On 3 April 2021,
Jordanian authorities arrested 19 people, including
Prince Hamzah, who was put under house arrest.
Arrests also included the prince's chief of staff and other figures associated with him, in addition to a member of the royal family, Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, and
Bassem Awadallah, former Chief of the
Royal Hashemite Court
The Royal Hashemite Court (RHC) ( ar, الديوان الملكي الهاشمي, ''Al-Diwan Al-Malaki'' ''Al-Hāshimy''), which is historically known as Al-Maqar ( ar, المقر, ), is the administrative and political link between the King of Jor ...
and Jordan's former envoy to Saudi Arabia.
Hamzah is the son of the late
King Hussein
Hussein bin Talal ( ar, الحسين بن طلال, ''Al-Ḥusayn ibn Ṭalāl''; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 11 August 1952 until his death in 1999. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of ...
and the half-brother of the current king,
Abdullah II
Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein ( ar, عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين , translit=ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯānī ibn al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of t ...
. He was the country's
crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
from the death of his father in 1999 until he was stripped of his position by his half-brother the king in 2004.
Background
Since the creation of the modern state of Jordan in 1921, the country has been ruled by the
Hashemite dynasty
The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (19 ...
.
[Pia Krishnankutty]
How Hashemite Kingdom emerged from Ottoman, British rule to modern-day Jordan
''The Print'' (5 April 2021). Jordan is a "semi-absolute monarchy"; the king may dismiss the
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
and
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
at will,
[ personal freedoms are curtailed, and there are frequent crackdowns on political opposition.][ Jordan has for decades been seen as a relatively stable country, avoiding the war and instability suffered by many of its regional neighbors, such as ]Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
. Jordan is regionally influential; it is a close ally of the United States; a significant intermediary between the Israelis and Palestianians, and holds formal custodianship of Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque.[
During the life of ]King Hussein
Hussein bin Talal ( ar, الحسين بن طلال, ''Al-Ḥusayn ibn Ṭalāl''; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 11 August 1952 until his death in 1999. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of ...
, his sons and his four wives engaged in prolonged struggles for influence.[ King Abdullah II ascended the throne in 1999 upon the death of his father, who named him as successor weeks before he died. Abdullah is the son of ]Princess Muna
Princess Muna Al-Hussein ( ar, منى الحسين, born Toni Avril Gardiner; 25 April 1941) is the mother of Abdullah II of Jordan. She was the second wife of King Hussein; the couple divorced on 21 December 1972. She is British by birth, and c ...
, Hussein's second wife.[ By contrast, ]Hamzah bin Hussein
Hamzah bin Hussein, ( ar, حمزة بن الحسين; born 29 March 1980) is the fourth son of King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan overall and the first by his American-born fourth wife, Queen Noor. He was named Crown Prince of Jordan in 1999, a ...
is the son of Queen Noor
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
, Hussein's fourth wife (and thus Abdullah's younger half-brother).[ Both Abdullah and Hamzah were educated at elite schools in the United States and Britain. In 1999, King Abdullah named Hamzah as ]crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
, but in 2004, Abdullah stripped Hamzah of the title, later granting it to his son Prince Hussein in 2009.[ In the years leading up to the 2021 events, Hamzah, a former ]brigadier-general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the Jordanian Army
The Royal Jordanian Army (Arabic: القوّات البرية الاردنيّة; ) is the ground force branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF). It draws its origins from units such as the Arab Legion, formed in the British Mandate of Transj ...
, sought to regain his influence and depicted himself as a dynamic anti-corruption figure.[ Hamzah was viewed as a popular figure who resembled his father, and was popular among Jordanian tribes.] Tensions among the royal family had been apparent for some time,[ although control over the kingdom had not been publicly placed in question.][
At the time of the 2021 events, Abdullah was 59, Hamzah was 41, and Prince Hussein was 26.][
]
Events
On 3 April 2021, Jordanian authorities announced that they arrested nearly 20 people for involvement in a plot targeting the country's security, while the former crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
, Hamzah, was put under house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
.[
Jordanian officials stated that there was 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 political and security establishment.][
Among those arrested were Bassem Awadallah and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, two dual nationals holding both Jordanian and Saudi citizenships. Awadallah once served as head of the Jordanian Royal Court. He was also Jordan's former envoy to Saudi Arabia and was known for having close ties with the ]Saudi Crown Prince
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia is the second-most important position in Saudi Arabia, second to the King, and is his designated successor. Currently, the Crown Prince assumes power with the approval of the Allegiance Council after he is nomi ...
Mohammed bin Salman
Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud ( ar, محمد بن سلمان آل سعود, translit=Muḥammad bin Salmān Āl Su‘ūd; born 31 August 1985), colloquially known by his initials MBS or MbS, is Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. H ...
.[ Bassem Awadallah is a controversial figure in Jordan, criticized for the ]neoliberal
Neoliberalism (also neo-liberalism) is a term used to signify the late 20th century political reappearance of 19th-century ideas associated with free-market capitalism after it fell into decline following the Second World War. A prominent fa ...
economic policies that he supported during his positions in the government during the mid-2000s. Awadallah's and the Hashemite
The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921 ...
Sharif's alleged dual nationalities, holding both Jordanian and Saudi citizenships, were seen as potential links to foreign involvements. Despite being a member of the royal family, little information has been publicly revealed about Sharif Hassan bin Zaid. Zaid's Hashemite father, Sharif Hasan Ibn Zayd Al Nasser, also lives in Saudi Arabia.
The event marked a very rare public rift among Jordan's royal family.[ ]Queen Noor
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
, the stepmother of King Abdullah II[ and the widow of ]King Hussein
Hussein bin Talal ( ar, الحسين بن طلال, ''Al-Ḥusayn ibn Ṭalāl''; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 11 August 1952 until his death in 1999. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of ...
, described the arrest of her son as the result of "wicked slander" and said that she was "praying that truth and justice will prevail".
Alleged foreign involvement
The Jordanian Government stated that there was foreign backing for the plan.
Journalist Smadar Perry with ''Yediot Aharonot
''Yedioth Ahronoth'' ( he, יְדִיעוֹת אַחֲרוֹנוֹת, ; lit. ''Latest News'') is a national daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded in 1939 in British Mandatory Palestine, ''Yedioth Ahronoth'' is the largest paid n ...
'' alleged that the plotters were backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ( ar, مُحَمّد بِن زَايد آل نَهيَان, Moḥamed bin Zāyed Āl Nahyān; born 11 March 1961), colloquially known by his initials as MBZ, is the third president of the United Arab Emirates ...
based on information received from a very high-ranking source in Jordan.
Roy Shaposhnik, an Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i businessman and friend of Hamzah, said that he had offered use of a private jet
A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel deliveries, and some are used by pub ...
to Hamzah's wife and children to allow them to flee Jordan to his home in Europe. ''Ammon
Ammon (Ammonite: 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''ʻAmān''; he, עַמּוֹן ''ʻAmmōn''; ar, عمّون, ʻAmmūn) was an ancient Semitic-speaking nation occupying the east of the Jordan River, between the torrent valleys of Arnon and Jabbok, in p ...
'', a Jordanian media site linked to Jordanian intelligence, said that Shaposhnik was formerly part of Mossad
Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
, which Shaposhnik denied.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Jawad Anani
Jawad Anani (born 1943) is a Jordanian economist and politician. After working for the Central Bank of Jordan in the 1960s and 1970s he held high ranking positions in the civil service. He has held several ministerial posts since 1979, including ...
claimed Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
was the foreign country involved in the plot.
Aftermath
The Jordanian Armed Forces
The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْمُسَلَّحَةُ الأرْدُنِية, romanized: ''Al-Quwwat Al-Musallaha Al-Urduniyya''), also referred to as the Arab Army ( ar, الْجَيْشُ الْعَرَبي ...
issued a warning against Hamzah to halt actions targeting "security and stability" in the kingdom. On 5 April 2021, Hamzah, while in house arrest, released video and audio recordings saying that he would not comply with the military's orders not to use Twitter or otherwise communicate with the outside world.[ He said that " r sure I won't obey when they tell you that you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people but are only allowed to see the family. I expect this talk is not acceptable in any way."][ Hamza also accused the government of a "breakdown in governance" as well as corruption, nepotism, and incompetence.][
On the same day the Royal Hashemite Court issued a statement saying that King Abdullah had decided "to deal with the topic of His Highness Prince Hamzeh within the framework of the Hashemite family" and that ]Prince Hassan bin Talal
Prince Hassan bin Talal ( ar, الحسن بن طلال, born 20 March 1947) is a member of the Jordanian royal family who was previously Crown Prince from 1965 to 1999, being removed just three weeks before King Hussein's death.
Family
Prince Ha ...
, the uncle of Abdullah and Hamzeh, would serve as a mediator.[ The statement also said that Hamzeh "confirmed that he is committed to the Hashemite family's approach and the path King Abdullah entrusted his uncle with."][
Later the same day, after meeting with Hassan, Hamzah signed a letter reaffirming his allegiance and loyalty to Abdullah, writing, "In light of the developments of the past two days I put myself in the hands of the king, following the steps of my forefathers." The move appeared to de-escalate the family feud.
On 7 April 2021, King Abdullah II spoke publicly for the first time since the alleged coup and hinted that the Jordanian royal feud was over, stating that the "sedition" that caused him "pain and anger" had been quashed and that Hamzah was now "in his palace under my protection."] Abdullah also stated that the crisis began with Jordan's military chief of staff visiting Hamzah and then warned him to stop attending meetings with critics of the government.
In building the prosecution cases against the accused the focus was on key phone call recordings.
In April 2022, Hamzah relinquished his royal title of prince, stating his "personal convictions" were not in line with "the approaches, trends and modern methods of our institutions".
International reactions
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
, Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
, Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
, Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
, Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
, the Arab League
The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...
, Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
, Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, and the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
all voiced support for King Abdullah II.
Israeli Defense Minister
The Ministry of Defense ( he, מִשְׂרַד הַבִּטָּחוֹן, Misrad HaBitahon, Ministry of Security, acronym: he, משהב"ט) of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Isra ...
Benny Gantz
Benjamin Gantz ( he, בִּנְיָמִין "בֵּנִי" גַּנְץ, Transliterated: ; born 9 June 1959) is an Israeli politician and retired army general serving as the minister of Defense since 2020 and deputy prime minister of Israel sin ...
called the developments in Jordan an "internal" issue.[ Iran's foreign ministry said that Iran opposed "the internal instability in Jordan and any foreign involvement" and blamed Israel for "all attempted rebellions in Islamic countries."]
See also
*1957 alleged Jordanian military coup attempt
The 1957 alleged Jordanian military coup attempt refers to violent confrontations on 13 April 1957 at the large army barracks in Zarqa between royalist, mostly Bedouin units, loyal to King Hussein, and Nasserist-style Arab nationalist units.
A ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordanian coup d'état attempt, alleged
2020s coups d'état and coup attempts
2021 in Jordan
April 2021 events in Asia
Government crises
Political history of Jordan