Jordanian King Abdullah II stated on Monday that the kingdom would not be shaken by a deadly assault on a church in the southern city of Karak last month. Opening parliament in Amman, the monarch declared that the treacherous hand of terrorism had reached out to test the resilience of the state.
Addressing lawmakers, the king condemned the perpetrators of the violence. They are not of us, he said, adding that there is no place for them among us, not today and not tomorrow.
The assault occurred about two weeks prior to the address. It resulted in the deaths of nine people and left dozens wounded.
During the session, the king asked lawmakers to stand for a minute of silence to honour the victims. Relatives of those killed were present in the chamber.
Reporting from Amman, Ahmed Jarrar explained that the king made it clear Jordan would confront terrorism and extremism by relying first on national unity and public awareness. This approach is backed by the army and security services, which would strike with an iron fist.
Abdullah shifted his focus to regional tensions, warning that Israeli expansionism constitutes the greatest threat to the Middle East. Israeli expansionist ambitions are the greatest threat to the future of the region and its security, he stated.
The monarch noted that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues, while successive assaults persist in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Jordan, a close United States ally, signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, and millions of its citizens are of Palestinian origin.
The king also pledged to protect the kingdom’s scarce water supplies. We will not allow the thirst of Jordanians to be held hostage by any party, he said. Reporting from Amman indicated this reflected concerns that Israeli projects threaten Jordan’s water security.
Directing his remarks toward members of parliament, Abdullah stated that the nation is the source of authority. He noted that debate in parliament is healthy as long as it serves the national interest.
Your differences of opinion are a strength so long as Jordan’s interest is the goal, the king told the assembly, while urging the government to improve living conditions for citizens.
Abdullah warned officials against abusing their positions of power. The law knows no name, no position and no influence, he said.
