1. Historical Background
The term “Black September” in Jordan most often refers to September 16, 1970, during the Black September conflict. This was a violent confrontation between the Jordanian army and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which had established strongholds in Jordan.
2. Causes
Tensions grew between King Hussein’s government and the PLO, which was effectively running its own military and administrative operations in Jordan.
The conflict escalated after several attacks by the PLO against Israel from Jordanian territory and internal clashes with the Jordanian army.
3. The Event
On September 16, 1970, Jordanian forces launched a large-scale military operation against PLO factions.
Heavy fighting broke out in Amman and other cities, leading to thousands of casualties, mostly Palestinians.
The army regained control, and the PLO was eventually expelled from Jordan by July 1971.
4. Aftermath
The event led to the creation of the Black September Organization, a PLO splinter group responsible for later attacks, including the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.
It remains a sensitive and controversial chapter in Jordanian-Palestinian history.
In short, Black Friday in Jordan refers to the violent crackdown on the PLO in 1970, not the shopping day.