An Israeli businessman with ties to the US government was in contact with former Jordanian Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein when he was grounded on Saturday and suggested sending a private jet to take his wife and children to Europe.
The intrigue: The Jordanian government claims the Israeli has ties to the Mossad espionage service, while the businessman insists he is just a friend of the prince.
Why it matters: The Jordanian government continues the story that Prince Hamzah and his associates conspired against King Abdullah with people outside Jordan.
- Links to Israel and the Mossad are effective lines for the Jordanian government’s campaign against Prince Hamzah. Public opinion of Israel is generally negative among Jordanians.
Situation: Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said at a press conference on Sunday that a person with connections to a foreign security agency had approached Prince Hamzah’s wife and offered to arrange a private jet to escort her and her family abroad.
- Several hours later, the Jordanian news agency “Ammon”, which is close to the Jordanian security forces, released a story claiming that an ex-Mossad officer and Israeli Roy Shaposhnik were behind the offer.
- Shaposhnik contacted me and made a statement denying that the Jordanian government claimed he was involved in the alleged coup. He told me he was never a Mossad officer, but confirmed that he had introduced Prince Hamza and his family as part of their friendship.
What he says: “I’m an Israeli living in Europe. I’ve never had a role in Israeli intelligence,” Shaposhnik told me. ‘I have no knowledge of the events that took place in Jordan or of the people involved. I am a good personal friend of Prince Hamzah. ‘
- He added that during this difficult time he had wanted to help the prince’s wife and their children.
Between the lines: Shaposhnik, 41, was a political agent in the centrist Kadima Party in Israel 15 years ago. He served as an adviser to the then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
- Later he went to the private sector and worked for the security company of the American businessman Erik Prince. After several years, he founded his own company, RS Logistical Solutions, which provided services to the United States Department of State and other governments around the world.
- Shaposhnik’s company also provided logistics services to Prince’s company as it trained Iraqi soldiers in Jordan. This is when he met Prince Hamzah through a mutual friend. The couple and their families became close friends.
On Saturday morning, Prince Hamzah texted Shaposhnik saying he was under house arrest.
- A source familiar with the matter told me that Shaposhnik texted Prince Hamzah’s wife right away and suggested sending a jet to pick up her and their children until the situation is resolved.
- Since then, Shaposhnik has been out of contact with Prince Hamzah and his family, who are under house arrest and unable to communicate with the outside world, the source said.