Word: riyadh
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...Riyadh would combine the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip with Jordan into a new Palestinian state that would be economically linked to Israel in a common market. It is not entirely a new thought. Ronald Reagan in 1982 proposed Palestinian "self-government" in the West Bank and Gaza in a federation with Jordan. The Saudis, however, seem to look toward a much tighter union...
...fact, the Saudis have developed some ideas that they think should be part of any Middle East settlement -- not quite detailed enough to be called a plan but still more specific than anything that has yet come out of Washington. Though Riyadh's suggestions were not raised with Baker, at least initially, British sources report that Saudi officials did outline their approach to Prime Minister John Major during his visit last week to the kingdom. The central idea, however, looks to be one that Israel could be brought to consider only under almost unimaginable U.S. pressure, and perhaps not even...
...Saudis doubt that any Arab Hashemite King could now rule an amalgam of Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinians have about a 60% majority over Bedouin-descended Arabs even in present-day Jordan; they would be far more dominant still in an expanded state. In Riyadh's eyes, Hussein would either be overthrown or have to abdicate -- and good riddance...
...Riyadh has been terminally infuriated by Hussein's siding with Iraq in the just-ended war. Saudis devoutly believe that the Jordanian King conspired with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who is no relation, to carve up Saudi Arabia. King Hussein supposedly would have reigned over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as a sort of Iraqi viceroy (his ancestors ruled that part of Arabia until driven out by Abdul Aziz, founder of the House of Saud, before World War I). Outside Arabia, most analysts doubt Saddam would ever have shared power that...
...scenario would be more likely if the Saudi ideas are adopted than if they are not. By backing Iraq, they believe, Hussein has won enough popularity with Jordan's Palestinian citizens to hold on in Amman, but he might indeed fall in an expanded, overwhelmingly Palestinian Jordan. London and Riyadh do agree that Syria is willing to make some sort of settlement with Israel about the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights if parallel progress can be made toward solving the Palestinian problem...