Decision to Disengagement the Legal and Administrative Connection Between the Two Banks in 1988
Decision to Dissolve the Legal and Administrative Connection Between the Two Banks in 1988: A Historical Study"
Authored by: Mohammad Khalifa Al-Shakhanbeh.
Published by the Royal Hashemite Documentation Center of Jordan as part of the University Thesis Series (3) in 2021, the study titled "Decision to Disengagement the Legal and Administrative Connection Between the Two Banks in 1988: A Historical Study" by researcher Mohammad Khalifa Al-Shakhanbeh, is a master's thesis in modern and contemporary history from the University of Jordan, awarded in 2020.
The study consists of an introduction, a preliminary section, four chapters, and a conclusion. The first chapter addresses the circumstances leading up to the decision to Disengagement the connection, discussing the establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Jordan's interactions with it. The researcher reviews the Jordanian-Palestinian dialogue between 1965 and 1974, a sensitive period marked by disputes and competition for representation of the Palestinian people. The researcher also discusses the 1974 Rabat Conference, which led to the PLO being recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and transformed the West Bank from Jordanian territory to a disputed area, and touches upon the 1982 Arab Summit in Fez.
The second chapter focuses on the decision to Disengage the administrative and political connection between the two banks. It begins with the 1984 by-elections, held after a hiatus in parliamentary life since the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, and then delves into the First Palestinian Intifada in 1987 and its impact on Jordanian-Palestinian relations. The chapter also covers the drafting and adoption of the decision to dissolve the Disengagement, including the announcement of the decision, the reasons and convictions leading to it, and concludes with the reaction to the decision.
The third chapter is dedicated to the implications of the decision on both the Jordanian and Palestinian sides. The researcher highlights the significant social, political, economic, and administrative problems resulting from this decision. Notably, it led to the dissolution of government bodies in the West Bank, including the Ministry of Affairs of the Occupied Territories, replaced by the Palestine Affairs Department under the Foreign Ministry. Additionally, all employees from the West Bank were retired, with the PLO committing to take full responsibility for the employees affected by the decision.
The fourth chapter of the study presents the reflections of the decision to dissolve the connection on the Arab-Israeli peace process. It discusses the Madrid Conference in 1991, the confidential Oslo Accords in 1993, and the Wadi Araba Agreement in 1994. The study also reviews the constitutionality and legitimacy of the decision and the problem issue of refugees.
The sources utilized in the research are diverse, with key materials being documents issued by the Jordanian government. These include documents from the Palestine Affairs Department under the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, documents from the Jordanian Cabinet published in the official gazette, and various ministries. These sources are significant for containing directives, news, and procedures related to the decision to dissolve the connection.
The study also relied on personal memoirs that witnessed the events under study. Notable among these are the collection of books and memoirs penned by King Hussein bin Talal, "Rihlat Omur" by Abdul Salam Majali, "From the Summit to Defeat with Kings and Presidents" by Ahmed Al-Shukairy, among others.
Arab newspapers and periodicals also contributed significantly to this study, with prominent ones being Al-Rai, Al-Dustour, Al-Quds newspaper, Al-Fajr, and Al-Shaab.
The researcher enriched the study by interviewing several political figures who played a significant role in decision-making at the time, in addition to utilizing a vast array of Arab and foreign references.
The publications from the Hashemite Documentation Center are not translated into English. Institutions and publishing houses interested in publishing a translated version should contact the center at the following email address: Info@rhdc.jo. This offers an opportunity for broader access to these valuable historical resources for non-Arabic speaking audiences and researchers