بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Answer to Question
What Happened and is Happening in Jordan?
(Translated)
Question:
“The defence committee for detainees in the case of what is known as “sedition” in Jordan expressed its dissatisfaction with what it described as the authorities’ “denial” of basic rights... and demanded that they be allowed to meet with them and be acquainted with the investigations conducted with them.” (London Arabi 21, 19/4/2021).
“The Jordanian government had said that all the accused will appear before the judiciary, including the former Head of the Royal Court, Basem Awadallah, with the exception of Prince Hamzah, whose crisis will be resolved within the framework of the ruling Hashemite family...” (London Arabi21, 14/4/2021).
The question is: What happened and is happening in Jordan? Is it an attempt to overthrow King Abdullah II? Is this the result of an internal dispute within the ruling family, because Prince Hamzah is at the head of the accused, or does he have foreign connections, as the Jordanian Foreign Minister announced? And what are their nature?
Answer:
To clarify the reality of what happened, we review the following:
1- Although Jordanian officials, and accordingly, the Jordanian media and many Arab satellite channels, avoided calling the events in Jordan an attempted coup, calling it a conspiracy to destabilize Jordan’s security and stability, although all the contexts indicate a coup attempt that was quashed in the last moments of its preparation in Jordan. What indicates that this was in the last moments was the deployment of some security forces in some areas of the capital, meaning fear and anticipation of the imminent movements of some sectors of the army that are supposed to be loyal to the names mentioned above, especially Prince Hamzah. However, the failure to announce arrests among army officers and confirming this indicates that the matter was under preparation and deliberation on the issue of the appropriate time for implementation. Talking about a conspiracy of this magnitude cannot take place without army officers.
2- On the first day, 3/4/2021, of these announcements issued by the Jordanian government, Prince Hamzah announced, through a video recording of him, that he had been placed under house arrest (“the former Jordanian Crown Prince, Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein, confirmed, on Saturday, the news of his detention and his placement under house arrest, after an official denial of that in the wake of the arrest operation of the former Head of the Royal Court, Basem Awadallah, and other figures...” (Anadolu Agency, 3/4/2021)). The state and its announcements were embarrassed to accuse Prince Hamzah directly of being involved in this conspiracy, in order not to undermine the “prestige” of the royal family in Jordan, and not to expose its members conspiring against each other, but the next day, the official announcements were explicit in accusing Prince Hamzah of this:
(The Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ayman Safadi, confirmed in a press conference held today that the armed forces and the General Intelligence Department monitored the activities of and moves by Prince Hamzah, Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid and Basem Awadallah targeting Jordan’s security and stability. Safadi added that the concerned agencies monitored contacts between the aforementioned persons and external parties about the most appropriate time to implement a plan to destabilize the country and its security.” (BBC, 4/4/2021)). It is likely that discussing the issue of "the most appropriate timing" means that the issue was in the preparation stage, but the state was afraid that it was imminent, so it decided to jump and arrest.
3- As for “foreign parties,” it is not a hidden matter, but rather is uttered by official Jordanian announcements, and what was stated in the words of Minister of Foreign Affairs Safadi that (“the investigations detected contacts of Prince Hamzah with foreign parties to destabilize the country’s security”….“They spotted a person with contacts with foreign security agencies with the wife of Prince Hamzah and offered her to secure a plane to get out of the country, and the aforementioned movements were completely controlled, and Jordan's security is settled and stable." (I24, 4/4/2021)). (Safadi explained that Common Chief of Staff met Prince Hamzah, and asked him to stop the movements that target the security of the country, and that the prince refused to respond to the request to stop these movements, and dealt with him negatively, according to Safadi's expression...The Jordanian foreign minister continued, saying that the initial investigations indicated that Prince Hamzah was in constant coordination with the former Head of the Royal Court, Basem Awadallah, regarding his steps...” Safadi also said that "we monitored interference and contacts with foreign parties regarding the most appropriate time to start steps to destabilize Jordan," adding that there are efforts to contain the situation within the Hashemite family, and "no one is above the law." (Al Jazeera Net, 4/4/2021), and with these announced arrests and detentions, undisclosed yet, the regime of King Abdullah II, affiliated with the English, was on the verge of a coup attempt led by his brother, Prince Hamzah.
4- As for who these outside and foreign parties are, the indicators point to America's connection to the events in Jordan, and this is evident from the following:
a- Prince Hamzah Bin Hussein, the former King of Jordan, is the son of the American citizen Lisa Najib Al-Halabi, whom King Hussein married and became known as Noor Al Hussein. After the death of her husband, the King, in 1999, she returned to the United States, and had some activities that indicated her interests as an American citizen, although she did not cut her ties with Jordan and had a palace there which she resides in when she is in Jordan. She had an influence on King Hussein when, prior to his death, he removed his brother Hassan from position of Crown Prince and appointed his son Abdullah as Crown Prince to become king after his death, and then Hamzah became the new Crown Prince ... This is what happened as Abdullah became king and Hamzah became Crown Prince in 1999. It was noticed that the Americans guarded and supervised him and communicated with him directly, so his loyalty to America appeared. For this reason, Abdullah II dismissed his brother Hamzah from the post of Crown Prince in 2004, which made him regret the loss of the opportunity to become king and created in him the spirit of revenge against his brother. And the position of the Crown Prince remained vacant until Abdullah II appointed his son Hussein in this position in 2009. Hence a hidden conflict emerged within the ruling family. The Americans were able to buy a personality from within it, as happened in the countries of Najd and Hijaz when the Americans managed to buy Salman and his son in the Saudi family, which was breastfed from the milk of the English, raised at their hands, and came to power through them when they rebelled against the Khilafah (Caliphate) state linked to the English.
b- It seems that King Abdullah and the British behind him had noticed the strong relations of the Americans with the young Prince Hamzah, especially through his mother, Lisa “Noor”, so the king removed him from the Crown Prince post in 2004 without appointing a replacement for him, but in the sense of the monarchy, the king’s eldest son is the Crown Prince, which was confirmed by a royal decree in 2009, and this increased Hamzah’s desire to bring about a change in rule in the Saudi style by treading behind America instead of continuing to follow Britain; thus Hamzah began working to form groups at home and abroad with American support and guidance… It is difficult for the king to arrest Hamzah, fearing initiating American pressure on him, so the English shrewdness was behind an act that embarrassed America from interfering against the king when he arrested Hamzah and his group. This act was a mutual defense agreement, so the king concluded it with America and gave it everything it wanted and published it in the Official Gazette even before being presented to the House of Representatives, as is customary in such agreements!
c- (The agreement was signed on the 31st of last January, the government approved it on February 17, a royal decree was issued approving it to be published in the Official Gazette and become effective, without being presented to the National Assembly, both deputies and notables... Under the agreement; Jordan provides exclusive areas for the American forces, including 15 sites, its access controlled by the American side, and these forces may possess and carry weapons in Jordanian territory while performing their official duties... It authorized the use of the radio and telecommunications spectrum without Jordanian monitoring... The agreement stipulated that its term is 15 years, unless it is terminated by either of the two parties by a written notification one year in advance to the other party through diplomatic channels... (Arabi21, Friday 19/3/2021)). Arabi21 did not mention the date of publication in the Official Gazette... but it was mentioned in CNN in Arabic on 21/3/2021: [(The Jordanian government had approved the agreement on last February 17th, and a royal decree was issued approving it and publishing a decision on it in the Official Gazette on March 16th, after it was signed on last January 31st.) [Also quoted by ammannet.com on 18/3/2021: [(The Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of the United States of America). Which was published in the Official Gazette in Issue No. 5706 dated 16/3/2021...)] It is clear from that the urgency in publishing the agreement in the Official Gazette, was a remarkable urgency!
d- Then the government began arresting (detaining) Hamzah and his group on 3/4/2021, and then the agreement created embarrassment for America to interfere against the king, its partner in the joint defense agreement, who gave it, according to the agreement, what it wanted, even above what it wanted! It is as if America realized this after the arrest of that group and the placement of Hamzah almost confined to his house! It delayed its statement on the events to 7/4/2021: (The White House announced that "US President Biden spoke today" 7/4/2021" to Jordanian King Abdullah II to express the strong American support for Jordan... (AFP 7/4/2021)), it supports Jordan, not the king, thus the American response to the events came late, and its tone differs from the tone of the British response: (Britain announced its keenness on the stability of government in Jordan, so the British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa James Clevery tweeted on Twitter on 4/4/2021 saying: “We are following closely the events in Jordan....Jordan is a greatly valued partner for the UK. King Abdullah has our full support.”
e- America has exposed in its newspapers about the regime's measures in Jordan. The New York Times said on 6/4/2021 (“Prince Hamzah’s chief of staff, Yasser Majali, and Mr. Majali’s cousin, Samir Majali, are still being held in an unknown location, according to their family, which comes from one of Jordan’s main tribes… But the uncertainty on Tuesday about the whereabouts of the Majalis and the prince himself suggested that tensions had not completely dissipated.”)
On 3/4/2021, the Washington Post was the first to reveal these events in Jordan and that Prince Hamzah is under arrest at home or in prison. Forcing the Jordanian authorities to announce what is happening. The Minister of Interior or the Prime Minister did not announce it, but Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was pushed to announce this in a press conference, saying, "The number of people who were arrested on Saturday (3/4/2021) ranged between 14 and 16, and no military leaders were arrested. The movements led by Prince Hamzah were besieged and investigations are still underway, and that there are attempts to destabilize Jordan, and that the security services monitored during the last period contacts of Prince Hamzah's close circle with foreign parties, including the Jordanian opposition abroad, accusing it of plotting to destabilize Jordan. Investigations have been ongoing from a long time ago, and the authorities acted after the suspects moved from the planning stage to determining the time for action” (Jordan’s Petra Agency, 4/4/2021).
f- And after thwarting that plan, Abdullah II directed on 7/4/2021 five days after the events, saying ("Prince Hamzah is today with his family in his palace under my patronage, I assure you that strife has ceased, and that our Jordan is safe and stable by the determination of Jordanians and the dedication of the army and security services. The challenge of the past days was not the most difficult or the most dangerous for the stability of our country, but it was the most painful, because the parties to the strife were inside and outside our one home. Nothing came close to what I felt of shock, pain and anger, as a brother and guardian of the Hashemite family and as a leader of this people.” He mentioned that “Prince Hamzah committed himself before the family to follow the path of the fathers and grandfathers, to be faithful to their message, and to put the interest of Jordan, its constitution and laws above any other considerations.”)
Conclusion:
1- The King was able to thwart America’s plan to bring about a change in the government by removing King Abdullah and taking Hamzah in his place, and that was through the mutual defense agreement and giving America what it wanted from the expropriation of the country’s land and skies. He embarrassed America and stopped their interference to support Hamzah against its partner in the agreement, the king.
2 - It is possible to say that a lull in the American English conflict will occur in Jordan, but it will be temporary, as America considers itself the successor to British colonialism in the region, and it is not unlikely that America will exploit the agreement for a purpose other than the purpose for which the King hastened to conclude it!
3- The international struggle in Muslim countries to share dominance and influence does not end except with the real change, which is the resumption of the Islamic life with the establishment of the Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly-Guided Caliphate) that honours Islam and Muslims and removes the influence of the kuffar.
[وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هُوَ قُلْ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ قَرِيباً]
“…Then they will nod their heads toward you and say, "When is that?" Say, "Perhaps it will be soon” [Al-Isra’: 51]
7 Blessed Ramadan 1442 AH
19/4/2021 CE