Britain placed it under the administration of the EmirAbdullah, grandfather of the present King Hussein of Jordan, as part of a bargain in which Abdullah pledged to suppress anti-Zionist activity directed at the Jewish settlements in the rump of Palestine lying west of the Jordan.
The President spoke with President Karzai of Afghanistan, Prime Minister, Monti of Italy, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, President Putin of Russia, and President Rajoy of Spain.
Influential Arab leaders, including Syria's president, Bashar Assad, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and the wealthy emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad al-Khalifa, flew in to calm nerves.