Jordan’s former army chief Marshall Habes al-Majali died in hospital in Amman Sunday at the age of 87, it was reported.
Majali was a prominent figure in Jordan’s history as he led the army fighting Jewish forces in 1948 and during the Black September civil war, when the Arab Legion was able to crush the PLO forces.
The official Petra news agency also reported the death, but gave no other information.
Majali, who joined the armed forces in 1932, is claimed to have captured in 1948 more than 200 Jewish Hagana fighters, including the current Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
In 1957, late King Hussein appointed al-Majali chief of staff of the armed forces -- a job he held until shortly before the six-day Arab-Israeli war which began June 5, 1967.
In October of that year, al-Majali became defense minister. But when Palestinian guerrillas threatened King Hussein's rule in 1970, the monarch appointed him army chief again, said The Associated Press – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
