JORDANIAN ROYAL FAMILY RIFT PATCHED UP
A rare public rift within the Jordanian ruling family seemed to edge toward resolution late Monday, as the royal house first announced that King Abdullah II and his estranged half-brother, Prince Hamzah, had agreed to mediation measures, and released a statement in which the prince was quoted as pledging loyalty to the king.
The royal court said Prince Hassan — an uncle of the two men, and brother of former King Hussein — had helped settle their long-simmering dispute, which exploded into public view Saturday when Prince Hamzah was accused of having plotted to undermine the country’s security.
The uncle’s intervention seemed to quickly de-escalate a standoff that had sent jitters through Jordan’s foreign allies who value the kingdom as an oasis of relative calm in a tense region; as a key partner in military efforts to curb Islamist extremism; and as an important player in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Within hours of the mediation announcement, the palace released a statement bearing Prince Hamzah’s signature in which he was quoted as praising the king and confirming his fealty.
“The interest of the nation comes above all else and we all should stand behind His Majesty in his efforts to protect Jordan and its interests of the nation,” the prince was quoted as saying.
The statement added, “In light of the developments of the past two days I put myself in the hands of the king, following the steps of my forefathers.”
Questions, however, hung over the apparent easing of the rift, which seemed as abrupt as the exposure of it two days earlier. The prince’s whereabouts Monday night remained undisclosed. He has not been seen in public since he claimed on Saturday to have been placed under house arrest.
Tensions between the two men boiled over Saturday, when the Jordanian government hinted that the prince, aided by unidentified foreigners, had been involved in a botched coup attempt.