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Jordan the land of prophets has been a bastion of stability and moderation in a historically conflicted Arab world, however, a power struggle has been brewing between two brothers which could soon toss the country into an existential crisis.
“It’s 11:00 pm on the night of the 3rd of April and I’ve just been sent a communiqué that was sent out by the chief of staff, claiming that I was asked to not contribute to actions that would hurt the security of Jordan,” said Prince Hamzah, Jordan’s King Abdullah II’s half-brother said.
Prince Hamzah bin Hussein is a former pilot and a former crown prince and the half brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Prince Hamza is a popular figure in his country. The 41-year-old is seen as religious, modest and in touch with the common man. Many admire him also because of his uncanny resemblance to his father the late King Hussein.
Hussein bin Talal was the 40th generation direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad. He ruled Jordan from 1952 to 1999 and married four women and fathered 12 children. Abdullah is the oldest son of his second wife Princess Muna who is a British citizen and Hamzah is the oldest son from his fourth wife queen Noor who is an American.
Out of all his children, King Hussein is said to have favoured Hamzah the most. In 1999, when the king died a premature death, Abdullah had acceded the throne and in line with his father’s dying wishes named Hamza the crown prince only to strip him of the right to succeed in 2004 in favour of his son.
In a letter to his half-brother, the king had said: “I have decided to free you from the constraints of the position of the crown prince in order to give you the freedom to work and undertake any mission or responsibility I entrust you with.”
However, Hamzah whom the chance to become king had escaped twice did not see his disinheritance in the same way. He gradually distanced himself from the top circles of power often criticising the Jordanian government over its policies.
His royal blood saved him from being targeted, also Hamzah did not show any signs of an open rivalry with his brother. so he was sidelined and not imprisoned until last week.
When the authorities became increasingly concerned with Hamza’s efforts to reach out to Jordan’s powerful tribal leaders with public grievances over the deteriorating economy and corruption on the rise in Jordan, Hamzah is said to have seen it as a chance to increase his public standing, however, the Jordanian authorities viewed it as a threat to the monarchy.
Hamzah bin Hussein was therefore placed under house arrest. The system accuses him of being part of a foreign conspiracy, but the erstwhile crown prince said his fight is only for human dignity and reform.
“There is no conspiracy, whatever concoction they’re attempting to create or whatever narrative that they’re attempting to sell, the basic fact is this is all about human dignity, freedom from arbitrary government, freedom from invasive security apparatuses and services, and the freedom to live in a country where human dignity and human rights and the human voice are protected and sacred,” Prince Hamzah said.
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