Jordanian authorities said on Sunday that they had foiled a “malicious plot” by a former crown prince to destabilize the kingdom with foreign aid, contradicting the prince’s claims that he was being punished for speaking out against corruption and incompetence.
Faced with conflicting stories, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait quickly sided with Jordan’s King Abdullah, reflecting the country’s strategic importance in a turbulent region.
Domestically, Prince Hamzah’s unprecedented criticism of the ruling class, without mentioning the king, could support growing complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses in Jordan.
At the same time, the monarch’s harsh response – putting his popular half-brother under house arrest and accusing him of serious crimes – illustrated the limits of public dissent he is willing to tolerate.
“The stability and security of the kingdom transcend everything,” said Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi, accusing Hamzah and two senior officials of conspiring with foreign elements to destabilize the kingdom. “The plot is completely enclosed.”
However, Safadi’s press conference on Sunday did not address the dramatic events of the weekend. On Saturday night, in a secretly recorded video released to the media, Hamzah said he was under house arrest.
Abdullah and Hamzah are sons of the late King Hussein, who remains a beloved figure for two decades after his death. When Abdullah took the throne in 1999, he appointed Hamzah crown prince, but he retired 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, forged links with powerful tribal leaders in a move seen as a threat to the king.
In his video, 41-year-old Hamzah accused Jordan’s ruling class of corruption and stifling freedom of speech.
Safadi did not provide details of the alleged plot or say which other countries would be involved. But he said that between 14 and 16 Hamzah employees had been arrested, along with two senior officials, Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.
Labib Kamhawi, a Jordanian political analyst, said the strong support for Abdullah reflects his overall good relations in the region, as well as his concern that similar problems could affect other countries.