Jordan s royal rift: A family feud erupts - but who s actually involved?
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image captionPrince Hamzah (L) was accused of conspiring against his half-brother, King Abdullah
Jordan and its ruling royal family have long been seen by foreign allies as beacons of stability in the Middle East.
But last week, an unprecedented dispute within Jordan s monarchy threatened to dispel that image.
In an extraordinary move, Jordanian authorities accused Prince Hamzah bin Hussein - the half-brother of the country s king - of plotting against the throne.
Prince Hamzah denied the allegation.
The prince said he had been placed under house arrest, but tensions appeared to ease after the senior royal pledged his loyalty to the king in a letter.
Rift in Jordanâs royal leadership is soothed, palace says
By Patrick Kingsley and Rana F. Sweis New York Times,Updated April 6, 2021, 1:29 a.m.
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In this Nov. 28, 2006, file photo, Prince Hamzah Bin Al-Hussein, right, and Prince Hashem Bin Al-Hussein, left, half brothers of King Abdullah II of Jordan, attended the opening of the parliament in Amman, Jordan.MOHAMMAD ABU GHOSH/Associated Press
AMMAN, Jordan â 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 then released a statement in which the prince was quoted as pledging loyalty to the king.
By Patrick Goodenough | April 4, 2021 | 8:22pm EDT
Jordan’s King Abdullah, left, and his half-brother, then-Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, in 2000. (Photo by Jamal Nasrallah/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNSNews.com) – Arab and Muslim leaders lined up to throw their public support behind Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday after authorities said they had foiled a conspiracy against the king, allegedly involving a displaced former crown prince – the king’s half-brother – and a senior former court official.
Although rare in relatively stable Jordan, in a region that is no stranger to palace intrigues and foreign plotting, public displays of solidarity are common at such times, as leaders make clear which side they are on – or try to allay any suspicion that they may be sympathetic to the perpetrators.
By Patrick Goodenough | April 4, 2021 | 8:22pm EDT
Jordan’s King Abdullah, left, and his half-brother, then-Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, in 2000. (Photo by Jamal Nasrallah/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNSNews.com) – Arab and Muslim leaders lined up to throw their public support behind Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday after authorities said they had foiled a conspiracy against the king, allegedly involving a displaced former crown prince – the king’s half-brother – and a senior former court official.
Although rare in relatively stable Jordan, in a region that is no stranger to palace intrigues and foreign plotting, public displays of solidarity are common at such times, as leaders make clear which side they are on – or try to allay any suspicion that they may be sympathetic to the perpetrators.
Jordan prince under ‘house arrest’ amid coup plot rumours
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April 5, 2021
AMMAN: Jordan’s official media warned on Sunday that security and stability are “red line” issues after a half-brother of King Abdullah II said he was put under house arrest and others were detained amid reports of a coup plot.
Washington and Gulf allies stressed their support for the pro-Western government in Amman, which announced it was due to make an official statement later in the day.
Jordan’s former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein, 41, who lost his title in 2004, said he had been confined to his home, speaking in a video message which the BBC said on Saturday it had obtained from his lawyer.