Jordan: The Hot Breath of Nasser

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It was only a matter of time before the emotional repercussions of Gamal Abdel Nasser's Arab unity movement would sweep across the kingdom of Jordan. Last week Nasserite crowds swarmed through Jerusalem and towns on the West Bank of the Jordan River, shooting off rifles and tommy guns and demanding immediate merger with Nasser's projected federation. King Hussein called out desert troops and police reinforcements, clamped an emergency curfew on the Holy City. In the capital city of Amman, shouting students carrying Arab unity flags with a fourth star for Jordan were peacefully dispersed, but armored cars warily patrolled the streets.

A few hours later, in a stormy debate in Amman's House of Representatives, 32 of the 60 legislators rose to attack the policies of Prime Minister Samir Rifai, whom Hussein had appointed only 24 days earlier. Rifai was in favor of linking Jordan with Nasser's group, but wanted to take his time about it. The parliamentarians did not want to wait. After nine hours of it, Rifai stormed out of the chamber, handed his resignation to King Hussein.