Throughout recorded history there was no distinctive territorial whole, geopolitical or administrative, called "Transjordan." The probable reason for Transjordan not having a permanent name in past history, seems to be that the area was never before a separate and independent entity,"(Agil Hyder Hasan Abidi ) in a competent study published in 1965: "Since ancient times its geopolitical location exposed it to various conquerors who occupied it for varying reasons such as security and protection of trade routes." (Jordan. A Political Study 1921-1957, p. 1)

In Biblical times, Transjordan-the eastern bank of the river Jordan-or parts of it, were generally united with Cisjordan-Western Palestine. The tribes of, Gad, Reuben and half of Menasheh settled in the mountainous plateau of Gilead; King David subsequently conquered the whole of the East Bank of the Jordan River. Under the reign of King Solomon, the conquests of David were consolidated, but under his weak successors most of the East Bank was lost, or only held temporarily. The area was intermittently conquered and lost by the Hashmoneans, the Maccabim and the Herodian dynasty.

From the fifth to the seventh century C. "E., the Transjordan area was under Roman authority. It was overrun by Moslem invaders in 635, and, after a brief interlude (1115-81) of Crusader rule, reverted to Moslem domination, first of the Mamelukes, and later (since 1517) of the Turks who administered it as part of the Ottoman Empire.

Mainly tribal feuds and family rivalries characterized the area's internal history under the Turkish rule, until the beginning of the XIX century. In 1831, Ibrahim Pasha Egyptian army conquered the entire left bank of the Jordan River, together with the whole of Syria. When, in 1834, Ibrahim ordered a conscript levy, local Arabs revolted and, together with rebels from Hebron, Nablus and Bethlehem invaded and looted Jerusalem.

In 1841, the great European Powers restored Ottoman rule, which was, however, only partial. Not before 1865 did the Turks succeed in establishing their authority in the north, and only about thirty years later did they penetrate into the southern part of Transjordan, which until then had been dominated by Bedouin chieftains.

The Transjordan territory did not even form an administrative entity. From 1894 until World War 1, it was incorporated into the Vilayet (province) of Syria, its northern part roughly corresponding to the Casa (sub-district) of Ajlun, while the central and southern parts corresponded to the Sanjak (district) of Kerak.

I would not be surprised if this area would be taken over by the PLO/PA in the very near future.

Emanuek A. Winston writes, quote:-

Although the World Press has put a good face on the planned succession to the throne of his brother Crown Prince Hassan, there is a high probability that it will ignite a civil war in Jordan. Simply put, the population in Jordan is over 70% Palestinian, with a hard core of Arafat loyalists, many of whom were ejected to Jordan from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War for being subversives. Arafat, along with his would-be heirs of his succession, wants a nation of size and with military capability. The small West Bank enclave will not suit that purpose, although it will serve temporarily as a base of operations to take over Jordan. Unquote.