Fifty years ago | PLO and Jordan for Arab joint military command

Published - October 31, 2024 04:16 am IST

Babat, Oct. 30: Arab leaders ended their summit conference here yesterday after approving $2,350 millions in aid for Arab troops and a joint command for both guerilla and regular armies facing Israel, Arab diplomatic sources said.

The summit, they said, ordered the creation of a four-power joint command over the armies of Egypt, Syria, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Jordan to ensure co-ordination of military strategy in the event of a new showdown with Israel.

Previously, the Arabs had a joint Egyptian-Syrian command.

The contribution agreed upon was a modification of a Syrian proposal for an initial global sum of $13,350 millions which a number of Arab States complained was too high.

Conference sources said Egypt and Syria would each get $1,000 millions from the fund. Jordan will get $250 millions and the PLO $100 millions.

An additional $150 millions would be made available to the People’s Republic of (South) Yemen for constructing a base at the Bab al-Mandeb Straits, controlling the entrance to the Red Sea, the sources said. (Egyptian ships blockaded the Straits during the war last October).

In addition, $30 millions would be contributed for an Arab information campaign, they added.

The Arab leaders heard the PLO leader, Yasser Arafat, warn that Israel was prepared for a fifth war with the Arabs.

Mr. Arafat said his Palestinian guerillas were willing to let Morocco benefit 3from their experience to “liberate” the Spanish Sahara.

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