqi people requesting to have Faisal as their King rather than a ruler from Britain, and Abdullah was appointed as the King of East Jordan.

Abdullah's first government was composed of seven persons. They were all Syrians except one; The Prime Minister of the government, who was officially the first premier for East Jordan, was a Lebanese Druze, Rashid Talee. The second Prime Minister was Syrian Rida al-Rekabi. The elite of intellectuals which surrounded Prince Abdullah were from Syria, al-Hijaz and Palestine.

On May 25, 1923 Britain recognized the government of East Jordan, a day that is until now proclaimed by Jordan as its national day. Following World War II, Britain announced the independence of East Jordan Emirate on March 22, 1946 and two months after Prince Abdullah was invested as King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

On December 1, 1949 the Ariha conference was held and recommended the annexation of the West Bank to Jordan. On April 5, 1950 the two banks were officially annexed to Jordan. Almost one year later, on July 20,1951, King Abdullah was assassinated at al-Aqsa mosque square in Jerusalem. Under King Hussein, who inherited the monarchy from his grandfather Abdullah, relations between Syria and Jordan had their ups and down. The most crucial stage was during the Black September events in September 1970.

This was the month in which King Hussein of Jordan finally decided that the Palestinians in his country had too much power and were in danger of taking over the running of the state themselves. They, therefore were crushed. This was done bloodily in September.

Syrian leaders with their commitment to Palestine felt they should not stand idly by. On September 19, armored units from Syria crossed the Jordanian frontiers but withdrew a few days later, having suffered casualties.

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