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
The king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is Jordan's head of state and monarch. He serves as the head of the Jordanian monarchy—the Hashemite dynasty. The king is addressed as His Majesty ().
Jordan is a constitutional monarchy. However, ...
, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of 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 ...
dynasty, who have been the reigning royal family of Jordan since 1921, and is considered a
41st-generation direct descendant of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
.
Abdullah was born in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
as the first child 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 o ...
and his second wife,
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 ...
. As the king's eldest son, Abdullah was heir apparent until Hussein transferred the title to Abdullah's uncle,
Prince Hassan
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 Hussein of Jordan, King Hussein's death ...
, in 1965. Abdullah began his schooling in Amman, continuing his education abroad. He began his military career in 1980 as a training officer in 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 الْعَرَب ...
, later assuming command of the country's
Special Forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
in 1994, eventually becoming a major general in 1998. In 1993 Abdullah married
Rania Al-Yassin, and they went on to have four children:
Crown Prince Hussein,
Princess Iman,
Princess Salma and
Prince Hashem. A few weeks before his death in 1999, King Hussein named his eldest son Abdullah his heir, and Abdullah succeeded his father.
Abdullah, a
constitutional monarch
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
, liberalized the economy when he assumed the throne, and his reforms led to an economic boom which continued until 2008. During the following years
Jordan's economy experienced hardship as it dealt with the effects of the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
and spillover from the
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in T ...
, including a cut in its petroleum supply and the collapse of trade with neighboring countries. In 2011, large-scale protests demanding reform erupted in the
Arab world
The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...
. Many of the protests led to civil wars in other countries, but Abdullah responded quickly to domestic unrest by replacing the government and introducing reforms to the constitution and laws governing public freedoms and elections.
Proportional representation
Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...
was introduced to the
Jordanian parliament
The Parliament of Jordan ( ar, مجلس الأمة ') is the bicameral Jordanian national assembly. Established by the 1952 Constitution, the legislature consists of two houses: the Senate ( ar, مجلس الأعيان ''Majlis Al-Aayan'') ...
in the
2016 general election, a move which he said would eventually lead to establishing
parliamentary government
A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of t ...
s. The reforms took place amid unprecedented challenges stemming from regional instability, including an influx of 1.4 million
Syrian refugees into the natural resources-lacking country and the emergence of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a State (polity), state that has a form of government based on sharia, Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical Polity, polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a t ...
(ISIL).
Abdullah is popular locally and internationally for maintaining Jordanian stability, and is known for promoting
interfaith dialogue
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
and a moderate understanding of
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. The longest-serving current Arab leader, he was regarded by the
Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre is a research centre affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.
Its publications include:
*'' A Common Word Between Us and You''
*'' The Amman Message''
*''Forty Hadith on Divin ...
as
the most influential Muslim in the world in 2016
and ranked fifth in 2022.
Abdullah is custodian of the Muslim and Christian sacred sites in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, a position held by his dynasty since 1924.
The 2021
Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers are 11.9 million leaked documents with 2.9 terabytes of data that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published beginning on 3 October 2021. The leak exposed the secret offshore accounts of 3 ...
leak and the 2022
Credit Suisse leak revealed that Abdullah maintained a vast empire of wealth that he disguised through offshore companies and tax havens; the Royal Court responded that the offshore accounts were used for offering privacy and security, while the funds were a result of private wealth inherited from his father.
Early life
![King Hussein and Princess Muna with sons 1964 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/King_Hussein_and_Princess_Muna_with_sons_1964_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Abdullah was born on 30 January 1962 at Palestine Hospital in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
, to
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 o ...
and Hussein's British-born second wife,
Princess Muna Al-Hussein
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 ...
(born Antoinette Avril Gardiner).
He is the
namesake
A namesake is a person, geographic location, or other entity bearing the name of another.
History
The word is first attested around 1635, and probably comes from the phrase "for one's name's sake",
which originates in English Bible translations ...
of his paternal great-grandfather,
Abdullah I, who founded modern Jordan.
Abdullah's dynasty, the
Hashemites
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 ...
, ruled
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
for over 700 years—from the 10th century until the
House of Saud
The House of Saud ( ar, آل سُعُود, ʾĀl Suʿūd ) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi state (1727–1818), and ...
conquered Mecca in 1925—and have ruled Jordan since 1921.
The Hashemites are the oldest ruling dynasty in the
Muslim world
The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. I ...
.
According to
family tradition, Abdullah is the 41st-generation
agnatic
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...
descendant of
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
's daughter
Fatimah
Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...
and her husband,
Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...
, the
fourth Rashidun caliph.
As Hussein's eldest son, Abdullah became
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to the Jordanian throne under the
1952 constitution.
Political instability caused King Hussein to appoint an adult heir in his place, choosing Abdullah's uncle
Prince Hassan
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 Hussein of Jordan, King Hussein's death ...
in 1965.
Abdullah began his schooling in 1966 at the Islamic Educational College in Amman, and continued at
St Edmund's School in England. He attended
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
at
Eaglebrook School
Eaglebrook School is an independent junior boarding and day school for boys in grades six through nine. It is located in Deerfield, Massachusetts, on the Pocumtuck Range near Deerfield Academy and sited on an campus which is also preserved by ...
and
Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an elite coeducational preparatory school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States. It is a member of the Eight Schools Association, the Ten Schools Admis ...
in the United States.
Abdullah has four brothers and six sisters:
Princess Alia,
Prince Faisal,
Princess Aisha,
Princess Zein,
Princess Haya
Princess Haya bint Hussein ( ar, الأميرة هيا بنت الحسين; born 3 May 1974) is the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and his third wife Queen Alia, and the half-sister of King Abdullah II.
She is a graduate of the University ...
,
Prince Ali,
Prince Hamzah,
Prince Hashem,
Princess Iman and
Princess Raiyah; seven of them are paternal half-siblings.
[
]
Military career
![King Abdullah II of Jordan as a young prince in 1973](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/King_Abdullah_II_of_Jordan_as_a_young_prince_in_1973.jpg)
He began his military career at
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...
in 1980, while he was a
training officer
Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or Physical fitness, fitness that relate to specific practicality, useful Competence (human resources), competencies. Training has specific goals of improving on ...
in the Jordanian Armed Forces.
After Sandhurst, Abdullah was commissioned as a
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and served a year in Britain and West Germany as a troop commander in the
13th/18th Royal Hussars.
Abdullah was admitted to
Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1982, where he completed a one-year special-studies course in Middle Eastern affairs.
He joined the
Royal 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 ...
on his return home, serving as
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
and then as platoon commander and assistant commander of a company in the 40th Armored Brigade.
Abdullah took a free-fall parachuting course in Jordan, and in 1985 he took the Armored Officer's Advanced Course at
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
.
He became commander of a tank company in the
91st Armored Brigade, with the rank of captain.
Abdullah also served with the
Royal Jordanian Air Force's anti-tank helicopter wing, receiving training to fly
Cobra attack-helicopters.
The prince then attended the
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Edmund is a masculine given name or surname in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''ēad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector".
Persons named Edmund include:
People Kings ...
at
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
in Washington, D.C., in 1987, undertaking advanced study and research in international affairs.
He returned home to serve as assistant commander of the 17th Royal Tank Battalion in 1989, later being promoted to major.
Abdullah attended a staff course at the
British Staff College in 1990, and served the following year in the Office of the Inspector General of the Jordanian Armed Forces as the Armored Corps representative.
He commanded a battalion in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1992 and was promoted to colonel the following year, commanding the 40th Brigade.
Abdullah met
Rania Al-Yassin, a marketing employee at
Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...
in Amman, at a dinner organized by his sister Princess Aisha in January 1993.
They became engaged two months later, and their marriage took place in June.
[
]
In 1994 Abdullah assumed command of Jordan's Special Forces and of other elite units as a brigadier general, restructuring them into the
Joint Special Operations Command
The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equip ...
two years later.
He became a major general, attended a course in defence-resources management at the American
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a public graduate school operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California.
It offers master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 70 fields of study to the U.S. Armed Forces, DOD ci ...
and commanded an elite special-forces manhunt in the pursuit of outlaws in 1998.
The operation reportedly ended successfully, with his name chanted on the streets of Amman.
Reign
Accession and enthronement
Abdullah joined his father on a number of missions, including meetings abroad with Soviet and American leaders.
He was occasionally King Hussein's
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
during the 1990s but this duty was mainly performed by Hussein's younger brother, Crown Prince Hassan.
Abdullah led his father's delegation to Moscow for talks in 1987.
He frequently visited
the Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
in Washington, where he lobbied for increased military assistance to Jordan.
The prince joined his father on trips to visit
Hafez Al-Assad in Damascus and
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...
in Baghdad (before the
1990 Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
).
Abdullah commanded military exercises during Israeli military officials' visits to Jordan in 1997, and was sent to hand-deliver a message to
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, . Due to the lack of standardization of transcribing written and regionally pronounced Arabic, Gaddafi's name has been romanized in various ways. A 1986 column by ''The Straight Dope'' lists 32 spellin ...
in 1998.
King Hussein frequently traveled to the United States for medical treatment after his diagnosis with cancer in 1992.
After Hussein returned from a six-month medical absence from Jordan in late 1998, he criticized his brother Hassan's management of Jordanian affairs in a public letter, accusing him of abusing his constitutional powers as regent.
On 24 January 1999, two weeks before his death, Hussein surprised everyone—including Abdullah who thought he would spend his life in the military—by replacing Hassan with his son as heir apparent.
The king died of complications of
non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), also known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a group of blood cancers that includes all types of lymphomas except Hodgkin lymphomas. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and tiredness. ...
on 7 February 1999.
His 47-year reign extended through four turbulent decades of the
Arab–Israeli conflict
The Arab–Israeli conflict is an ongoing intercommunal phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between Arab countries and Israel, which escalated during the 20th century, but had mostly faded out by the ...
and the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
.
Several hours after the announcement of his father's death, Abdullah appeared at an emergency session of the
Jordanian parliament
The Parliament of Jordan ( ar, مجلس الأمة ') is the bicameral Jordanian national assembly. Established by the 1952 Constitution, the legislature consists of two houses: the Senate ( ar, مجلس الأعيان ''Majlis Al-Aayan'') ...
.
Hussein's two brothers, Hassan and
Mohammed, walked ahead of him as he entered the assembly.
In Arabic, he swore the oath taken by his father almost fifty years earlier: "I swear by Almighty God to uphold the constitution and to be faithful to the nation".
Speaker of the Senate
Zaid Al-Rifai
Zaid al-Rifai ( ar, زيد الرفاعي) (born 27 November 1936 in Amman, Jordan) is a Jordanian politician that served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Jordan from April 1984 to April 1989.
Biography
He served as Prime Minister of Jordan and ...
opened the session with
Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha (alternatively transliterated Al-Fātiḥa or Al-Fātiḥah; ar, ألْفَاتِحَة, ; ), is the first ''surah'' (chapter) of the Quran. It consists of 7 '' ayah'' (verses) which are a prayer for guidance and mercy. Al-Fatiha i ...
(the opening chapter of the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...
), his voice cracking with emotion as he led the recitation. "God, save His Majesty... God, give him advice and take care of him."
Abdullah's investiture took place on 9 June 1999.
A reception at
Raghadan Palace
Raghadan Palace is a crown palace located in the Royal Court compound of Al-Maquar in Amman, Jordan. Constructed in 1926, the property became the residence of King Abdullah I who would go on to order the construction of several more palaces in the ...
attended by 800 dignitaries followed a motorcade ride through Amman by the 37-year-old king and his 29-year-old wife, Rania—the then youngest queen in the world.
First year
As king, Abdullah retains wider executive and legislative authority than is normally the case for a
constitutional monarch
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
. He is
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
and
commander-in-chief of the Jordanian Armed Forces and appoints the
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 ...
and the directors of security agencies.
The prime minister is free to choose his
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
.
The
Parliament of Jordan
The Parliament of Jordan ( ar, مجلس الأمة ') is the bicameral Jordanian national assembly. Established by the 1952 Constitution, the legislature consists of two houses: the Senate ( ar, مجلس الأعيان ''Majlis Al-Aayan'') ...
consists of
two chambers: the appointed
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
and the elected
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, which serve as a check on the government. However, according to
Freedom House
Freedom House is a non-profit, majority U.S. government funded organization in Washington, D.C., that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights. Freedom House was founded in October 1941, and Wendell Wil ...
, most seats in the House are held by pro-palace independents, and the crown's authority is such that it is extremely difficult for a party to win power solely via the ballot box.
The Senate is appointed by the king, and the House of Representatives is
directly elected
Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...
.
![Abdullah II](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Abdullah_II.jpg)
When Abdullah ascended to the throne as Jordan's fourth king, observers doubted his ability to manage the country's economic crisis—a legacy of the 1990 Gulf War.
The king maintained his father's moderate pro-Western policy, supporting the 1994
Israel–Jordan peace treaty
The Israel–Jordan peace treaty (formally the "Treaty of Peace Between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan"), he, הסכם השלום בין ישראל לירדן; transliterated: ''Heskem Ha-Shalom beyn Yisra'el Le-Yarden'' ...
, and the royal transition prompted the United States and
Arab states of the Persian Gulf
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. ...
to increase their aid.
In the early years of Abdullah's reign, which then ruled over a population of 4.5 million, it was reported that he frequently went undercover to see Jordan's challenges firsthand.
In 2000 he said about his incognito visits to government institutions, "The bureaucrats are terrified. It's great."
Abdullah cracked down on the
Hamas
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
presence in Jordan in November 1999 after pleas from 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 ...
,
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 ...
and the
Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, .
The crackdown occurred during peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The king exiled four Hamas officials to Qatar and barred the group from political activity, closing their offices in Amman.
The peace talks collapsed into a violent Palestinian uprising, the
Second Intifada
The Second Intifada ( ar, الانتفاضة الثانية, ; he, האינתיפאדה השנייה, ), also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada ( ar, انتفاضة الأقصى, label=none, '), was a major Palestinian uprising against Israel. ...
, in September 2000.
As a result, Jordan faced dwindling tourism; tourism is an economic cornerstone of Jordan, a country with few natural resources.
Abdullah reportedly spearheaded efforts to defuse the political violence.
2000s
On 23 June 2000, while vacationing in the
Greek Islands
Greece has many islands, with estimates ranging from somewhere around 1,200 to 6,000, depending on the minimum size to take into account. The number of inhabited islands is variously cited as between 166 and 227.
The largest Greek island by a ...
, Abdullah received a phone call from the director of mukhabarat (the country's
Intelligence Directorate
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can be ...
) warning of an assassination attempt against him by
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
.
The plot was to target Abdullah and his family's rented yacht with explosives.
The
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
in 2001 on American targets were fiercely condemned by Abdullah.
Jordan responded quickly to American requests for assistance, enacting counterterrorism legislation and maintaining a high level of vigilance.
The country's mukhabarat foiled similar plots the following year against Western targets, including the American and British embassies in Lebanon.
![Abdullah II of Jordan visit Tehran - Mohammad Khatami - September 2, 2003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Abdullah_II_of_Jordan_visit_Tehran_-_Mohammad_Khatami_-_September_2%2C_2003.png)
With the
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
administration planning an attack on Iraq, accusing Saddam Hussein of possessing
weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natura ...
, Abdullah opposed American intervention.
"A strike on Iraq will be disastrous for Iraq and the region as a whole and will threaten the security and stability of the Middle East", he warned during American vice president
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
's 2002 visit to the Middle East.
In March 2003, during a meeting with George W. Bush at the White House, Abdullah tried to dissuade the president from invading Iraq.
During the 1990 Gulf War, King Hussein's wariness of war was seen as siding with Saddam Hussein, which alienated Jordan from its Arab allies in the
Persian Gulf region and the Western world; his stance precipitated an economic crisis triggered by the suspension of foreign aid and investment to Jordan. Failing to persuade Bush, Abdullah broke with domestic opposition.
He allowed American
Patriot batteries to be stationed in the Jordanian desert along its border with Iraq, but did not allow coalition troops to launch an invasion from Jordan.
Jordan had received subsidized oil from Saddam Hussein's Iraq at a savings of about $500 million per year, equal to American aid to Jordan at the time.
The
2003 Jordanian general election was the first parliamentary election under Abdullah's rule.
Although the election was supposed to be held in 2001, it was postponed by the king due to regional political instability in accordance with the Jordanian constitution (which authorizes the monarch to postpone an election for a maximum of two years).
His postponement was criticized by the largest Islamist opposition party in the country, the
Islamic Action Front (the political arm of the
Muslim Brotherhood), who accused Abdullah of impeding the democratic process.
He inherited a controversial
single non-transferable vote electoral system, implemented by his father in 1991, which hobbled Islamic political parties after they obtained 22 of 80 seats in the
1989 elections.
Abdullah issued a royal decree before the election, introducing an amendment to the election law giving women a six-seat quota in Parliament.
In 2004, Abdullah coined the term "
Shia Crescent
The Shia Crescent (or Shiite Crescent) is the notionally crescent-shaped region of the Middle East where the majority population is Shia or where there is a strong Shia minority in the population.
In recent years the term has come to identify are ...
" to describe a
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
-dominated region from Damascus to Tehran (bypassing Baghdad) which promoted sectarian politics.
His warning received international attention, leading Abdullah to clarify that he meant a shift in political (not sectarian) alignment.
The king's observation was validated after the rise of Shia
Nouri Al-Maliki
Nouri Kamil Muhammad-Hasan al-Maliki ( ar, نوري المالكي; born 20 June 1950), also known as Jawad al-Maliki (), is secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party and was the prime minister of Iraq from 2006 to 2014 and the vice president ...
to the Iraqi government in 2006 and subsequent events.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI; ar, القاعدة في العراق, al-Qā'idah fī al-ʿIrāq) or Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia ( ar, القاعدة في بلاد الرافدين, al-Qā'idah fī Bilād ar-Rāfidayn), officially known as ''Tanzim Qaidat a ...
founder
Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( ar, أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ', ''Father of Musab, from Zarqa''; ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (, '), was a Jordanian jihadist who ran a t ...
claimed responsibility for
a terrorist attack in Amman on 9 November 2005. It was the deadliest attack in Jordan's history; suicide bombers targeted three hotels, one of which was hosting a wedding.
The attack killed 60 people and injured 115.
Prior to the attack, Al-Zarqawi had threatened: "What is coming is more vicious and bitter".
In 2006, Al-Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike with the aid of Jordanian intelligence agents. Abdullah and Jordan are viewed with contempt by Islamic extremists for the country's peace treaty with Israel and its relationship with the West.
Jordan's security was tightened, and no major terrorist attacks have been reported in the country since then.
Russian president
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
visited Jordan for the first time in February 2007 and was welcomed by Abdullah.
The leaders discussed prospects for the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, Iran's nuclear program and violence in Iraq.
Abdullah established
King's Academy
King's Academy (Arabic Translation: "كينغز أكاديمي") is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for students in grades 7 through 12 in Madaba-Manja, Jordan. It is named in honor of King Abdullah II of Jordan and seeks ...
near
Madaba
Madaba ( ar, مادبا; Biblical Hebrew: ''Mēḏəḇāʾ''; grc, Μήδαβα) is the capital city of Madaba Governorate in central Jordan, with a population of about 60,000. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, espec ...
, the Middle East's first boarding school, in 2007 in appreciation of the education he received at
Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an elite coeducational preparatory school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States. It is a member of the Eight Schools Association, the Ten Schools Admis ...
.
He hired Deerfield headmaster
Eric Widmer Dr. Eric Widmer (born in Beirut) is an American scholar and educator. He was born in Lebanon where his American mother was on the faculty of the American University in Beirut. He was educated at Deerfield, Williams, and Harvard. After finishing ...
to oversee the school, which has students from throughout the region.
In 2007, it was reported that Jordan hosted 800,000 Iraqi refugees who fled the insurgency following the American invasion; most have returned to Iraq.
The
2007 Jordanian general election was held in November, with secular opposition groups accusing
the government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
of using rising
Islamism
Islamism (also often called political Islam or Islamic fundamentalism) is a political ideology which posits that modern states and regions should be reconstituted in constitutional, economic and judicial terms, in accordance with what is ...
as an excuse for "autocratic rule". In 2008, Abdullah became the first Arab head of state to visit Iraq after the 2003 American invasion.
The visit was amid Sunni Arab concerns of growing Iranian influence in Iraq.
2010s
Arab Spring 2010–2014
The Tunisian Revolution in December 2010 (which unseated that country's president) brought Egyptians into the streets, and by January 2011 they overthrew president Hosni Mubarak.
Protests in other Arab countries soon followed, resulting in civil wars in Libya, Syria and Yemen.
In Jordan, opposition groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, leftists, and retired army generals protested throughout the country.
By 1 February 2011, domestic unrest prompted Abdullah to sack Samir Rifai's government and pledge to follow a democratic trajectory.
![Jordan protests November 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Jordan_protests_November_2012.PNG)
The 2011–12 Jordanian protests were driven by complaints about a troubled economy: soaring prices, widespread unemployment and a relatively low standard of living.
Although some called for an end to the monarchy, most protesters' anger was directed at politicians viewed as undemocratic, corrupt and unaccountable.
Demonstrators called for the dissolution of the parliament which had been elected three months earlier in 2010 Jordanian general election, November 2010, when pro-regime figures won a majority of seats.
The Jordanian monarchy was the first Arab regime to offer political concessions during the Arab Spring.
Marouf Bakhit was appointed prime minister, but protests continued throughout the summer; Bakhit was seen as a conservative unlikely to push for reform.
Dissatisfied with the pace of reform, Abdullah sacked Bakhit's government and appointed Awn Khasawneh to form a cabinet.
Khasawneh abruptly resigned in April 2012, and the King appointed Fayez Tarawneh as interim prime minister; it was the third government reshuffle in 18 months.
In November 2012 the government cut fuel subsidies, driving up prices.
The decision, later revoked, triggered large-scale protests across the country. The regime calmed the unrest by introducing reforms, amending about one-third of the constitution and establishing a Constitutional Court and the Independent Election Commission (Jordan), Independent Election Commission. Abdullah called for an early parliamentary election and appointed Abdullah Ensour to form a cabinet of intermittent government.
In the 2013 Jordanian general election, January 2013 election, pro-regime figures were victorious as opposition groups continued a boycott,
with
Islamic Action Front claiming earlier that election was performed in absence of actual opposition.
Since December 2012, the king has published seven White paper, discussion papers outlining his vision of democracy and reform in Jordan.
West Bank
In December 2012, Abdullah was the first head of state to visit the West Bank after a United Nations General Assembly vote upgraded the
Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, to a United Nations General Assembly observers, nonmember observer state.
Jordan sees an independent Palestinian state, with the Green Line (Israel), 1967 borders, as part of the two-state solution and of supreme national interest. Jordan, the only country bordering the West Bank other than Israel, Jordanian annexation of the West Bank, ruled it after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and lost in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Its annexation of the West Bank was not recognized, and in 1988 the kingdom Jordanian disengagement from the West Bank, ceded its claim to the territory.
An interview with Abdullah by Jeffrey Goldberg, published in ''The Atlantic'' in March 2013, sparked controversy when the king criticized local and international figures and parties.
He called the Muslim Brotherhood a "Masonic cult" and "wolves in sheep's clothing", described ousted Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi as a man with "no depth" and said that Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan saw democracy as "a bus ride".
Abdullah also criticized American diplomats, some of his country's tribal leaders and members of his family.
Another 2013 article in ''The Atlantic'' advised him to address governmental corruption, saying that there "is a growing perception that the degeneracy reaches the palace".
According to the article, Abdullah was accused of "illegally appropriating 'tribal' lands" shortly after his accession
and members of 36 Jordanian tribes issued a statement denouncing Queen Rania's "publicized and extravagant" 40th birthday party in 2013.
Regional turmoil 2014–2019
The March 2011 outbreak of the Syrian Civil War forced masses of refugees across Jordan's border with Syria—about 3,000 refugees per day in the war's early stages. When asked about the Syrian conflict in an interview with the BBC in November 2011, Abdullah said that he would resign if he was in Bashar Al-Assad's shoes.
"Whenever you exert violence on your own people, it’s never going to end well and so as far as I’m concerned, yes, there will be an expiration date, but again it is almost impossible for anybody to predict whether that is six weeks, six months or six years."
About the unrest in Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014), Iraq, Abdullah told a delegation of US congressmen in June 2014 about his fear that the turmoil would spill across the entire region.
He said that any solution to the problems in the war-torn countries must involve all the people of Iraq and Syria.
Jordan began erecting barriers along its arid border with Iraq and border with Syria. Since then, Jordanian–Syrian border incidents during the Syrian Civil War, hundreds of infiltration attempts have been foiled by Jordanian border guards who were also occupied with the flow of refugees. Jordan was involved in the CIA-led Timber Sycamore covert operation to train and arm List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War, Syrian rebels.
In April 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an al-Qaeda affiliate which emerged in early 2014 when it drove Iraqi government forces out of key cities, posted an online video which threatened to invade the kingdom and slaughter Abdullah (whom they saw as an enemy of Islam).
"I have a message to the tyrant of Jordan: we are coming to you with death and explosive belts", an ISIL fighter said as he destroyed a Jordanian passport.
In August 2014, thousands of Iraqi Christians fled ISIL and sought shelter in Christianity in Jordan, Jordanian churches.
![Abdullah II of Jordan and Vladimir Putin (2015-11-24) 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Abdullah_II_of_Jordan_and_Vladimir_Putin_%282015-11-24%29_02.jpg)
Shortly after Jordan joined the Military intervention against ISIL, international coalition against ISIL in mid-September 2014, the country's security apparatus foiled a terror plot targeting civilians in Jordan.
Shortly afterwards, Abdullah said in an interview that the country's borders with Iraq and Syria were "extremely safe".
In late December 2014, a Jordanian General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-16 fighter jet crashed near Raqqa, Syria, during a mission.
A video was posted online on 3 February 2015, showing captured Jordanian pilot Muath Al-Kasasbeh being burned to death in a cage;
throughout January, Jordan had negotiated for Al-Kasasbeh's release.
The terrorist group reportedly demanded the release of Sajida Al-Rishawi in return, a suicide bomber whose belt failed to detonate in the 2005 Amman bombings.
Al-Kasasbeh's killing spurred outrage in the country, while the King was away in a state visit to the United States.
Before returning to Jordan, Abdullah swiftly ratified death sentences previously handed down to two imprisoned Iraqi jihadists, Sajida Al-Rishawi and Ziad Al-Karbouly, who were executed before dawn of the next day.
The same evening, Abdullah was welcomed in Amman by cheering crowds who lined along the airport road to express their support.
His decision also garnered international support.
As commander-in-chief, Abdullah launched Operation Martyr Muath, a series of airstrikes against ISIL targets during the following week targeting weapons caches, training camps and Extraction of petroleum, oil-extraction facilities.
His retaliation was praised on the Internet, where he was dubbed "The Warrior King". Rumors had circulated that he personally led the sorties.
During a January 2016 BBC interview, Abdullah said that Jordan is at the "boiling point" because of the Syrian refugee influx, Jordan claims more than a million Syrians have sought refuge in Jordan.
The king noted pressure on the country's economy, infrastructure and services.
"Sooner or later, I think, the dam is going to burst", he warned.
Jordan has historically welcomed refugees—Palestinians in Jordan, Palestinians in 1948 Arab–Israeli War, 1948 and Six-Day War, 1967, Iraqis during the American invasion and now Syrians, who make up about 20 percent of Jordan's then 9.5 million population—and, according to Abdullah, "For the first time, we can't do it any more."
The 2016 Jordanian general election, November 2016 Jordanian general election was the first election since 1989 Jordanian general election, 1989 primarily using a form of proportional representation; intervening elections had used the
single non-transferable vote system.
Reforms encouraged opposition parties, including the
Islamic Action Front (who had boycotted previous elections, including 2010 and 2013), to participate.
The election was considered fair and transparent by independent international observers. Proportional representation is seen as the first step toward establishing parliamentary governments in which parliamentary blocs, instead of the king, choose the prime minister.
However, the underdevelopment of political parties in Jordan have slowed down such moves.
Abdullah established a close cooperation between Jordan and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Between 2013 and 2015, the ILO started programs in Jordan to support working opportunities for refugees in Jordan. In 2016, Jordan signed the Jordan Compact, which improved legal employments opportunities for refugees.
After Donald Trump's Inauguration of Donald Trump, inauguration as United States president on 20 January 2017, Abdullah traveled to the US on an official visit.
He was worried about the new administration's positions on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, specifically, issues relating to Israeli settlements. Abdullah met Trump briefly at the National Prayer Breakfast on 2 February, and reportedly convinced him to change his policy towards Israeli settlements.
This was substantiated by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who said two days later that the expansion of Israeli settlements may not be helpful in achieving peace.
According to ''The New York Times'', the "encounter put the king, one of the most respected leaders of the Arab world, ahead of Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu in seeing the new president."
United States Senate, Senator Bob Corker confirmed Abdullah's influence in an interview: "We call him the Henry Kissinger of that part of the world and we do always love to listen to his view of the region." Abdullah criticized United States' decision to United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, recognize Jerusalem as the capital of
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 ...
.
On 4 June 2018, Prime Minister Hani Mulki, Hani Al-Mulki resigned from office.
Large protests against corruption, the economic policies and austerity plans as well as the tax increases, occurred before Hani Al-Mulki resigned. Abdullah moved former education minister Omar Razzaz to the position of the new Prime Minister
and ordered him to conduct a review of the controversial tax system.
On 25 June 2018, Abdullah made another official visit to Washington, DC. He was hosted by President Trump at the White House and they discussed "terrorism, the threat from Iran and the crisis in Syria, and working towards a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians". In August 2018, after the Presidency of Donald Trump, Trump administration had announced to end all US funding for UNRWA, Abdullah sought to replace the US funds. Jordan convened meetings of the Arab League and Western countries.
2020s
In an interview with ''Der Spiegel'' in May 2020, Abdullah criticized Donald Trump's plans for peace in the Middle East including
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 ...
annexing parts of the West Bank. He stated, "The two-state solution is the only way for us to be able to move forward", and noted a possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank causes conflicts.
In October 2020, Omar Razzaz resigned from his position due to the criticism of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan, COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Abdullah dissolved the parliament and instructed his chief policy adviser, Bisher Al-Khasawneh, Bishr Al-Khasawneh, to form a new government as the new Prime Minister. After Joe Biden won the 2020 United States presidential election, Abdullah was the first Arab leader to congratulate Biden for his victory.
On 15 January 2021, Abdullah and
Crown Prince Hussein received COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 vaccination.
In April 2021, Abdullah ordered the arrest of his half-brother, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, and twenty other courtiers for what was called "sedition". Hamzah's removal as crown prince by Abdullah has been cited as a possible factor. 18 other Jordanian figures were arrested as well,
including Abdullah's controversial former Chief of Staff, former Saudi Arabian envoy and Royal Court Chief Bassem Awadallah.
Royal family member Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, who is hardly known in Jordan and whose father now resides in Saudi Arabia, would be among those arrested as well. On 7 April, 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” was now buried and that Hamzah was now "in his palace under my protection."
Abdullah also stated that the crisis began when Jordan's military chief of staff paid a visit to Hamzah and warned him to stop attending meetings with critics of the government.
On 19 July 2021, during a two-week visit to the US, Abdullah was received at the White House by Presidency of Joe Biden, President Joe Biden. They discussed the Middle East conflict, the battle against COVID-19, and the Jordan–United States relations, relationship between Jordan and the US. Abdullah was the first leader from the Middle East to visit the White House since Inauguration of Joe Biden, Biden's inauguration on 20 January 2021.
On 23 August 2021, during a visit to Russia, Abdullah met with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Putin in Moscow.
They discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan and a "normalization" of Syria. Abdullah thanked Putin for Russia's support for Jordan and its provision of anti-COVID vaccines.
In early September 2021, Abdullah and President of Israel, Israeli president Isaac Herzog discussed sustainability, climate crisis and energy in an unannounced meeting. On 27 September 2021, after Crown Prince Hussein was tested positive for COVID-19 Abdullah and his wife Rania Al-Yassin went into quarantine despite negative tests. On 10 October 2021, Crown Prince Hussein resumed his duties.
On 3 October 2021, Abdullah held a telephone conversation with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, the first contact since the start of the Syrian civil war. They discussed bilateral relations after Amman fully opened borders with Syria.
On 16 July 2022, Abdullah met with Joe Biden in Jeddah during the summit of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and the US. Biden pledged additional financial assistance to Jordan worth more than US$ 1.4 billion per year until 2029, also to support Abdullah's economic reforms.
Administrative reforms
Economic
King Abdullah proposed significant economic reforms to the country during the first decade of his reign.
Jordan, a relatively-small, semi-arid, almost-landlocked country, has one of the Economy of Jordan, smallest economies in the region; its GDP was about $39 billion in 2016.
Insufficient natural resources, especially in water and oil (unlike its neighbors) have given the kingdom chronic government debt, unemployment and poverty
which led to a dependence on foreign aid from its Western and Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Arab allies in the Persian Gulf region.
Jordan embarked on an aggressive economic liberalization program when Abdullah was crowned in an effort to stimulate the economy and raise the standard of living, and its economy has improved under his reign.
He has been credited with attracting foreign investment, improving public-private partnerships and providing the foundation for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and Jordan's flourishing information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Abdullah set up five other special economic zones: Irbid, Ajloun, Mafraq, Ma'an and the Dead Sea.
As a result of these reforms, Jordan's economic growth doubled (to 8% annually) between 2004 and 2008 compared with the latter half of the 1990s.
It also led to a steady increase in foreign investment by the West and the Persian Gulf countries.
Abdullah negotiated a Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement, free-trade agreement with the United States, the third free-trade agreement for the US and its first with an Arab country.
Under the agreement, Jordanian exports to the United States increased from $63 million in 2000 to over $1.4 billion in 2015. Jordan's foreign debt-to-GDP ratio fell from more than 210 percent in 1990 to 83 percent by the end of 2005, a decrease called an "extraordinary achievement" by the International Monetary Fund.
Abdullah's efforts have made Jordan the freest Arab economy and the ninth-freest economy in the world, according to a 2014 study by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty.
![The King of Jordan, 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/The_King_of_Jordan%2C_2013.jpg)
The king launched a number of initiatives to provide housing for Jordanian citizens, including teachers and those serving in the armed forces.
He established awards to encourage good citizenship, including the King Abdullah II Award for Physical Fitness, the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence in Government Performance and Transparency, the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence for the Private Sector and the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence for Business Associations.
To combat unemployment, Abdullah established the National Vocational Training Council and formed a committee to develop a national strategy for developing human resources to produce a skilled workforce.
Jordan was dependent on subsidized Iraqi oil for its energy.
The 2003 American invasion of Iraq halted the petroleum supply and drove Jordan to begin importing gas from Egypt in 2009.
Sinai insurgency, Insurgency in Sinai began when the
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in T ...
spread to Egypt, where the Arab Gas Pipeline runs.
Since 2011 the pipeline has been attacked over 30 times by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Sinai Province, ISIL's Sinai affiliates, and the pipeline was effectively closed in 2014.
Jordan incurred $6 billion in losses.
The
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
and regional turmoil triggered by the Arab Spring during the 2010s hobbled the Jordanian economy, making it increasingly reliant on foreign aid.
The shocks hit Jordan's Tourism in Jordan, tourism sector (a cornerstone of the country's economy) hardest, and tourist arrivals have fallen by over 66 percent since 2011.
However, in 2017, tourism started to pick up again. Growth of the Jordanian economy slowed to an annual average rate of 2.8 percent between 2010 and 2016—down from an average of 8% in previous years—insufficient to accommodate the exponential growth of the population.
Jordan's total foreign debt in 2012 was $22 billion, 72 percent of its GDP.
In 2016 the debt reached $35.1 billion, 95 percent of the country's GDP.
The increase was attributed to regional challenges, which decreased tourist activity and foreign investment and increased military spending; attacks on the Egyptian pipeline; the collapse of trade with Iraq and Syria; the expense of hosting Syrian refugees, and accumulated loan interest.
According to the World Bank, Syrian refugees cost Jordan more than $2.5 billion a year (six percent of its GDP and 25 percent of the government's annual revenue). Foreign aid covers only a portion of these costs, 63 percent of which are borne by Jordan. An austerity program was adopted by the government which aims to reduce Jordan's debt-to-GDP ratio to 77 percent by 2021.
Political
Abdullah was criticized during his early years for focusing on economic, rather than political reform.
A committee was formed in February 2005 to formulate a blueprint for political reform in the country for the next decade.
This National Agenda, finalized about nine months later, was never implemented.
It included incorporating proportional representation into Elections in Jordan, general elections, improving the judicial branch and respect for human rights, and tackling issues related to employment, welfare, education and infrastructure.
The Agenda was reportedly never implemented due to conservative opposition. After the Arab Spring, a new election law in 2012 was enacted and used in the 2013 elections.
It incorporated elements of proportional representation, and 27 of the 150 House of Representatives members could be elected accordingly.
A number of political reforms were undertaken to curtail some of the king's powers, including amending about one-third of the constitution, establishing a constitutional court and the Independent Election Commission (Jordan), Independent Election Commission and improvements to laws governing human rights and freedom of speech and assembly.
In 2014 and 2016, several constitutional amendments sparked controversy despite their overwhelming approval by senators and representatives. The amendments gave the king sole authority to appoint his crown prince, deputy, the chief and members of the constitutional court, the heads of the military and paramilitary forces and the country's General Intelligence Directorate (Jordan), General Intelligence Director.
Proponents said that the amendments solidified the separation of powers, while critics claimed they were unconstitutional.
Reforms introduced in the 2016 general election led
Freedom House
Freedom House is a non-profit, majority U.S. government funded organization in Washington, D.C., that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights. Freedom House was founded in October 1941, and Wendell Wil ...
, a US-funded non-governmental organization, to upgrade Jordan to "partly free" from "not free" in its Freedom in the World 2017 report.
According to the report, Jordan became the third most free Arab country, and that the change was "due to electoral law changes that led to somewhat fairer parliamentary elections."
In September 2016, Abdullah formed a royal committee to make recommendations which would improve the country's judiciary.
The committee finalized its report, which revolved around strengthening judicial independence and improving criminal justice, in February 2017.
The Parliament approved the recommendations which included increased protection for women against violence and better trial procedures.
A new law for people with disabilities was also enacted.
Human Rights Watch praised the reforms.
On 15 August 2017, 2017 Jordanian local elections, local elections were held for Municipal council (Jordan), municipal councils, Local council (Jordan), local councils, and Governorate council (Jordan), governorate councils, which were added by a new decentralization law.
The law intends to cede some central-government power to elected councils, increasing citizen participation in municipal decision-making.
In a 15 August 2016 interview, Abdullah described the new decentralization law as "a very important link in the chain of reforms".
On 10 June 2021, Abdullah announced the introduction of a new committee of 92 members chaired by former prime minister Samir Rifai. The tasks of the committee are to modernise the political system and to propose new laws for local governments. On 4 October 2021, the committee handed over its recommendations to Abdullah. The committee proposed draft laws for political parties and elections, as well as 22 amendments to the Constitution of Japan, Jordan constitution regarding parliamentary work and empowering women and youth. In November 2021, Abdullah ordered the government to push for political modernization. The Cabinet of Jordan submitted draft laws to the parliament following the committee's recommendations. In December 2021, a parliamentary discussion on the constitutional amendment that would give more rights to women resulted into a fistfight between members of parliament. On 3 January 2022, the Jordan parliament passed an amendment to Article 40 of the constitution, which allows Abdullah to appoint or dismiss the chief justice, the head of the Sharia judicial council, the Grand Mufti, Grand Mufti of Jordan, the chief of the Royal court, Royal Court, the minister of the court, and the advisors to the king. On 6 January 2022, Jordan parliament approved constitutional reforms by a majority of 104-8 including improvement of women's rights, lowering the minimum age for elected deputies to 25 and the prime minister being elected by the assembly's largest single party.
Military
Due to his military background, Abdullah believes in a powerful military and has followed a "quality over quantity" policy. During the first year of his reign he established the King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), whose goal is to "provide an indigenous capability for the supply of scientific and technical services to the Jordanian Armed Forces".
The company manufactures a wide variety of military products, which are presented at the biennial international Special Operations Forces Exhibition (SOFEX)—Abdullah is SOFEX's patron. Abdullah modernized the army, leading Jordan to acquire advanced weaponry and increase and enhance its F-16 fighter-jet fleet.
The King occasionally trains with the Jordanian army in live ammunition military drills.
Energy sector
![Tafila Wind Farm 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Tafila_Wind_Farm_1.jpg)
Vandalism of the Egyptian pipeline supplying Jordan strained the country's electrical company, whose debt increased substantially; this prompted Abdullah to urge the government to formulate a 10-year plan (2015–2025) to diversify the kingdom's energy sources.
In 2007, Abdullah said that Jordan intends to benefit from its large uranium reserves by building nuclear reactors to generate electricity; the country is one of the few non-petroleum-producing nations in the region. Early on, in a 2010 interview, Abdullah accused Israel of trying to disrupt Nuclear energy in Jordan, Jordan's nuclear program. Abdullah inaugurated Jordan's first nuclear facility in 2016.
The Jordan Research and Training Reactor, in the Jordan University of Science and Technology near Ar Ramtha, aims to train Jordanian students in the school's nuclear-engineering program.
In 2018, the country's Atomic Energy Commission announced that Jordan was in talks with multiple companies to build the first commercial nuclear plant, a Helium-cooled reactor that is scheduled for completion in 2025.
The country has 330 days of sunshine per year, and wind speeds exceed 7 m/s in mountainous areas. During the 2010s, Abdullah inaugurated the 117 MW Tafila Wind Farm and the 53 MW Shams Ma'an Power Plant.
In May 2017, it was announced that more than 200 MW of solar energy projects had been completed.
After having initially set the percentage of renewable energy Jordan aimed to generate by 2020 at 10%, the government announced in 2018 that it sought to beat that figure and aim for 20%. A report by pv magazine described Jordan as the "Middle East’s solar powerhouse".
In 2014 a declaration of intent was signed by Jordan's national electrical company and Noble Energy to import gas from Israel's offshore Leviathan gas field, a 15-year deal estimated at $10 billion.
The move provoked outrage by opponents, including the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which said that the agreement favored Israel and its Israeli occupation of the West Bank, occupation of the West Bank and accused the government of ignoring renewable-energy options.
The agreement, effective in 2019, was signed in September 2016.
Separately, Abdullah opened a liquefied natural gas port in Aqaba in 2015, allowing Jordan to import LNG.
LNG-generated electricity saves Jordan about $1 million a day, and is reportedly better for the environment.
Religious affairs
In response to Islamophobic rhetoric after 11 September attacks, Abdullah issued the Amman Message in November 2004.
The Message is a detailed statement which encouraged Muslim scholars of all sects from around the world to denounce terrorism, practice religious tolerance and represent the true nature of the Muslim faith.
The statement was adopted unanimously in a conference hosted by Abdullah in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
in 2005 by 200 leading Islamic scholars.
The Message stressed three points: the validity of all eight schools of Islam, the forbidding of takfir (declaration of apostasy) and standards for the issuance of fatwas.
The Islamic religious consensus was unprecedented in contemporary times.
Abdullah presented the Message in 2010 to the United Nations General Assembly, where he proposed a World Interfaith Harmony Week.
The initiative was adopted, and is an annual celebration during the first week of February to promote peace and harmony among people of different faiths.
Abdullah also established an award, based on this initiative, for interfaith dialogue.
The Temple Mount, Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
was under Jordanian rule from 1948 to 1967; it was under Hashemite custodianship since 1924, during the reign of Abdullah's great-great-grandfather Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca, Sharif Hussein bin Ali.
The legacy began when the Supreme Muslim Council, the highest body in charge of Muslim community affairs in Mandatory Palestine, accepted the Sharif of Mecca, sharif as custodian of the site.
He restored the Jami’ Al-Aqsa and other mosques in Palestine (region), Palestine.
The sharif's son, Abdullah I of Jordan, King Abdullah I, is said to have personally taken charge of efforts to extinguish a fire which engulfed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 1949.
Jami’ Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock were restored four times by the Hashemites during the 20th century, and the custodianship became a Hashemite legacy given by Jordanian kings.
In 2013 an agreement was signed between the Palestinian Authority and Abdullah, replacing the decades-old verbal agreement which was reinforced by the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty.
Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel in 2014 following tensions at Al-Aqsa Mosque between Israelis and Palestinians concerned about Jordan's role in safeguarding Muslim and Christian sacred sites in Jerusalem.
Abdullah met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Amman in late 2014, and the Jordanian ambassador returned when Israeli authorities eased restrictions and revoked a decision that prevented men of all ages from praying at Al-Aqsa—for the first time in months.
In 2016, it was announced that Abdullah would fund the restoration of the Tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Royal Hashemite Court informed Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem of the ''makruma'' (royal benefaction) in a 10 April 2016 letter.
The tomb had been untouched since 1947, when the British installed steel support beams as part of a restoration project which never took place.
It was reopened to the public on 22 March 2017 after the renovation. On 2 August 2017, Abdullah donated $1.4 million to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, Jerusalem Waqf, the body that belongs to Jordan and is responsible for administering the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. An independent report estimates the total amount that the Hashemites have spent since 1924 on administering and renovating Jami’ Al Aqsa as over $1 billion.
In 2014, Abdullah received Pope Francis in Jordan, the third papal visit of his reign.
The king, Queen Rania and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Prince Ghazi accompanied the pope to Al-Maghtas, the site of Jesus' baptism, on the east bank of the Jordan River.
Abdullah led ''The 500 Most Influential Muslims'' 2016 list, published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, and was third on its 2018 list.
Queen Rania was 35th on the 2016 list.
Leaders of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sent out a letter of support to Abdullah on 1 March 2018 after Israel shelved a proposed bill that aimed to propose new tax measures to churches in the West Bank. "Your defence of religious freedom and Your leadership, in ensuring that the Status Quo is respected and maintained, has been crucial in our ongoing attempts to guard and protect the Christian presence especially in the Holy City of Jerusalem", the letter read.
Successor
On 28 November 2004 Abdullah removed the title of crown prince from his half-brother,
Prince Hamzah, whom he had appointed on 7 February 1999 in accordance with their father's advice.
In a letter to Hamzah read on Jordanian state television, Abdullah said: "Your holding this symbolic position has restrained your freedom and hindered our entrusting you with certain responsibilities that you are fully qualified to undertake."
Although no successor to the title was named at that time, the king was expected to appoint his son and heir apparent, Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, Prince Hussein, crown prince.
Hussein received the title on 2 July 2009.
Personal life
King Abdullah met Rania Al-Yassin at a dinner party in January 1993. On 10 June 1993, they were married. King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan, Queen Rania have four children:
Crown Prince Hussein (born 28 June 1994),
Princess Iman (born 27 September 1996),
Princess Salma (born 26 September 2000), and
Prince Hashem (born 30 January 2005).
The ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum, was married to Abdullah's half-sister Princess Haya.
Abdullah published an autobiography, ''Our Last Best Chance: The Pursuit of Peace in a Time of Peril'', in 2010.
He documents the first decade of his rule in a manner similar to his father's 1962 book, ''Uneasy Lies the Head''.
Abdullah's book contains insights into his childhood and behind-the-scenes accounts of encounters with political figures.
Interests
Abdullah has listed skydiving, motorcycling, water sports and collecting ancient weapons as his interests and hobbies, and is a Trekkie, fan of the science-fiction series ''Star Trek''.
In 1996, he appeared briefly in the ''Star Trek: Voyager'' episode "Investigations (Voyager episode), Investigations", in a non-speaking role.
The king promotes tourism in Jordan, and was a tour guide for Discovery Channel travel host Peter Greenberg on ''Jordan: The Royal Tour''.
In the program, Abdullah said that he is no longer permitted to skydive since he became king.
He reportedly motorcycled through northern California on a Harley-Davidson.
Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, one of Abdullah's brothers and president of the Jordan Football Association, has said that the king is the Jordan national football team's biggest fan.
His interest in the film industry influenced his decision to create the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in the Red Sea coastal town of Aqaba on 20 September 2006, in partnership with the University of Southern California USC School of Cinematic Arts, School of Cinematic Arts. When the producers of ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' decided to film in Jordan, Abdullah called on military helicopters to help transport equipment into Petra.
In 2016, the king honored the cast of ''Theeb'', the first Jordanian film nominated for an Academy Awards, Oscar.
Abdullah also enjoys stand-up comedy. When Gabriel Iglesias, Russell Peters and a number of other stand-up comedians visited Jordan for a 2009 comedy festival, the king invited them over for dinner. In 2013, a video of Abdullah helping push a car stuck in snow in Amman during the 2013 Middle East cold snap went viral. In 2017, another amateur video that went viral showed Abdullah wearing pyjamas helping in extinguishing a fire in a wood near the royal palace.
Wealth
Abdullah owns an international network of real estate properties, valued in excess of $100 million. His ownership of the properties was disguised through a series of offshore companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Abdullah's property empire was disclosed in the
Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers are 11.9 million leaked documents with 2.9 terabytes of data that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published beginning on 3 October 2021. The leak exposed the secret offshore accounts of 3 ...
leak, which revealed ownership of three contiguous oceanfront estates in the Point Dume area of Malibu, California, Malibu,
and properties in Washington, D.C., London and Ascot, Berkshire, Ascot. His lawyers denied any misuse of public funds or tax evasion and stated that they were bought from the monarch's private wealth and through offshore companies for security and privacy reasons. A 2022
Credit Suisse leak revealed that Abdullah owned six secret accounts, including one whose balance exceeded $224 million. A Royal Court statement said that the funds were a result of selling an Airbus 340 plane that belonged to his father the late King Hussein for $212 million, and that it was replaced with a smaller, less costly Gulfstream aircraft.
Titles, honours and awards
Titles
* 30 January 19621 March 1965: His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Jordan
* 1 March 196524 January 1999: His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah of Jordan
* 24 January 19997 February 1999: His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Jordan
* 7 February 1999present: His Majesty the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Honours
National honours
*:
**
![JOR Al-Hussein ibn Ali Order BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/JOR_Al-Hussein_ibn_Ali_Order_BAR.svg)
Grand Master of the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali.
**
![JOR Order of the Renaissance GC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/JOR_Order_of_the_Renaissance_GC.SVG)
Grand Master of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance.
**
![JOR Order of the Hashemite Star ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/JOR_Order_of_the_Hashemite_Star_ribbon.svg)
Grand Master of the Order of the Hashemite Star.
**
![Order of Military Gallantry (Jordan)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Order_of_Military_Gallantry_%28Jordan%29.png)
Grand Master of the Order of Military Gallantry.
** Grand Master of the Order of the Star of Jordan.
** Grand Master of the Order of Independence (Jordan), Order of Independence.
** Grand Master of the Order of Military Merit (Jordan), Order of Military Merit.
**
![Order of King Abdullah II](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Order_of_King_Abdullah_II.jpg)
Founding Grand Master of the Order of King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein for Excellence.
**
![Order_of_the_State_Centennial](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Order_of_the_State_Centennial.jpg)
Founding Grand Master of the Order of the State Centennial.
**
![Al-Hussein Medal for Excellence](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Al-Hussein_Medal_for_Excellence.gif)
Sovereign of the Al-Hussein Medal of Excellence.
**
![Long Service Medal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Long_Service_Medal.gif)
Sovereign of the Long Service Medal.
**
![Medal of Leadership Competence (Jordan)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Medal_of_Leadership_Competence_%28Jordan%29.png)
Sovereign of the Administrative & Leadership Competence Medal.
**
![Medal for Administrative and Technical Competence](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Medal_for_Administrative_and_Technical_Competence.gif)
Sovereign of the Administrative & Technical Competence Medal.
**
![Medal of Training Competence (Jordan)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Medal_of_Training_Competence_%28Jordan%29.png)
Sovereign of the Administrative & Training Competence Medal.
Foreign honours
*:
**
![National Order of Merit - Athir v](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/National_Order_of_Merit_-_Athir_v.1_%28Algeria%29_-_ribbon_bar.gif)
Grand Collar of the National Order of Merit (Algeria), National Order of Merit (4 December 2022).
*:
**
![AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 1st Class BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/AUT_Honour_for_Services_to_the_Republic_of_Austria_-_1st_Class_BAR.png)
Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (January 2001).
* :
**
![Wisam al-Khalifa 1st class](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Wisam_al-Khalifa_1st_class.gif)
Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of Al-Khalifa (4 November 1999).
* :
**
![BEL - Order of Leopold - Grand Cordon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/BEL_-_Order_of_Leopold_-_Grand_Cordon_bar.svg)
Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), Order of Leopold (18 May 2016).
* :
**
![BRU Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/BRU_Royal_Family_Order_of_the_Crown_of_Brunei.svg)
Recipient of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (13 May 2008).
*:
**
![Order of Makarios III (Cyprus) - ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Order_of_Makarios_III_%28Cyprus%29_-_ribbon_bar.gif)
Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III (17 December 2021)
* :
**
![CZE Rad Bileho Lva 1 tridy BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/CZE_Rad_Bileho_Lva_1_tridy_BAR.svg)
First Class of the Order of the White Lion (11 February 2015).
* :
**
![FIN Order of the White Rose Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Grand_Cross_BAR.png)
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose (2010).
* :
**FIle:GEO Golden Fleece Order BAR.svg, 70px Recipient of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Georgia), Order of the Golden Fleece (29 May 2022)
* :
**
![GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 9 Sond des Grosskreuzes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/GER_Bundesverdienstkreuz_9_Sond_des_Grosskreuzes.svg)
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic (10 October 2002).
* :
**
![Cordone di gran Croce di Gran Cordone OMRI BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Cordone_di_gran_Croce_di_Gran_Cordone_OMRI_BAR.svg)
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (9 February 2001).
**
![Cordone di gran Croce OMRI BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Cordone_di_gran_Croce_OMRI_BAR.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (15 January 1987).
* :
**
![JPN Daikun'i kikkasho BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/JPN_Daikun%27i_kikkasho_BAR.svg)
Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (30 November 1999).
**
![JPN Daikun'i kikkasho BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/JPN_Daikun%27i_kikkasho_BAR.svg)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (November 1993).
* :
**
![Medal10Astana](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Medal10Astana.png)
Recipient of the Medal "10 years of Astana", 10 Years of Astana Medal, (18 May 2008)
* :
**
![Lebanese Order of Merit Extraordinary Grade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Lebanese_Order_of_Merit_Extraordinary_Grade.gif)
Extraordinary Grade of the Order of Merit (Lebanon), Order of Merit of Lebanon (14 September 1999)
* :
**
![Order of the Grand Conqueror (Libya)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Order_of_the_Grand_Conqueror_%28Libya%29.gif)
Order of the Grand Conqueror, 1st class (1 September 1999)
* :
**
![Decoration_without_ribbon_-_en](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Decoration_without_ribbon_-_en.svg)
Order of the Republic of Montenegro (2017)
* :
**
![Decoration_without_ribbon_-_en](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Decoration_without_ribbon_-_en.svg)
Collar of the Order of Muhammad
**
![MAR Order of the Throne - Special Class BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/MAR_Order_of_the_Throne_-_Special_Class_BAR.png)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Throne
* :
**
![Order of the Netherlands Lion ribbon - Knight Grand Cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Order_of_the_Netherlands_Lion_ribbon_-_Knight_Grand_Cross.svg)
Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (30 October 2006)
**
![NED Huisorde van Oranje A1 BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/NED_Huisorde_van_Oranje_A1_BAR.png)
Grand Cross of Order of the House of Orange (7 December 1994)
* :
**
![St Olavs Orden storkors stripe](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/St_Olavs_Orden_storkors_stripe.svg)
Grand Cross with collar of the Order of St. Olav, Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav (4 April 2000)
* :
**
![CivilOrderOman](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/CivilOrderOman.png)
Member First Class of the Civil Order of Oman (4 October 2022)
* :
**
![Order of Jerusalem ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Order_of_Jerusalem_ribbon.png)
Grand Cordon of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the State of Palestine#The Order of Jerusalem, Order of Jerusalem (21 November 2015)
* :
**
![PER Order of the Sun of Peru - Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/PER_Order_of_the_Sun_of_Peru_-_Grand_Cross_BAR.png)
Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru (31 May 2005)
* :
**
![POL Order Orła Białego BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/POL_Order_Or%C5%82a_Bia%C5%82ego_BAR.svg)
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland), Order of the White Eagle (26 September 1999)
* :
**
![PRT Order of Saint James of the Sword - Grand Collar BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/PRT_Order_of_Saint_James_of_the_Sword_-_Grand_Collar_BAR.png)
Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (16 March 2009)
**
![PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Collar BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/PRT_Order_of_Prince_Henry_-_Grand_Collar_BAR.png)
Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (5 March 2008)
* :
**
![Order of the Star of Romania - Ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Order_of_the_Star_of_Romania_-_Ribbon_bar.svg)
Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (20 December 2005)
* :
**
![Gold medal of freedom of slovenia rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Gold_medal_of_freedom_of_slovenia_rib.png)
Gold Medal of the Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia (2002)
* :
**
![Grand Order of Mugunghwa (South Korea) - ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Grand_Order_of_Mugunghwa_%28South_Korea%29_-_ribbon_bar.gif)
Knight of Grand Order of Mugunghwa (4 December 1999)
* :
**
![Order of Charles III - Sash of Collar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Order_of_Charles_III_-_Sash_of_Collar.svg)
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Charles III (21 April 2006)
**
![Order of Isabella the Catholic - Sash of Collar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Order_of_Isabella_the_Catholic_-_Sash_of_Collar.svg)
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Isabel the Catholic (18 October 1999)
**
![ESP Gran Cruz Merito Naval (Distintivo Blanco) pasador](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/ESP_Gran_Cruz_Merito_Naval_%28Distintivo_Blanco%29_pasador.svg)
Grand Cross of the Crosses of Naval Merit, Order of Naval Merit, with white distinctive (15 September 1995)
**
![ESP Gran Cruz Merito Aeronautico (Distintivo Blanco) pasador](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/ESP_Gran_Cruz_Merito_Aeronautico_%28Distintivo_Blanco%29_pasador.svg)
Grand Cross of the Crosses of Aeronautical Merit, Order of Aeronautical Merit, with white distinctive (23 December 1999)
* :
**
![Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Order_of_the_Seraphim_-_Ribbon_bar.svg)
Knight of the Order of the Seraphim (7 October 2003)
* :
**
![Order of the Republic (Tunisia) - ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Order_of_the_Republic_%28Tunisia%29_-_ribbon_bar.gif)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (Tunisia), Order of the Republic
* :
**
![Order of Merit 1st Class of Ukraine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Order_of_Merit_1st_Class_of_Ukraine.png)
First Class of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), Order of Merit (22 June 2011)
**
![Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise 1st 2nd and 3rd Class of Ukraine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Order_of_Prince_Yaroslav_the_Wise_1st_2nd_and_3rd_Class_of_Ukraine.png)
First Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (23 April 2002)
* :
**
![Order of the Bath UK ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Order_of_the_Bath_UK_ribbon.svg)
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Military Class (6 November 2001)
**
![UK Order St-Michael St-George ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/UK_Order_St-Michael_St-George_ribbon.svg)
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (12 May 1999)
[
**]
Honorary Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (26 March 1984)
Honorary degrees
* 1 January 2001: Doctorate in political sciences, University of Jordan.
* 3 September 2004: Doctorate, International Relations Institute in Moscow.
* 21 March 2005: Doctor of Humane Letters for socioeconomic development in Jordan and promoting interfaith dialogue, Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
.
* 15 December 2005: Doctorate in political sciences, Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.
* 4 June 2008: Doctorate in civil law, University of Oxford.
* 8 November 2011: Doctorate in humanitarian sciences for efforts in defending Jerusalem's holy sites, Al-Quds University (represented by Palestinian President, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas).
Awards
* 16 March 2002: Young Presidents Organisation's Global Leadership Award (California).
* 30 September 2003: Sorbonne Association for Foreign Policy award for political courage in France.
* 20 October 2003: Pioneer in E-Business award, ''Arab Business'' magazine (United Arab Emirates).
* 16 April 2004: INFORUM 21st-Century Award from the Commonwealth Club of California, awarded to young leaders who strive for positive change.
* 9 June 2004: Golden Shield Award (Chicago) for efforts to stabilize the Middle East.
* June 2004: Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award for Achievement.
* On 21 March 2005: Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award, United Nations.
* 21 June 2005: Simon Wiesenthal Center Tolerance Award.
* 21 December 2005: Golden Medal of Athens Award.
* 8 May 2007: Peacemaker Award, Seeds of Peace.
* 8 October 2016: Peace of Westphalia Prize, Germany; German president Joachim Gauck said that Abdullah and the Jordanians set "standards for humanity" with their response to the refugee crisis.
* 16 November 2016: Peace prize (Kazakhstan) for contributions to security and nuclear disarmament.
* 19 January 2017: Abu Bakr Al Siddeiq Medal (First Class) from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation for Jordan's support of the Palestinian people and efforts on behalf of Syrian refugees.
* 27 June 2018: Templeton Prize for promoting inter-faith dialogue, the awarding statement said that Abdullah "has done more to seek religious harmony within Islam and between Islam and other religions than any other living political leader."
*21 November 2019: Scholar-Statesman Award from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
See also
* List of things named after King Abdullah II
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
Writings
*
*
External links
Official
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{{Authority control
1962 births
Living people
Jordanian Muslims
Jordanian Sunni Muslims
Muslim monarchs
House of Hashim
Kings of Jordan
Crown Princes of Jordan
People from Amman
Field marshals
Marshals of the air force
13th/18th Royal Hussars officers
Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford
Deerfield Academy alumni
Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni
Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
People educated at St Edmund's School, Hindhead
Jordanian people of English descent
Chevaliers of the Order of Merit (Ukraine)
Collars of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Grand Crosses of Naval Merit
Grand Collars of the Order of Prince Henry
Grand Collars of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
Honorary Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knights Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Jordanian Arab nationalists
Recipients of the Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class
Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Sun of Peru
Recipients of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Sons of kings
First Class of the Order of the Star of Romania
People named in the Pandora Papers