LONDON: Important Jordanian moves, future status of Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jerusalem which were disclosed in British Press today [Dec 15] are expected to influence the President-elect Richard Nixon’s proposed plan for a just Middle East settlement.

Commenting on the British Press reports, the Ambassador Mr Midhet Juma of Jordan told [this correspondent] today that his country is willing to consider free and impartial plebiscite in the occupied West Bank region and Jerusalem to decide whether these territories should return to the Kingdom of Jordan or form an autonomous Arab Palestine. Ambassador Juma made it clear, however, that “We shall not compromise on the status of Jerusalem and the right of all Arab refugees expelled from Israeli-occupied territories to return”.

The “Observer” carried a despatch today from its correspondent Gavin Young in Amman which said that King Hussein is willing to renounce sovereignty over West Bank of Jordan if this should help a settlement.

Answering a question from the “Observer’s” corr­­­espondent if West Bank territories could bec­­­­­­­ome a new state called Palestine with East Jer­­u­­salem as its capital, King Hussein replied: “Yes if th­­at is what the people want.” — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2018