Jordan’s former crown prince signs letter agreeing to support the King

A letter signed by Jordan’s former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein indicates that he is ready to be “of help and support” to his half-brother, King Abdullah II, and the crown prince.

The announcement follows Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi’s accusation over the weekend that Hamzah was plotting to “destabilize” the country — claims Hamzah had previously denied in a video statement obtained by the BBC.

On Monday, a letter with the prince’s letterhead was shared by the royal court’s Twitter account, referencing the weekend’s turmoil and emphasizing his support for Jordan’s ruler.

It said that in light of the events over the “past two days, I put myself at the disposal of His Majesty the King, and I reaffirm that I will always remain committed to the covenant of the ancestors, loyal to their legacy, following in their footsteps, devoted to their path and mission, and to His Majesty the King.”

The letter added that the prince “will always remain the supporter of His Majesty the King and his Crown Prince.”

“The national interest must remain above all else, and we must all stand behind His Majesty the King in his efforts to safeguard Jordan and its national interests, and ensure the best for the Jordanian people,” it read.

At the bottom left of the letter, Hamzah — the oldest son of Jordan’s late King Hussein and his American-born wife Queen Noor — signed off with a note indicating that he is at his uncle Prince Hassan’s house.

Prince Hassan had been appointed by King Abdullah II to deal with the dispute, according to an earlier statement from the Royal Court on Monday, and Hassan also signed the letter.

Family rift

The prince’s video statement on Saturday had said he was told by the Jordanian military that he shouldn’t leave his home, suggesting he had been put under house arrest

“I’m in my home alone with my wife, our young children and I wanted to make this recording, so that it is clear to the world, that what you see and hear in terms of the official line is not a reflection of the realities on the ground,” Hamzah said in the video.

Safadi, the deputy prime minister, has confirmed that the top military brass had met with Hamzah on Saturday and told him to “cease all movements and activities that target Jordan’s security and stability.”

More than a dozen people have already been arrested over the alleged plot, according to Safadi, who added that authorities decided to act because those involved had started to discuss the timing to put their alleged plan into action.

Hamzah was initially considered the favorite to succeed his father. However, before King Hussein died of cancer in 1999 he named Abdullah his successor, as Hamzah was seen as too inexperienced and young to become a monarch.

King Abdullah appointed Hamzah crown prince in 1999 before revoking the title in 2004.

“Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander,” Queen Noor Hussein, Hamzah’s mother, wrote on Twitter Sunday. “God bless and keep them safe.”

The US and a growing list of Arab countries have voiced their backing of King Abdullah.