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Wasfi Tal

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Wasfi Tal
وصفي التل
Tal in 1962
15th Prime Minister of Jordan
In office
28 October 1970 – 28 November 1971
MonarchHussein
Preceded byAhmad Toukan
Succeeded byAhmad Lozi
In office
14 February 1965 – 4 March 1967
MonarchHussein
Preceded byBahjat Talhouni
Succeeded byHussein ibn Nasser
In office
28 January 1962 – 27 March 1963
MonarchHussein
Preceded byBahjat Talhouni
Succeeded bySamir Al-Rifai
Personal details
Born1920
Irbid, Jordan
Died28 November 1971 (aged 51)
Cairo, Egypt
SpouseSaida Al Jabari
Alma materAmerican University of Beirut
OccupationMilitary officer, diplomat
Military service
Allegiance
Branch/service British Army
Arab Liberation Army
 Syrian Arab Army
 Royal Jordanian Army
Years of service1940s–1971
RankCaptain (ALA)
Major (Syria)
Battles/wars

Wasfi Tal (Arabic: وصفي التل; also known as Wasfi Tell; 1920 – 28 November 1971) was a Jordanian politician, statesman and military officer. He served as the 15th Prime Minister of Jordan for three separate terms, 1962–63, 1965–67 and 1970 until his assassination in 1971.

Tal was born in Arapgir, Turkey to prominent Jordanian poet Mustafa Wahbi Tal and a Kurdish mother. He received his elementary education in Jordan, later continuing his education at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He then joined the British Army in Mandatory Palestine after being trained in a British-run military academy, and joined the irregular Arab Liberation Army to fight against Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[1] As an Arab nationalist, Tal was known for his belief in collective Arab action and supported the Palestinian struggle.[2][3]

Following the war, he served various positions in the Jordanian government, rising to higher positions after his abilities captured King Hussein's attention. His first tenure as prime minister in 1962 was short-lived, he resigned in 1963 over widespread criticism of his perceived pro-Western views.[4] He was appointed prime minister again in 1965, which saw an improved climate of economic activity, but resigned just before the onset of the Six Day War in 1967. He was appointed again as prime minister in 1970 during Black September, the conflict which saw Palestine Liberation Organization fighters (fedayeen) expelled from Jordan. Earning the ire of PLO leaders for his role in the conflict, he was assassinated by the Black September Organization outside a Cairo hotel hosting an Arab League conference.[5]

Tal was reportedly loyal to King Hussein and popular with Jordanians for his success in expelling the fedayeen. Meanwhile, he was widely denounced by Arabs who had supported the fedayeen.[6] His assassins were found innocent and released on low bail by an Egyptian court and allowed to leave Egypt.[7]

Early life

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Wasfi Tal (right) with his father Mustafa Wahbi Tal during mid 1930s. His father is often described as Jordan's most prominent poet.

Tal was born in Arapgir, Turkey to prominent Jordanian poet Mustafa Wahbi Tal[1] and Kurdish mother Munifa Baban.[8] Sources differ with reference to the place and date of birth of Wasfi Tal. Some sources mention that he was born in 1919 in Arapqir.[9] Other sources mention that Tal was born in 1920[10][2][11] He moved to Irbid, Transjordan with his mother at the age of five.[12]

Tal obtained his elementary education in Jordan.[3][2] He moved to Al-Salt in 1936 when he was 16 to go to the only public high school in Jordan at the time. As a student he founded a secret student organization called the "Black Hand" whose goal was to promote a more aggressive stance against Zionism. During his time as a student he and several students in the "black hand" were arrested after bombing Al-Salt mayor's mansion. Due to his family influence and the fact no one was hurt in the bombing he was released a few days later and allowed to finish his education.[13] He later continued his education at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.[3][2]

Career

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He joined the British Army in Mandatory Palestine after being trained in a British-run military academy, and joined the irregular Arab Liberation Army to fight against Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Due to his experience in the British army, he started off with the rank of captain. After the Arab Liberation Army was dissolved in 1948, his unit was reassigned to the Syrian Army for the remainder of the war under the new name Yarmuk Forces. By May 1949, he had risen to the rank of major.[14]

Jordanian King meets advisors on events of Black September, 17 September 1970

Following the war, he served various positions in the Jordanian government, rising to higher positions after his abilities captured King Hussein's attention. His first tenure as prime minister in 1962 was short-lived, he resigned in 1963 over widespread criticism of his perceived pro-Western views. He was appointed prime minister again in 1965, which saw an improved climate of economic activity, but resigned just before the onset of the Six Day War in 1967. He was appointed again as prime minister in 1970 during Black September, the conflict which saw Palestine Liberation Organization fighters (fedayeen) expelled from Jordan. Earning the ire of PLO leaders for his role in the conflict, he was assassinated by the Black September group outside a Cairo hotel hosting an Arab League conference. Tal was succeeded by Ahmad Lozi as prime minister immediately after the incident.[15]

Tal was known for his belief in collective Arab action and supported the Palestinians' struggle for freedom of their homeland.[2][3] The New York Times reported that "he was hated and feared most of all by the extremists because he was a rational man who sought a practical accommodation with Israel."[16]

Assassination

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Field marshal Habis Majali and Wasfi Tal

On 28 November 1971, four Black September gunmen assassinated Tal in the lobby of the Sheraton Cairo Hotel in Egypt while he was attending an Arab League summit in the city.[17][18][19] The shooting happened at 3:45 p.m. Cairo time. Gen. Muhammad Maher Hassan, the Egyptian prosecutor, said the assassins belonged to a group called "the Black Hand of September."[20] Tal was 51 years old.[11] Historian Patrick Seale writes that one of the assassins, Munshir al-Khalifa, was one of Abu Ali Iyad's soldiers who sought to avenge his commander's death.[19][21] As Tal lay dying, "one of the assassins knelt and lapped with his tongue the blood flowing across the marble floor."[22][23][5]

Tal was the first victim of the newly formed Black September Organization, a more militant offshoot of the Palestinian militant organization Fatah. Yasser Arafat, Fatah's leader, claimed responsibility for the killing.[17]

Tal was popular with Jordanians for his success in expelling the fedayeen. Meanwhile, he was widely denounced by Arabs who had supported the fedayeen. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat had also despised Tal. Tal was the third senior Jordanian political figure assassinated between 1951 and 1971; the first two being King Abdullah I and Prime Minister Hazza Majali.

Tal's body was flown back to Amman on 28 November 1971. He was buried in the royal cemetery after the prayers in the Royal Mosque in Amman on 29 November.[24]

There were reports of celebration among Palestinians on the Israeli-occupied West Bank of Jordan in response to news of Tal's assassination.[20]

Personal life

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Tal was married to Sadia Jabri, who had been former wife of the Palestinian leader of the 1940s, Musa Alami. They had no children.[11]

Honour

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Foreign honour

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Eric Pace (7 April 1971). "Man in the News". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Jordanians remember former PM Wasfi Tal". en.royanews.tv. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Jordanians remember former PM Wasfi Tal". Jordan News. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  4. ^ Lentz, Harris M. (4 February 2014). Heads of States and Governments Since 1945. Routledge. ISBN 9781134264902. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. ^ a b Morris, Benny (3 February 2011). "Fallible Memory". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Slain Jordanian Angered Many Arabs". The New York Times. 29 November 1971. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  7. ^ Grose, Peter (29 November 1971). "Bloody reprisals feared for slaying of premier". Eugene Register-Guard. Ramallah. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Arar: The Story of the Boy Between Two Bottles". Ammar Shuqairi (in Arabic). 7iber. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  9. ^ "وصفي التل (1919 -1971) – المملكة اليوم". 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ^ "Jordan remembers Wasfi Tal". Jordan Times. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Wasfi Tel was bitter enemy of guerrillas". Gadsden Times. 29 November 1971. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  12. ^ "وصفي التل".
  13. ^ Susser, Asher (18 May 2017). On Both Banks of the Jordan: A Political Biography of Wasfi al-Tall. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-78454-2.
  14. ^ Susser, A. (2017). On both banks of the Jordan: a political biography of Wasfi al-Tall (Vol. 2). Routledge.
  15. ^ Fouad El Gawhary (30 November 1971). "Cairo assassin says he drank the blood of dying Premier". The Times. No. 58338. Cairo. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Assassination in Cairo". The New York Times. 30 November 1971. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b Rubin, Barry M. (1994). Revolution until victory?: the politics and history of the PLO. Harvard University Press. pp. 37–38. ISBN 9780674768031.
  18. ^ Jessup, John E. (1998). An encyclopedic dictionary of conflict and conflict resolution, 1945–1996. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 77. ISBN 9780313281129.
  19. ^ a b Amos, 1980, p.222.
  20. ^ a b Lewis Jr., Jesse W. (28 November 1971). "Jordan Premier Assassinated by Palestinian Extremist Group". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  21. ^ Seale, 1982, p.81.
  22. ^ Bruce Hoffman (December 2001). "All you need is love: How the terrorists stopped terrorism". The Atlantic.
  23. ^ Shair, Kamal A. (2006). Out of the Middle East: the emergence of an Arab global business. p. 240.[permanent dead link‍]
  24. ^ "Avenge Rebel's Death". The Deseret News. Caito. United Press International. 29 November 1971. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  25. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1965" (PDF).

Bibliography

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Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Jordan
1962–1963 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Bahjat Talhouni
 Prime Minister of Jordan
1965–1967 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Jordan
1970–1971 		Succeeded by
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