The ongoing bombing of Gaza by the Israeli army is generating strong reactions in Pakistan, but the Pakistan military’s involvement in the killings of Palestinians in 1970, during “Black September,” remains little known.
In 1970, Pakistan’s former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq helped the Jordan king kill “more Palestinians in 11 days than Israel could kill in 20 years.” Zia-ul-Haq, who was then a Brigadier, led offensives alongside the Jordanian army that killed over 3,000 Palestinians in Jordan.
He was dispatched by Pakistan to assist the Jordanian army in 1967. In his fight against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), King Hussein had ordered his troops to target Palestinians in refugee camps around Amman in 1970.
This 1970 conflict between the Jordan King and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), was called “Black September.”
Following the 1967 war, Jordan’s army and air force were severely damaged by Israel. In an effort to rebuild the military, the US and UK supplied equipment while Pakistan was sought out for training.
How it began
The attacks by Palestinian insurgent groups such as the PFLP on Israel from Jordan caused the Jewish state to retaliate. This caused concern for Jordan’s King Hussein, especially due to the presence of a significant Iraqi Army contingent in Jordan that was supposedly there to protect against Israel. Palestinian militant groups were also supported by both Iraq and Syria, which added to the tensions.
In 1970, King Hussein survived at least two assassination attempts, with one happening in June when his motorcade was attacked. Following this, the Jordanian Army began shelling Palestinian refugee camps in the vicinity of Amman.
From September 17th to September 27th, the Jordanian army and its supporters including Pakistani troops led by Brigadier Zia ul Haq fought Palestinians, including fighters from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). About 4000 to 10,000 individuals were said to have died in the conflict, mainly innocent civilians involved in city combat.
On September 18, Syrian tanks entered Jordan in support of Palestinian fighters, which led to Zia-ul-Haq being sent to the scene for an assessment. According to a CIA official Jack O’Connell, Zia-ul-Haq personally led Jordanian troops during the battles.
Seven years after he helped kill Palestinian insurgents, Zia-ul-Haq would stage a coup in Pakistan as chief of the army staff by overthrowing the government of prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The significance of Black September was noted by British-Pakistani writer Tariq Ali, who quoted Moshe Dayan, one of the founders of the State of Israel, as saying that King Hussein killed more Palestinians in 11 days than Israel could in 20 years. And Pakistan facilitated these killings of Palestinians, with Zia-ul-Haq playing a major role. Black September ended the influence of Palestinian fighters in Jordan and led to their expulsion from the country.
