The historian Omar Al-Armouti presented a document of utmost importance regarding the assassination of the former Prime Minister Wasfi Al-Tal in Cairo in 1971. This testimony was given by his brother, His Excellency Dr. Saeed Al-Tal, the former Deputy Prime Minister, as stated in the book “Waqa’at” authored by Dr. Saeed Al-Tal, with preparation and introduction by the historian Omar Al-Armouti.
I met Professor Abdul Halem Khaddam in Damascus when I was the Minister of Information and he was the Deputy President of the Syrian Arab Republic in the early 1980s. When discussing Wasfi Al-Tal, he said, “Wasfi was severely wronged, especially by some Palestinian leaders.” He added, “Very few Palestinian leaders match Wasfi’s dedication to the Palestinian cause,” and when we talked about his assassination in Cairo, he said, “The plan proposed by Wasfi Al-Tal in the Arab Joint Defense Council was rejected by the United States, Israel, Egypt, and the organization.” He further stated that all these parties were involved in the assassination in one way or another, and he learned that Wasfi Al-Tal went to Cairo without any protection. He replied, “You know your brother better than I do, and honestly, I’ll tell you, we were afraid of his opposition.”