Middle East 697
MID#1006
Dispute Number: 1006
Date(s): April 20, 1950 to October 26, 1956
Participants: 666 Israel/663 Jordan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 101–250 deaths
Narrative: This long dispute describes the long Israeli and Jordanian struggle over East
Jerusalem and the West Bank beginning early in 1950. Militarized incidents began on
April 24, 1950, when Jordan annexed East Jerusalem and the West Bank with British
approval and some opposition by the other Arab states. Jordan gave all of the Palestin-
ians in the annexed territory automatic Jordanian citizenship. This annexation ended the
possibility of the internationalization of Jerusalem as detailed in the 1947 Palestinian
partition resolution.
While there was very little reaction from the Israeli government directly, govern-
ment papers detailed that the Israeli government viewed the situation in East Jerusalem
unchanged and did not recognize the Jordanian annexation.
During the period from 1950–1955, there were a few skirmishes between the two
nations and notably the Qibya massacre when Ariel Sharon’s Israeli troops attacked
the Jordanian village of Qibya in the West Bank and killed 69 Palestinians. Any moves
toward peace were suspended following the incident. In late July and early August
1955, after almost four-and-a-half years of border insecurity and tension, Israel and
Jordan agreed through communiques to a truce monitored by the United Nations that
would extend the entire armistice line.
The peace did not last long though. On October 17, 1955, a small border incident
was reported in which an Israeli patrol was fired on from Jordanian positions. Jordan
and Israel reportedly negotiated a settlement of their complaints related to this issue,
but in November, Israel issued a strong warning to Jordan over incidents in which
Israeli homes were dynamited by Jordanian infiltrators. Israel said Jordan would face
severe repercussions if these attacks continued. More severe border clashes began to
be reported in March 1956, with one on March 13 lasting six hours between Israeli and
Jordanian forces. Other fatal clashes and incursions were reported with frequency in
April and into August. In September 1956, Israel staged a raid on a Jordanian border
post and killed 19. Other reprisal raids in October led to 66 deaths, and on October 12,
Britain warned Israel that it would honor its defense pact with Jordan if raids continued.
On October 26, Israel announced that it did not want war with Jordan but also
pledged to do whatever was necessary to defend itself if attacked. Israel reported
border raids from the Jordanian side in mid-November, but news reports indicated
that the Israeli government believed these to be staged by Egypt in an attempt to get
Israel to attack Jordan.
Coding changes: End Date changed from August 4, 1955.
MID#3405
Started in October 1955. See the narrative in the 652 Syria/666 Israel dyad dispute
list.