The state news agency Petra said Sunday that the trial of the two will begin next week before the state security court.

By Associated Press

The prosecutor of Jordan’s state security court on Sunday filed sedition and incitement charges against two confidants of King Abdullah II’s half-brother Hamzah, marking the latest step in a rare, intrigue-filled palace drama that has rattled the Western-backed kingdom.

The affair erupted into the open in early April when Hamzah was placed under house arrest and two senior associates — Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid — were arrested, amid allegations that they tried to destabilize Jordan with foreign help.

Bin Zaid is a member of the royal family, and Awadallah, a former head of the royal court, reportedly has close ties to Saudi Arabia’s powerful crown prince.

The state news agency Petra said Sunday that the trial of the two will begin next week before the state security court.

Hamzah’s fate remains unclear, including whether his movement and ability to communicate remain restricted. Several days after Hamzah’s house arrest, Abdullah said he had resolved the matter with his half-brother through mediation within the royal family and that Hamzah was in his own home under the king’s protection.

At the time of his initial house arrest, Hamzah alleged that he was being silenced for exposing what he said was incompetence and corruption of the “ruling system.” The royal has established close ties with some of Jordan’s powerful tribes, serving as a conduit for growing anger and resentment as Jordan struggles with a widening economic crisis exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Sunday’s indictment, parts of which were published by state-linked media, alleged that Hamzah, was motivated “by his personal ambition” to rule. Hamzah was stripped of the title of crown prince by Abdullah in 2004, who gave the position to his oldest son.

The indictment alleged that Hamzah, Awadallah and bin Zaid were in close contact, with a plan to win external support to strengthen Hamzah’s position. It said Awadallah and bin Zaid directed the content of Hamzah’s tweets which he allegedly planned to publish to “mobilize public opinion.”

The indictment also alleged that Awadallah criticized the king’s handling of the Palestinian cause, with the aim of weakening Jordan’s role as guardian of a major Muslim shrine in contested Jerusalem. The role of guardian is a pillar of the Hashemite dynasty’s claim to political legitimacy.

Abdullah has ruled Jordan since the 1999 death of his father, King Hussein, who ruled the country for close to a half-century. Abdullah has cultivated close relations with U.S. and other Western leaders over the years, and Jordan was a key ally in the war against the Islamic State group. The country borders Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

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King Abdullah II suggested that there was continued control over Prince Hamzah, who has not been seen or heard from in days.

By Associated Press

Jordan’s King Abdullah II addressed the unprecedented public rift within the royal family for the first time Wednesday, portraying it as an attempted sedition involving his half-brother that had been “nipped in the bud,” but caused him anger, pain and shock.

The monarch appeared to be doubling down on the allegations against Prince Hamzah, a former crown prince, while at the same time trying to reassure Jordanians that the nation was returning to business as usual.

But even if the current crisis is eventually defused, major challenges loom for the Western-allied monarchy as it confronts growing internal dissent.

Wednesday’s statement, presented by a newsreader on Jordan TV, dealt with the internal crisis that erupted over the weekend when Hamzah was confined to his home and accused of being part of a plot to destabilize the kingdom.

Hamzah has denied the allegations, saying he was simply calling out long-running corruption and mismanagement in the kingdom.

The king said Wednesday that he was hurt by the recent events.

“The challenge over the past few days was not the most difficult or dangerous to the stability of our nation, but to me, it was the most painful,” he said. “Sedition came from within and without our one house, and nothing compares to my shock, pain, and anger as a brother and as the head of the Hashemite family, and as a leader of this proud people.”

Abdullah also suggested that there was continued control over Hamzah’s movements. The prince, who has not been seen or heard from in days, was “with his family at his palace, under my care,” the statement said.

There was no sign that authorities have released up to 18 other detainees, including members of one of the powerful tribes on which the monarchy has historically relied.

Authorities have imposed a sweeping gag order on any coverage of the royal dispute in a sign of how sensitive they are to how it is perceived. The gag order and the king’s willingness to sanction his own brother also reaffirmed what Jordanians understand as their “red line” — an absolute ban on criticizing the monarch or the royal family.

Bessma Momani, a professor of international relations at Ontario’s Waterloo University, said the crisis strengthened Hamzah’s popularity, making critics of the government and new followers rally behind him.

She said the king’s doubling-down on vague plot allegations could also create problems in the future. Prosecuting those detained, including members of a powerful tribe, could stir protests. If they are let go, more questions could arise about whether there was ever a plot.

Even before the palace drama, Jordan was grappling with an economic crisis exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, with one in four people out of work. Longstanding complaints about corruption and misrule have fueled scattered protests in recent months.

At the same time, the region’s strategic landscape is shifting as powerful Gulf states pursue closer ties with Israel, potentially undermining Jordan’s role in the Middle East peace process.

The White House, in a statement issued Wednesday, said President Joe Biden had spoken with Abdullah to express strong U.S. support for Jordan and underscore the importance of the king’s leadership to the United States, the region and the peace process.

Asked by reporters if he was concerned about the situation in Jordan, Biden said: “No, I’m not. I just called to tell him that he has a friend in America. Stay strong.”

The crisis in the royal family erupted Saturday when Jordan’s military chief of staff visited Hamzah and warned him to stop attending meetings with critics of the government. Things quickly escalated, with Hamzah accusing the security establishment of threatening him and ordering the general to leave his home.

Authorities placed the former crown prince under a form of house arrest and detained up to 18 people, including former senior officials. On Sunday, the government said Hamzah and others were involved in a “malicious plot” against the kingdom’s security with foreign support.

Abdullah and Hamzah are both sons of King Hussein, who ruled Jordan for nearly a half-century before his death in 1999. Abdullah had appointed Hamzah as crown prince upon his succession but stripped him of the title in 2004.

The government imposed the gag order on coverage of the dispute after an audio recording of the meeting between Hamzah and the chief of staff, Gen. Yousef Huneiti, raised questions about its allegations of a foreign conspiracy. Neither mentioned any such plot in the recording, which was recorded surreptitiously and circulated online.

Family members of those who were arrested in connection with the alleged plot, meanwhile, said they’ve had no communication with authorities or the detainees.

Those arrested include Yasser al-Majali, Hamzah’s chief of staff, and Samir al-Majali, both prominent members of the Majali tribe.

“We don’t know where he is,” said Yasser al-Majali’s brother, Abdullah. He said they have been unable to reach any officials and have not been informed of any charges.

“If there is anything against them, take them to court for a fair trial,” he said. “We don’t want any trouble. We care about stability and we want our people to be released.”

The Majali tribe issued an angry statement immediately after the arrests, calling it a “black day” in which the tribe’s dignity had been insulted.

The tribe denied the men had plotted against Jordan and warned against involving them in “any internal or family dispute.” On Wednesday, video surfaced of the tribesmen holding a small rally demanding the release of their relatives and chanting: “Where is Hamzah?”

Jordan has a large Palestinian population of more than 2 million. The monarchy has granted most of them full citizenship but has historically viewed them with suspicion. Its main base of support is powerful tribes from east of the Jordan River, who dominate the security forces.

For decades, the monarchy has cultivated close ties with the U.S. and other Western nations, which it has used to press for the creation of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria and eastern portions of Jerusalem.

Judea and Samaria was the biblical heartland prior to the Jewish people’s exile from the Land of Israel.

In 1967, Israel captured Judea and Samaria and eastern portions of Jerusalem, which were occupied by Jordan.

Israel and Jordan made peace in 1994 and maintain close security ties, but relations have soured amid a series of recent diplomatic spats.

At the same time, Gulf countries have been cultivating closer ties with Israel over their shared antipathy toward Iran, relations made public last year when the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations with Israel in a U.S.-brokered deal. Saudi Arabia has at times appeared to be weighing a similar move.

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The recording appears to capture Saturday’s explosive meeting between King Abdullah II’s half brother, Prince Hamzah, and the military chief of staff.

By Associated Press

Jordan imposed a sweeping gag order on coverage of its palace feud Tuesday after a recording indicated that authorities tried to silence a former crown prince over his meetings with critics, a sign officials are increasingly nervous about how the rare public rift in the royal family is being perceived.

The recording appears to capture Saturday’s explosive meeting between King Abdullah II’s half brother, Prince Hamzah, and the military chief of staff that set off the current political crisis. In the wake of that meeting, officials accused Hamzah of being part of a foreign plot to destabilize the kingdom — but no such conspiracy is referenced on the recording.

Before the audio surfaced, the palace and a mediator close to Hamzah said that the royal family was in the process of resolving the crisis. It’s unclear where those efforts stand.

On the recording, Gen. Yousef Huneiti, the military chief of staff, says the prince is being placed under a form of house arrest because of meetings he had with individuals who “started talking more than they should.”

The prince raises his voice in anger, accusing the general of threatening him and saying he has no right to issue orders to a member of the royal family.

“You come to me and tell me in my house what to do and who to meet with in my country and from my people? Are you threatening me? … You come to my house and tell me you and security leaders are threatening me? Not to leave your house, only go to your family and don’t tweet?”

“The bad performance of the state is because of me? The failure is because of me? Forgive me but the mistakes are my fault?” he says.

Huneiti, speaking in a calm voice, denies threatening him and says he is simply delivering a message from the heads of intelligence and general security. But by then, Hamzah is shouting over him. “Get in your car, sir!” he says. Neither man mentions the king or a foreign plot.

The recording is consistent with the prince’s earlier description of the encounter.

Jordan, which borders Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, has long been seen as a bastion of stability in a turbulent region. But the coronavirus pandemic has battered Jordan’s economy, and Hamzah’s unprecedented criticism of the ruling class — without naming the king — could lend support to growing complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses.

Reflecting concerns about any sign of instability there, several allies, including the United States, have expressed their strong backing for the king. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Jordan on Tuesday in support of Abdullah, according to Saudi state television.

Jordanian analyst Amer Sabaileh, speaking before the publication ban was imposed, said the dispute “puts more pressure on the king” to reform the system. He noted that the feud had also divided Jordanians, with many on social media expressing support for Hamzah.

The king “needs to go for fast action that saves the image of the family and the monarchy and the unity of society,” Sabaileh said.

Instead, Jordanian authorities have leveled accusations against Hamzah. On the day after the prince’s meeting with the military chief of staff, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi announced that authorities had arrested more than a dozen people and foiled a foreign plot, without saying which country was involved.

Hamzah, in a video statement, denied being part of any such conspiracy and lashed out at authorities for what he said was years of corruption and incompetence. He said they were trying to silence him because of his criticism. There has been no word since on his status or that of those who were arrested.

Some analysts have raised doubts about the suggestion of a foreign plot.

“Among the countries whose names have been bandied about — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel — none have an interest in stoking instability in Jordan or could have believed that an amateurish plot built around a disaffected prince and a handful of acolytes might possibly have overthrown the well-entrenched Abdullah,” Ghaith al-Omari and Robert Satloff of the Washington Institute, a U.S. think tank, wrote in a policy briefing.

Abdullah and Hamzah are both sons of King Hussein, who remains a beloved figure two decades after his death. Upon ascending to the throne in 1999, Abdullah named Hamzah as crown prince, only to revoke the title five years later and give it to his oldest son.

While Abdullah and Hamzah are said to have good relations generally, Hamzah has at times spoken out against government policies, and more recently had forged ties with powerful tribal leaders in a move seen as a threat to the king.

The gag order — which Jordan’s attorney general said was needed to preserve the confidentiality of an ongoing investigation — highlights how restrictions on speech have been tightened in recent years, something the prince alluded to in his statements.

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After he was put on house arrest and accused of mounting a coup against his half-brother, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Prince Hamzah sent a letter affirming his support for the regime.

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By Associated Press

Mediation between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and his outspoken half brother, Prince Hamzah, successfully de-escalated one of the most serious political crises in the kingdom in decades, the palace and a confidant of the prince said Monday.

The apparent resolution of the unprecedented public feud capped a weekend of palace drama during which the king had placed Hamzah under house arrest for allegedly plotting with foreign supporters to destabilize Jordan, a key Western ally.

Jordanian authorities had accused the former crown prince of being involved in a “malicious plot,” along with two senior Jordanian officials. Hamzah, 41, denied the allegations, saying he was speaking out against corruption and mismanagement.

The announcement of the successful mediation came after Abdullah’s paternal uncle, Hassan, met with Hamzah on Monday.

The mediation took place at Hassan’s home at the Royal Hashemite Court. Hamzah was joined by his brother Hashem and three of their cousins.

“In light of the developments of the past two days, I put myself at the disposal of His Majesty the King,” said the statement signed by Hamzah. He said he would remain loyal to the king and to Jordan’s constitution.

Malik R. Dahlan, a professional mediator and a friend of the family, then issued a separate statement, saying the mediation has “been successful and I expect a resolution shortly.”

Dahlan is the principal of Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy, of which Hamzah Al-Hussein is a council overseer.

He said that “this regrettable incident was the result of the clumsy actions of a senior security official and misrepresentation by a government official,” adding that “it should have remained a family matter.”

This was an apparent reference to Saturday’s events when Jordan’s army chief visited Hamzah and — according to the prince’s description — imposed restrictions on his movement and ability to communicate with the outside world.

Earlier Monday, it appeared tensions were still running high in the kingdom, valued by the West as a stable ally in a volatile region. A recording circulated online in which Hamzah sounded defiant, saying he would not take orders from the army chief.

“The army chief of staff came to me and issued threats in the name of heads of security agencies,” Hamzah said in the recording. “I recorded his comments and distributed them to my acquaintances abroad as well as my family in case something happens.”

“I don’t want to escalate now, but of course I will not abide when he tells me ‘you are not allowed to go out, tweet or connect with people and you are only allowed to see family members,'” he said. “When an army chief of staff says that, this is something that I think is unacceptable.”

The authenticity of the recording was confirmed by an individual close to the prince, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. The individual said the recording was a few days old and made after the army chief threatened the prince.

Jordan’s army chief of staff, Gen. Yousef Huneiti, said Monday the country’s armed forces and security agencies “have the power and experience” to deal with any developments that might happen internally or in the region.

He made his comments while taking part in “Shield of the Nation,” a drill that included several brigades, special forces, border guards and the Royal Air Force in the eastern region of the kingdom, the state news agency Petra said. The exercise did not appear to be related to the weekend incidents because such drills are planned well in advance.

Huneiti said the troops will confront anyone who “tries to endanger the nation’s security, terrify its citizens and threatens the security and stability of the kingdom.”

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Sunday the prince had recorded conversations and passed them to foreign sources. He did not provide specifics on the alleged plot or say what other countries were purportedly involved, however, the Jordanian site Amoon reported that an Israeli ex-Mossad agent had offered to fly Hamzah and his family out of the kingdom.

The individual in question, Roy Shaposhnik, denied he had worked for the Mossad, but confirmed he was a friend of Hamzah’s family and had offered to assist them.

But he said about 14-16 associates of Hamzah had been arrested, in addition to Bassem Awadallah, a former Cabinet minister and one-time head of the royal court, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.

The U.S. and Arab governments sided quickly with Abdullah, reflecting Jordan’s strategic importance. The kingdom borders Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted Jordan’s “vital role in the Middle East, and its peace and security and the stability of the country is critically important.”

Domestically, Hamzah’s unprecedented criticism of the ruling class — without naming the king — could lend support to growing complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses in Jordan.

Abdullah and Hamzah are both sons of King Hussein, who remains a beloved figure two decades after his death. Upon ascending to the throne in 1999, Abdullah named Hamzah as crown prince, only to revoke the title five years later. Hassan, the uncle, also had been crown prince but was removed shortly before Hussein’s death.

While Abdullah and Hamzah are said to have good relations generally, Hamzah has at times spoken out against government policies, and more recently had forged ties with powerful tribal leaders in a move seen as a threat to the king.

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Roy Shaposhnik identified himself as a “former Israeli” businessman and close friend of Prince Hamzah, who is accused of mounting a coup in Jordan, but denied ever being an intelligence agent.

By Associated Press

Jordanian authorities said Sunday they foiled a “malicious plot” by a former crown prince, Hamzah bin Hussein, to destabilize the kingdom with foreign support, contradicting the senior royal’s claims that he was being punished for speaking out against corruption and incompetence.

Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, claimed an individual with links to foreign intelligence services had offered services to Hamzah’s wife on Saturday afternoon to try to get her out of the country.

The Jordanian news site Amoon identified the individual as an Israeli named Roy Shaposhnik, and reported that an “informed source” told the site that the individual is a former member of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Shaposhnik identified himself as a “former Israeli” businessman living in Europe, and a close friend of Hamzah’s, but denied ever being an intelligence agent.

He said he offered to host Hamzah’s wife and children after hearing about the prince’s predicament. The offer, he said, was based on the “strong personal friendship” between their families.

Faced with rival narratives, the United States and Arab governments quickly sided with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, reflecting the country’s strategic importance in a turbulent region.

Domestically, Hamzah’s unprecedented criticism of the ruling class — without naming the king — could lend support to growing complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses in Jordan.

At the same time, the king’s tough reaction — placing his popular half-brother under house arrest and accusing him of serious crimes — illustrated the limits on public dissent he is willing to tolerate.

“The kingdom’s stability and security transcend everything,” said Safadi, as he accused Hamzah and two senior Jordanian officials of conspiring with foreign elements to destabilize the kingdom. “The plot is totally contained.”

Yet Safadi’s news conference Sunday did little to address questions surrounding the weekend’s dramatic events. In the night from Saturday to Sunday, Hamzah had announced in a secretly recorded video leaked to the media that he had been placed under house arrest.

Hamzah’s mother, Noor, weighed in on Twitter, writing Sunday: “Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe.”

Abdullah and Hamzah are both sons of the late King Hussein, who remains a beloved figure two decades after his death. Upon ascending to the throne in 1999, Abdullah named Hamzah as crown prince, only to revoke the title five years later. While the two are said to have generally good relations, Hamzah has at times spoken out against government policies, and more recently had forged ties with powerful tribal leaders in a move seen as a threat to the king.

In his video, Hamzah, 41, accused Jordan’s ruling class of corruption and stifling freedom of expression.

“I’m not part of any conspiracy or nefarious organization or foreign-backed group, as is always the claim here for anyone who speaks out,” he said. He said his love for the country is seen as “a crime worthy of isolation, threats and now being cut off.”

Hamzah is a popular figure in Jordan, widely seen as pious and modest. But in his televised address, Safadi painted a far different picture, accusing the prince of engaging in a secret plot that would have harmed national security had it not been foiled at the last minute.

“When they (security services) intercepted certain communications speaking about a zero hour, then it was clear that they (the alleged plotters) moved from designs and planning to action,” Safadi said. “As a result, it was necessary for the security and intelligence apparatuses to move to throttle at birth this malicious plot.”

Safadi did not provide specifics on the alleged plot or say what other countries were purported to have been involved. But he said that some 14 to 16 associates of Hamzah had been arrested, in addition to two former senior officials, Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family. Awadallah is a former Cabinet minister and one-time head of the royal court.

Safadi said Hamzah was warned Saturday by the country’s military chief to halt his activities but rejected the request. He claimed the prince recorded the conversations, passed them to foreign sources and issued his video message “in an attempt to distort facts and to gain sympathy domestically and internationally.”

He said the prince’s activities amounted to “incitement and efforts to mobilize citizens against the state.”

Safadi accused Awadallah, now a prominent businessman in the Gulf, of handling the contacts with foreigners. He also claimed an individual with links to foreign intelligence services, later identified by as Amoon as Shaposhnik, had offered services to Hamzah’s wife on Saturday afternoon to evacuate her from the country.

Safadi declined to say whether the prince would be charged with a crime, saying only there were attempts to resolve the matter amicably.

Such public clashes between the highest ranks of the long-ruling family are unheard of, and any signs of instability in Jordan could raise concerns throughout the region.

The United States swiftly announced its “full support” for Abdullah. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait all expressed solidarity with the king.

Labib Kamhawi, a Jordanian political analyst, said the strong support for Abdullah reflected his generally good relations across the region as well as a concern that similar troubles could strike other countries.

None of the leaders in the region “would like to see havoc hitting any regime,” Kamhawi said. “It could be contagious.”

The U.S. considers Jordan a major ally, granting it access to military equipment and assistance. U.S. special forces and other troops routinely train with the Jordanians. The kingdom hosts some 3,000 American troops.

Jordan made peace with Israel in 1994. The countries maintain close security ties, but relations have otherwise been tense in recent years, largely due to differences linked to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz called Jordan a “strategic ally” and dismissed the turmoil as an “internal Jordanian matter.”

Jordan, a country of some 10 million people, has been shaken by a series of crises in recent years, from the rise of the Islamic State group in neighboring countries to an influx of Syrian refugees and an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Bessma Momani, a professor of international relations at Ontario’s Waterloo University, said the house arrest of Hamzah was “self-defeating” because it is likely to strengthen the prince’s popularity.

Nonetheless, she said it sent a powerful message to the Jordanian public. “If a prince can be stymied, no Jordanian is immune from the heavy hand of the state,” she said.

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