Media Reports: Plot to overthrow King Abdullah II

[wartenberg7]

Good gracious, another royal brothers at war.. I don´t think the arabian system of choosing an heir is a good solution. It causes much more frustration and jealousy than the system in which the heir/ess in being born into this position. And perhaps it wasn´t very wise of the ailing King Hussein to install Hamzah as CP when he knew Abdullah had children of his own...?

[Tilia C.]

While not acknowledging that he was involved in the plot, the video message still makes it decidedly clear that Prince Hamza is in political opposition to his brother King Abdullah. No names are mentioned, but it's obvious that he's criticizing the king's policies, and that he's not intending to back down meekly.

Originally Posted by Heavs

As of 15 hours ago Noor was retweeting fairly standard stuff for her:

https://twitter.com/QueenNoor/with_replies

I assume she, Raiyah and Ned are all still in the UK and she may have been involved with his lawyer handing the video to the BBC.

I think she should stay publicly silent for now until more is known. I'm sure she is working and worried behind the scenes.

Well, Noor has changed tactics since you posted.

Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe.

and a re-tweet from Amnesty. She must be rather worried.

[wartenberg7]

Originally Posted by Princess Mahala

King Hussein chose his brother Hassan because of the constant assassination attempts and Abdullah was too young at the time. I think he waited too long to remove Hassan because he became so popular and Abdullah was the oldest but hardly knew any Arabic and wasn't prepared, but his purported favorite, hamzah, was too young. It was said he worried for Hamzah to have a normal life and go to school and left it on good faith that Abdullah would step aside one day...

Why would he have thought that?! If he did, it would have been terribly naive of him. And I don´t regard King Kussein as a naive man at all. Besides that, the monarchial system isn´t made for the sovereign to just step aside if there isn´t a very serious and grave reason to do so, only for another member to "take over"! And let us not forget that Abdullahs reign has been a widely successful one for over 20 years! Yes, there might be things going wrong and things we don´t know behind the scenes (the same can be claimed for many governments around the world..), but the King succeeded to keep a respectable stability in this troubled, some might say, dangerous region, handling with a major refugee crisis since many years.

[Duc_et_Pair]

The King, helped by his security forces, managed to suppress free speech and therefore criticism, resulting in a sort of 'stability'.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is perceived as highly corrupt, with little progress made towards controlling corruption. That is what King Abdullah can be blamed for. He actually uses corruptism, nepotism, favoritism and kleptocracy as useful instruments of his politics. That it absolutely harms Jordan in general and the average Jordanian in particular, never seemed to be someting of the King's concern.

After all, the King can rely on his Intelligence agencies which, through a complex spying system, play a central role in preserving "stability" (read: oppress discontent).

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by wartenberg7

Why would he have thought that?! If he did, it would have been terribly naive of him. And I don´t regard King Kussein as a naive man at all. Besides that, the monarchial system isn´t made for the sovereign to just step aside if there isn´t a very serious and grave reason to do so, only for another member to "take over"! And let us not forget that Abdullahs reign has been a widely successful one for over 20 years! Yes, there might be things going wrong and things we don´t know behind the scenes (the same can be claimed for many governments around the world..), but the King succeeded to keep a respectable stability in this troubled, some might say, dangerous region, handling with a major refugee crisis since many years.

Islamic monarchies are different from European monarchies in the sense that the King may appoint his successor among members of his family, although in Jordan the successor must necessarily be either one of the King's brothers or his eldest son.

I don't think King Hussein expected Abdullah to step aside for Hamzah, but rather he wanted Hamzah to be named Abdullah's successor, which he was temporarily, before Abdullah rescinded that and named Prince Hussein as Crown Prince.

[bebita99]

well, their family gatherings are about to get awkward
btw, if he gets really bored, maybe he can become pen-pals with Princess Latifa

[lula]

I think we should remember what happened in 2017, and to what extent a similar situation may be occurring now. Perhaps the key is to know where the interference of neighboring countries begins and ends, or to what extent the management of the king and his government is increasingly criticized within Jordan.

December 2017

King of Jordan arrests own brothers for links to Saudi Arabia as regional tensions grow

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...rabia-iran-war

[Rossina]

Prince Hamza planned to 'destabilise Jordan' with foreign parties, says country's deputy PM

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-ha...ty-pm-12265810

[kathia_sophia]

Originally Posted by bebita99

well, their family gatherings are about to get awkward

well if he gets really bored, maybe he can become pen-pals with Princess Latifa

Yes, it will be awkward, especially in Ramdan, which is around the corner (they usual gather at Ramdan festivities, but not sure how they'll do this year with Covid-19).

[Prinsara]

WaPo: "In Jordan, that news of the alleged coup has gone public by way of brief statements and virtual silence from the local press has spurred several political observers to speculate that the coup may be a cover story for another political maneuver, said Jordanian political analyst Amer Sabaileh.

“There is a lot of confusion, but in Jordan everyone is asking for reform, not to topple the government. I don’t see the elements for a plot,” said Sabaileh. “What we do know is that there are some mediocre people who are running the show when it comes to politics and, after yesterday, the government is under even more pressure to make themselves seem credible.”

[Princess Mahala]

Originally Posted by lula

I think we should remember what happened in 2017, and to what extent a similar situation may be occurring now. Perhaps the key is to know where the interference of neighboring countries begins and ends, or to what extent the management of the king and his government is increasingly criticized within Jordan.

December 2017

King of Jordan arrests own brothers for links to Saudi Arabia as regional tensions grow

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...rabia-iran-war

I think this just shows the increasing paranoia of King Abdullah! He was practically a British and Western educated man when he came to power. He was in the military but he's had to fight hard to prove himself and keep his position stable. Part of his success (in keeping the throne) is the unwavering support he's managed from international community and creating the image Jordan is the last bastion of stability, that without him it would fall apart. No one wants that obviously so they turn a blind eye.

I'm afraid if there isn't any concrete evidence against Hamzah and things get more serious there won't be many powerful people outside Jordan willing to risk their relationship with the King to help him.

[Prinsara]

Here's a thought — if "the government" has harder evidence against Hamzah and the others who were arrested, why aren't they revealing it in clearer and more detailed charges? Why stay so vague? I know habeas corpus isn't part of their legal system, but you'd think they'd want to produce a more damning case for the world and make themselves look better.

[Rossina]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

Here's a thought — if "the government" has harder evidence against Hamzah and the others who were arrested, why aren't they revealing it in clearer and more detailed charges? Why stay so vague? I know habeas corpus isn't part of their legal system, but you'd think they'd want to produce a more damning case for the world and make themselves look better.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, investigations with the detainees are still ongoing. He did mentioned some details of the contacts between Prince Hamzah or those close to him with the accused Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid.

Mr. Safadi also reported that the authorities detected a call yesterday between Princess Basmah, the wife of Prince Hamzah, and a person known to have ties to some external parties, as this person offered her to send a private plane to evacuate the family outside Jordan.
What is really disturbing IMO in the minister's statements is his speech about referring the issue to the court. Will Prince Hamzah be subjected to a public trial? Is that possible? Well, If it happened, That would be a big development for sure.

[Princess Mahala]

I wouldn't blame Basma for wanting to get out of there. Logically I'm sure they'd take help from anyone so including this story as evidence against Hamzah it's one more way of stacking the cards against him. Right now evidence only points to admitted criticizing the king not a real plot to overthrow.

At the moment Abdullah seems to be letting security forces handle and accuse his brother. Maybe he's being careful not to be seen as directly supporting this detention as events could galvanize more Jordanians against him.

[Mademoiselle Lilo]

i must be the only one whos not surprised at all by the last night events...
i don't kkow about Prince Hamza involvement but there is a deep feeling of unsatisfaction among the population after 20yrs of King Abdullah reign,Prince Hamza critics to the gouvernement and his country politics are only a symbol of the growing unsatisfaction in Jordan: we have seen the teachers mouvement that tell now is not solved,we have seen how things were almost got out of control after what happen in Salt hospital and many others populations protestants in streets from time to time...
Now the question is :did prince Hamza really attempt to overthrow his brother?
Or tnhis brother and the regime are only worried about his popularity and his growing critics that become bild by time?

[kalnel]

Whether or not Hamzah tried to destabilize the regime, he has now made clear that he is a critic of the current government. That makes this situation hard to resolve.

I don't see an easy way out Abdullah. If he takes drastic steps, like imprisoning or executing Hamzah, he'll turn him into a martyr and diminish Jordan's international standing. If he takes less drastic steps, like banishing or silencing Hamzah, he'll turn Hamzah into a permanent rallying point for anyone who wants to overthrow the regime.

My guess is they'll force Hamzah to recant his criticisms and swear his allegiance to Abdullah publicly and then keep constant pressure on him until things calm down.

The Washington Post is reporting that Abdullah will deal with Hamzah "within the framework of the family," rather than sending him directly to the trial through the security courts.

The paper also claims that over the last month, protesters have been chanting, “Oh Hamzeh, son of Hussein, the country is lost, where are you?”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...top-table-main

[Rossina]

Originally Posted by kalnel

I don't see an easy way out Abdullah. If he takes drastic steps, like imprisoning or executing Hamzah, he'll turn him into a martyr and diminish Jordan's international standing. If he takes less drastic steps, like banishing or silencing Hamzah, he'll turn Hamzah into a permanent rallying point for anyone who wants to overthrow the regime.

I don't thing King Abdullah will consider such a brutal punishment to his brother. Neither he nor his father before him actually did that to their opponents. I think that the harshest punishment that would be inflicted on Prince Hamzah in the event of his conviction is imprisonment, and I except it would be an appropriate place that suits his position.
I feel sorry for Basmah and the children. Will they remain home arrested with him? If so, Will they be allowed to attend schools.

[bebita99]

If Hamzah is against the regime wouldn't it be better for him to form an opposition and try to win on the next parliamentary elections

[Rossina]

Princess Firyal comments, OMG!

She is the former wife of Prince Mohammad Bin Talal, King Hussein`s brother, and the mother of his two sons Talal & Ghazi.

@FiryalOfJordan:The seemingly blind ambition of Queen Noor & her sons is delusional, futile, unmerited, false sense of entitlement. they all should know better. Such as the constitutional succession act, father to the eldest son, experienced with uninterrupted service record. Grow up, Boys.

https://twitter.com/FiryalOfJordan/s...18429381849095
https://postimg.cc/RJ7jmBfP

[bebita99]

She is saying sons and boys...i'm following instagram accounts and have noticed not only Hamzah but Hashim also paying visits to the locals lately, but they were never together. I assumed it was the King that sent them to mingle with local people at terrain to listen to their problems. Anyway Firyal calls herself a humanitarian...how conceited can you be to give that title to yourself
here are the instagram accounts


https://www.instagram.com/princeshamzahandhashem/
https://www.instagram.com/hrhprincehashim/