Prince Hamza pulls U-turn, signs letter declaring support for Jordan king
AMMAN/CAIRO (Reuters) – Jordan’s estranged Prince Hamza signed a letter saying “I place myself in the hands of his majesty the king... I will remain committed to the constitution of the dear Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and I will always be of help and support to his majesty the king and his crown prince”, the royal court said in a statement on Monday.
Hamza, the former crown prince, signed the letter after he met with Prince Hassan, the king’s uncle, and other princes on Monday, the royal court said.
“The interests of the homeland must remain above every consideration. We must all stand behind the king in his efforts to protect Jordan and its national interests”, the letter said.
Earlier, Hamza had said in a voice recording released on Monday that he would disobey orders by the army not to communicate with the outside world after he was put under house arrest and accused of trying to destabilize the country.
The half-brother of King Abdullah and former heir to the throne said in the recording released by Jordan’s opposition that he would not comply after being barred from any activity and told to keep quiet.
While the prince is not seen as a direct threat to the king, his actions suggest he wants to shore up his position with the Jordanian public after being removed from the royal succession.
“For sure I won’t obey when they tell you that you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people but are only allowed to see
the family,” he said in the recording circulated to friends and contacts. “I expect this talk is not acceptable in any way.”
On Saturday, the military warned him over actions it said were undermining “security and stability” in Jordan, and he later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were also detained.
“The situation is difficult... and the chief of staff came to me warning me, and I taped his words and distributed it to friends abroad and my family in case something happens – and now I am waiting to see what they will do,” Hamza said in the recording.
Officials said on Sunday that the prince had liaised with people who had contacts with foreign parties in a plot to destabilize Jordan, an important ally of the United States, and that he had been under investigation for some time.
The intrigue is likely to shake Jordan’s image as a haven of stability in the unpredictable Middle East.
It is unclear why the kingdom decided to crack down on Hamza now, but he put himself at growing risk by stepping up visits in recent weeks to tribal gatherings where the king and his government have been criticized more openly.