US, Arab countries back Jordan’s King Abdullah amid security probe

The United States and several Arab countries have expressed solidarity and support to the Jordanian King Abdullah II amid the security probe.

“We are closely following the reports and in touch with Jordanian officials. King Abdullah is a key partner of the United States, and he has our full support,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in an email.

“Oman completely stands by Jordan under the leadership of King Abdullah and firmly supports anything that preserves Jordan’s security, sovereignty and stability,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

On Saturday, Jordanian authorities detained the kingdom’s former crown prince and arrested nearly 20 other people, after what officials called a “threat to the country’s stability”.

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the oldest son of the late King Hussein and his American-born fourth wife Queen Noor, was placed under restriction at his Amman palace, amid an ongoing investigation into an alleged plot to unseat his older half brother, King Abdullah II.

Jordan’s state media denied that Prince Hamza has been detained or placed under restriction.

The arrest campaign came after discovering what palace officials described as a complex and far-reaching plot that included at least one other Jordanian royal as well as tribal leaders and members of the country’s security establishment.

Prince Hamzah served as Jordan’s crown prince for four years before the title was transferred to the current monarch’s eldest son, Hussein.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI also held a phone call with Jordan’s King Abdullah II to express solidarity and support, Morocco’s royal palace said.

“The kingdom affirms its full support, with all its capabilities, to all decisions and measures taken by King Abdullah and His Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, to maintain security and stability,” the Saudi royal court also said in a statement.

The spokesman for Egypt’s presidency wrote on Facebook that Egypt voiced its support for Jordan’s King Abdullah and his efforts “to maintain the security and stability of the kingdom against any attempts to undermine it.”

Bahrain also supported Jordanian authorities, saying that “his Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa affirmed full support to the decisions and measures taken by HM King Abdulla II Bin Al Hussein of Jordan to maintain his country’s security and stability and defuse all disruptive attempts,” as the state news agency BNA reported.

“Jordan’s security and safety is a fundamental basis for the security and safety of the Arab world,” Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said on Twitter. “All the solidarity with the Jordanian leadership and King Abdullah in defending the gains of the Jordanian people, protecting their stability, and refusing interference in their affairs.”

The Palestinian authority also expressed solidarity, saying it “support the decisions taken by King Abdullah II to preserve Jordan’s security and ensure its stability and unity.”

“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that we stand by the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the king, the government, and the people,” official Palestinian news agency WAFA said in a statement.

“We support the decisions taken by King Abdullah II to preserve Jordan’s security and ensure its stability and unity.”

“We support the steps taken by King Abdullah to maintain Jordanian national security, stressing that Jordan’s security and stability is a supreme Palestinian interest,” he added.

“UAE affirms its total support to the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. UAE affirms that it stands with and totally supports all the decisions and measures taken by King Abdullah II and his Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II to maintain the security and stability of Jordan, and defuse every attempt to influence them,” UAE’s news agency WAM reported.

“UAE affirms that the security and stability of Jordan is an integral part of its security.”

Kuwait’s foreign ministry also expressed “its support to all the measures taken by Jordan’s King Abdullah and his Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, to maintain the security and stability of the kingdom,” adding that “the security and stability of the kingdom are that of Kuwait.”