- Arabic:
- Aylƫl al-Aswad
- Also called:
- Black September Organization (BSO)
- Date:
- 1971 - 1974
- Areas Of Involvement:
- terrorism
Black September
-
What was Black September?
Black September was a militant offshoot of the Palestinian organization Fatah, formed in 1971. The group aimed to avenge Jordan's military and assassinate King Hussein after the violent clashes between Hashemites and Palestinians in September 1970, during which the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was driven out of Jordan.
Before its dissolution in 1974, Black September engaged in attacks against Israeli and Western targets, most notably the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where eleven Israeli athletes and a West German policeman were killed. Other operations included the assassination of Jordanâs Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tel in November 1971, acts of sabotage, hijackings, and attacks on embassies. In response to the Munich massacre, Israel ordered its national intelligence agency, the Mossad, to assassinate senior Black September and PLO operatives.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
When and where did Black September operate?
Black September, a militant faction of Fatah, emerged in 1971 to retaliate against Jordan's military and King Hussein, following clashes in September 1970, known as "Black September," where thousands of Palestinians were killed or expelled.
Operating from 1971 until its dissolution in 1974, the group engaged in attacks against Israeli and Western targets worldwide. Key events include the assassination of Jordanâs Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tel in November 1971, the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics, and the attack on the Saudi embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, in March 1973. Other operations took place in the Netherlands, West Germany, and Athens, Greece.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why was Black September created?
Black September was created in 1971 as a militant faction within Fatah, a Palestinian organization. Its primary aim was to seek revenge on the Jordanian military and to assassinate Jordanâs King Hussein after the King's forces violently confronted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in September 1970, during which the PLO tried to seize power.
The name "Black September" commemorates the violent clash between Hashemite and Palestinian forces, resulting in thousands of Palestinian casualties and the PLO's expulsion from Jordan.
Before its dissolution in 1974, Black September engaged in attacks against Israeli and Western targets, most notably the 1972 Munich massacre of Israeli Olympic team members.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Black September's actions impact the worldâs view of the Palestinian cause?
Black September's actions, particularly the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics, significantly impacted the worldâs view of the Palestinian cause. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of eleven Israeli athletes and a West German policeman, brought global attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but also associated the Palestinian cause with terrorism.
The event led to a more complex and often negative perception of Palestinian activism, as the violence overshadowed political objectives. While some viewed Black September's actions as a desperate response to the Palestinian expulsion from Jordan, others saw it as pure terrorism, complicating international support for Palestinian statehood.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What eventually happened to the Black September organization?
Black September was a militant offshoot of the Palestinian organization Fatah, formed in 1971 to avenge the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Jordan. The group is known for the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where they killed eleven Israeli athletes and a West German policeman. In response, Israel ordered its national intelligence agency, the Mossad, to assassinate senior Black September and PLO operatives. Mounting pressure placed on Black September by the Mossad possibly led to its dissolution by Fatah in December 1974. Most of its members were reassigned to other Palestinian groups.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Black September, breakaway militant faction of the Palestinian organization Fatah. The group was founded in 1971 to seek retribution on Jordanâs military and to assassinate Jordanâs King Hussein after they forcefully confronted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) during an attempt to seize power from the monarch in September 1970. The name Black September was chosen to commemorate that violent Hashemite-Palestinian clash, during which thousands of Palestinians were either killed or expelled and the PLO was driven out of Jordan. Before its official dissolution in 1974, the faction also participated in attacks against Israeli and Western targets worldwide, notably the massacre of members of Israelâs Olympic team at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich.
Black September apparently formed within Fatah, the PLO group led by YÄsir ÊżArafÄt. Black September apparently received its orders from the Fatah security apparatus, but some scholars contend that its linkages to Fatah were kept hidden to allow Fatah to maintain its stance of not interfering in the internal matters of Arab countries. Others, however, argue that the faction eventually became a radical split from the more-moderate Fatah.
Eleven Israelis and a West German policeman were killed in the attack at the 1972 Olympic Summer Games in Munich. In response, Israel ordered its national intelligence agency, the Mossad, to kill senior Black September and PLO operatives. The Mossad conducted several operations, including the 1973 killing of three Black September members in Beirut, the 1973 killing of a Moroccan waiter in Lillehammer, Norway (who, it turned out, was apparently blameless), and the 1979 killing of Ali Hassan Salameh, the âRed Princeâ (who was thought to have masterminded several deadly attacks, including that at Munich in 1972).
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Several other attacks were ascribed to Black September. The group assassinated Jordanâs Prime Minister Wasfi al-Tel in November 1971 following the PLO eviction from Jordan the previous June. Black September was implicated in several acts of terrorism in 1972, including acts of sabotage in the Netherlands and West Germany in February, the hijacking of a Belgian aircraft flying from Austria to Israel in May, and the sending of letter bombs to Israeli embassies worldwideâone of which killed a diplomat in London in September. Operations continued in 1973 with an attack on the Saudi embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, in March; several hostages were taken, and Cleo A. Noel, the U.S. ambassador to Sudan, his deputy, and a Belgian diplomat were killed. In August a pair of young Black September members attacked passengers waiting to board a flight to New York in Athens, Greece, killing 3 people and wounding more than 50. (The pair sought to attack passengers bound for Tel Aviv, but that flight had boarded before they arrived.)
In December 1974 Black September was dissolved by Fatah, possibly as a response to the pressure placed on Black September by the Mossad. Most of its membership was reassigned to other Palestinian groups.