Habis al-Majali

Habis al-Majali Habis Pasha
Habis al-Majali in 1960
Nickname(s)	Akho Khadra
Born	1914 Ma'an, Jordan
Died	April 22, 2001 (aged 86–87) Al Karak, Jordan
Allegiance	Jordan
Years of service	1932 – 1981
Rank	Fieldmarshal
Commands held	Arab Legion Jordanian Armed Forces
Battles/wars	1948 Arab-Israeli War: -Battle of Latrun -Battles for Jerusalem 1967 War Black September in Jordan
Relations	Hazza' al-Majali Ayman Hazza' al-Majali Hussein Al-Majali

Field Marshal Habis al-Majali (Arabic: حابس المجالي; ‎ 1914 – April 22, 2001) was a noted Jordanian soldier from the southern city of Al Karak, Habis served as Chief of staff, Jordanian Armed Forces 1958-1975, Minister of Defence 1967-1968, and 20-year member of the Jordanian Senate for 5 terms (1967, 1984, 1989, 1993 and 1997)

Habis Pasha is the son of Sheik Refefan

Habis joined the Arab Legion in 1932, and soon impressed Glubb Pasha. Despite acquiring modern skills, he never lost his Bedouin elan. King Hussein's biographer, James Lunt, dubbed him the grand seigneur of Karak and beau sabreur of the army.

Habis Pasha was the only Arab commander to win military victories against Israelis, Palestinians and Syrians alike. His baptism of fire came during the first Arab-Israeli war, when he successfully defended the town of Latrun, 17 miles west of Jerusalem, against the Israelis.

The Jewish state had declared independence on May 14, 1948. The next day, the armies of five Arab nations invaded, among them the Transjordan's crack Arab Legion, under the supreme command of Glubb Pasha. They immediately secured the West Bank, then rushed to fill the vacuum created by British troops leaving Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the Jewish forces were desperate to keep open their lines of communication with the 85,000 besieged Jews of Jerusalem at Latrun, the epicentre of the only route linking Tel Aviv with Jerusalem.

Lieutenant Colonel Majali, the first Arab to head a legion regiment, occupied a strategic hill straddling the nearby Bab al Wad (Gate to the Valley). His spies fanned the countryside, while he held a deserted British police fort, built near a Trappist monastery in 1936.