Black September: The Hijacking Crisis That Pushed Jordan Toward Civil War

On September 12, 1970, the Zarqa Desert, roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Amman, became the scene of one of the most dramatic episodes of the Palestinian armed struggle. Three hijacked aircraft stood isolated in the desert after being diverted there by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). When the planes were deliberately destroyed after the passengers had been released, images of the explosions were broadcast around the world, bringing international attention to the escalating confrontation between Palestinian organizations and the Jordanian state.

The hijacking campaign had begun on September 6, when PFLP members targeted several international flights as part of a strategy aimed at drawing global attention to the Palestinian cause. Two aircraft were diverted to Jordan, while another flight was ultimately forced to land in London following a struggle in the cockpit. A fourth aircraft was subsequently brought to the desert. The PFLP used the hijackings to press political demands and attract international attention, while the presence of armed Palestinian organizations operating inside Jordan placed increasing pressure on King Hussein’s government.

The destruction of the aircraft marked a turning point in an already deteriorating relationship between the Jordanian authorities and Palestinian armed groups. Jordan had become home to a large Palestinian population and hosted several organizations involved in armed resistance against Israel. As these groups expanded their independent military and political activities, tensions with the Jordanian state intensified. The crisis eventually contributed to the violent confrontation known as Black September, when Jordanian forces moved against Palestinian armed organizations in September 1970. The episode exposed a fundamental struggle over sovereignty, armed authority and the Palestinian resistance, with consequences that would reshape Jordanian-Palestinian relations for years to come.