Jordan says Prince Hamzah’s circle aimed to destabilize safety

Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi stated on Sunday that former Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein and his aides had been involved with “foreign parties” in regards to the “right timing to destabilize” Jordanian safety.
Security forces arrested a number of officers on Saturday. Hamzah stated he was positioned beneath home arrest as he criticized the federal government.
Safadi stated Hamzah had engaged in “recent activities and movements” that aimed to incite folks in opposition to the state.
King Abdullah II will talk about the scenario with Hamzah, his half-brother, straight and inside the royal household, Safadi stated in a press convention.
The deputy prime minister stated ongoing investigations started a very long time in the past, and that the Jordanian authorities has foiled all strikes to undermine safety. He didn’t establish the “foreign parties” allegedly concerned within the plot.
What was the response in Jordan?
Queen Noor, the mom of former Crown Prince Hamzah, denounced on Sunday a “wicked slander” in her first response to the revelations after circulated footage confirmed her son criticizing the federal government.
“Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe,” she stated on Twitter.
Jordan’s military chief stated on Saturday that Hamzah was not beneath arrest, however had been requested to cease “some activities that could be used to shake the stability and security of Jordan.” But the prince has disputed this in a video message.
Deputy Prime Minister Tawfiq Krishan stated on Sunday that the Jordanian authorities by no means “eliminated the opposition or excluded a political movement.”
His remark got here throughout a gathering of prime officers as they mark the one centesimal anniversary of the Jordanian state.
The official Al-Rai newspaper warned on Sunday that Jordan’s “security and stability” had been a “red line that must not be crossed or even approached.”
Who was arrested?
The deputy prime minister stated authorities arrested between 14 to 16 folks, in addition to two most important prime officers.
Among these detained was Bassem Awadallah, a former finance and planning minister and a longtime confidant of the king. He was additionally an adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Awadallah, a proponent of financial reforms, resigned as chief of the royal court docket in 2008 amid allegations of interference in delicate political and financial points.
Safadi stated Awadallah was involved with the so-called “foreign opposition,” which aimed to incite the folks in opposition to the Jordanian state.
Security forces additionally arrested the highest official and member of the royal household Sharif Hassan Ben Zaid.
He was the king’s envoy to Saudi Arabia, the place he additionally had investments, in response to native media experiences.

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What about Hamzah?
Hamzah stated he was not allowed to depart his residence or meet with different folks, in response to a video supplied by his lawyer to the BBC.
“I recorded this video to make it clear that what has been said officially is not a reflection of what is actually happening on the ground,” he stated in a video assertion.
Hamzah slammed the Jordanian authorities over what he stated was a duty for the nation’s deteriorating human rights scenario.
Labib Kamhawi, a Jordanian analyst, advised the Associated Press that Hamzah possible crossed a line for the royal household by indicating he may be a substitute for the long-ruling king.
“This is something the king does not accept or tolerate,” he advised the AP. “This is why we are now witnessing what has happened. This file is now more or less closed.”
Which nations backed the king?
Neighboring nations and allies of Jordan expressed their help for King Abdullah on Sunday.
The United States, the United Kingdom and Gulf allies rallied behind the king, highlighting Jordan’s strategic significance within the area.
Saudi Arabia was among the many first to voice help for the king. The United Arab Emirates, Oman, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, Iran, Yemen, Israel, Palestinian territories, Romania and Ukraine additionally issued statements in solidarity with Jordan’s safety.

What is the scenario in Jordan?
Although the developments in Jordan have come as a shock for a lot of, DW reporter Aya Ibrahim says there have been indications a more in-depth have a look at the developments on the bottom present what led up to now.
“The country has really suffered under the COVID-19 pandemic economically. It has also had to undergo some very serious austerity measures that are starting to be really painful for ordinary Jordanians,” she advised DW News.
Ibrahim famous that former Prince Hamzah’s criticism of corruption and the nation’s ruling elite “does resonate with some of the king’s critics domestically.”
“He did say that he met with some of the tribal leaders, so one can then understand why the official view that this was a destabilizing move on his part,” she stated.
Amman-based journalist Rana Sweis advised DW that Prince Hamzah’s video attraction was “unprecedented.”
“Jordan is normally a stable Arab kingdom that has been a staunch ally of countries in Europe and the US, particularly when it comes to counterterrorism cooperation in the Middle East,” Sweis stated.
“It is really a rare kind of tension that we have not really seen before at the forefront,” she added.

Jordan has lengthy been a key Western ally and an island of stability in a turbulent area. It borders Israel, the Palestinian territories, Syria and Iraq.
(AFP, AP, Reuters)