Middle East Goodbye to All That

For weeks, King Hussein agonized over his decision. He ordered up secret studies to assess the consequences, but still he hesitated. Finally, in mid- July, he made up his mind. Even the few remaining skeptics in his Cabinet had become convinced that action must be taken. As a courtesy, Hussein advised Washington several days in advance that an announcement would be forthcoming.

Then at 8 p.m. on a Sunday evening, Hussein, sitting beneath a portrait of Sharif Hussein, his great-grandfather, went on Jordanian television. Calmly he informed his 3.6 million countrymen that in response to the wishes of both the Palestine...