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February 12, 1999/26 Shevat 5759, Vol. 51, No. 20
Tough act to followEditorialThe precariously fine line that King Hussein of Jordan successfully walked during his 46 years on the throne was dramatically evident at his funeral in Amman this week.Dignitaries from some 75 nations gathered for the simple Muslim ceremony, representing every shade on the political spectrum, from despot to democrat, terrorist to peacemaker. The Israeli delegation itself was a picture of diversity. Headed by beleaguered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it included two of his most likely rivals in the upcoming May elections, Ehud Barak and Yitzhak Mordechai. Hussein's death spotlights the question of succession not only in the Hashemite Kingdom, where his son Abdullah has taken over his reign - but also in neighboring Arab countries, where age or illness of some leaders raises serious questions about ideological orientation and political alignment. Two cases in point are Syrian President Hafez Assad, and Saudi Arabia's King Fahd. The latter, pleading ill health, sent his country's Crown Prince Abdullah to Hussein's funeral in his absence. Of paramount concern is who will succeed Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat. While the outpouring of sorrow at Hussein's death attests to the high esteem in which he has been held within his own nation and abroad, it serves also as a reminder of the conflicts and complexities that riddle the road to security, stability and peace in the Middle East. Iraq, Iran and Syria surely will put intense pressure on Jordan to join them in supporting Palestinian statehood. When push comes to shove, will King Abdullah have the inclination, let alone the strength, to defy their demands and keep his own counsel in the interest of ultimate peace, or will he risk alienating Israel and undermining the tenuous accord brokered by his father? King Hussein will be remembered as a leader who weighted the delicate balance in the Middle East on the side of peace. Early in his reign, Hussein's son will be tested on the same scales. The world can only wait to see how he chooses to tilt the balance. |
