Misplaced Pages

#703296

87-638: Before establishing GID, the department was known as the General Investigation Department (دائرة المباحث العامة) from 1952 to 1964. GID was established in accordance with Act 24 of the year 1964 which went through all its constitutional stages. The GID Director is appointed by royal decree, itself the result of a decision made by the Council of Ministers. On January 2, 2009, King Abdullah II replaced Muhammad Dahabi (brother of Nader Dahabi ) as director with General Muhammad Raqqad,

174-532: A constitutional monarch with wide executive and legislative powers, 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 and spillover from the Arab Spring . In 2011, large-scale protests demanding reform erupted in

261-405: A four-star rank (NATO OF-9). Usually it is the most senior peacetime rank, with more senior ranks (for example, field marshal, marshal of the air force, fleet admiral) being used only in wartime or as honorary titles. In some armies, however, the rank of captain general , general of the army , army general or colonel general occupied or occupies this position. Depending on circumstances and

348-706: A Mossad attempt to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Amman . The GID was the main force behind maintaining Jordan's stability in the years after Black September , thwarting numerous terrorist plots. Even before the 9/11 attacks , the Jordanians had become key partners in the war on terror . In 1999, tips from the Mukhabarat alerted the CIA to plots by Bosnia -based terrorists against U.S. targets in Europe. At

435-518: A cabinet of intermittent government. In the 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 discussion papers outlining his vision of democracy and reform in Jordan. In December 2012, Abdullah

522-516: A democratic form of government. It is our objective to share with others the responsibility of building the proper grounds that leads to create an environment of security and stability, which will reflect prosperously on all sectors of the Nation, providing the confidence to all types of local and foreign investors to operate in a reliable and secure atmosphere. In practice, the agency is notoriously known for its extensive activity in Jordan and throughout

609-512: A group fighting Hamas . A source who was close to the suspect while he was in prison claims that Masharfeh has been trying to join ISIL and it is unknown whether he was able to. Soon after the attack Masharfeh was arrested. Abdullah II of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein (born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan , having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of

696-568: 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. With the George W. Bush administration planning an attack on Iraq, accusing Saddam Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction , Abdullah opposed American intervention. "A strike on Iraq will be disastrous for Iraq and

783-467: A major attack was being planned inside the US and that aircraft would be used. The message also revealed that the operation was codenamed "Big Wedding", which indeed turned out to be the codename of the 9/11 plot. The message was passed to US intelligence through several channels. As many as 100 al Qaeda prisoners have passed through the Mukhabarat's Al Jafr prison in the southern desert. Among them are some of

870-495: A major general, attended a course in defence-resources management at the American Naval Postgraduate School 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. Abdullah joined his father on a number of missions, including meetings abroad with Soviet and American leaders. He

957-470: 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

SECTION 10

#1732776544704

1044-578: 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

1131-544: 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 Jordanian churches . Shortly after Jordan joined the 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

1218-462: 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. 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

1305-599: A one-year special-studies course in Middle Eastern affairs. He joined the Royal Jordanian Army on his return home, serving as first lieutenant 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 . He became commander of

1392-693: 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 presence in Jordan in November 1999 after pleas from the United States, Israel and the Palestinian Authority . The crackdown occurred during peace talks between Israel and

1479-528: A possible factor. 18 other Jordanian figures were also arrested, 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, was also among those arrested. On 7 April, King Abdullah II spoke publicly for the first time since

1566-419: 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 on 7 February 1999. His 47-year reign extended through four turbulent decades of

1653-471: 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

1740-569: A shift in political (not sectarian) alignment. The king's observation was validated after the rise of Shia Nouri Al-Maliki to the Iraqi government in 2006 and subsequent events. Al-Qaeda in Iraq founder Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi 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

1827-654: 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 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1987, undertaking advanced study and research in international affairs. He returned home to serve as assistant commander of

SECTION 20

#1732776544704

1914-517: A training officer in the Jordanian Armed Forces , later assuming command of the country's Special Forces in 1994, eventually becoming a major general in 1998. In 1993, Abdullah married Rania Al-Yassin , with whom he has four children: Crown Prince Hussein , Princess Iman , Princess Salma and Prince Hashem . A few weeks before his death in 1999, King Hussein named Abdullah his heir, and Abdullah succeeded his father. Abdullah,

2001-626: A two-week visit to the US, Abdullah was received at the White House by President Joe Biden . They discussed the Middle East conflict, the battle against COVID-19, and the relationship between Jordan and the US . Abdullah was the first leader from the Middle East to visit the White House since Biden's inauguration on 20 January 2021. On 3 October 2021, Abdullah held a telephone conversation with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad ,

2088-736: Is almost impossible for anybody to predict whether that is six weeks, six months or six years." About the unrest in 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 175-kilometre (109 mi) border with Iraq and 379-kilometre (235 mi) border with Syria. Since then, hundreds of infiltration attempts have been foiled by Jordanian border guards who were also occupied with

2175-415: Is an officer of high rank in the armies , and in some nations' air and space forces , marines or naval infantry . In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel . The adjective general had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction. Other nomenclatures for general officers include

2262-627: 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

2349-484: 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 " to describe a Shia -dominated region from Damascus to Tehran (bypassing Baghdad) which promoted sectarian politics. His warning received international attention, leading Abdullah to clarify that he meant

2436-452: The 1990 Gulf War ). Abdullah commanded military exercises during Israeli military officials' visits to Jordan in 1997, and was sent to hand-deliver a message to Muammar Gaddafi in 1998. King Hussein frequently traveled to the US 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

2523-449: The Arab world , which led to civil wars in some countries. Abdullah responded quickly to domestic unrest by replacing the government and introducing reforms. Proportional representation was reintroduced to the Jordanian parliament for the 2016 election , a move which he said would eventually lead to establishing parliamentary government , but government critics remained skeptical, viewing

2610-538: The Arab–Israeli conflict and the Cold War . Several hours after the announcement of his father's death, Abdullah appeared at an emergency session of the Jordanian parliament . 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

2697-870: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 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

General Intelligence Department (Jordan) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2784-629: The Hashemite , who have been the reigning royal family of Jordan since 1921, and is considered a 41st-generation direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Abdullah was born in Amman , as the first child of King Hussein and his wife, Princess Muna . As the king's eldest son, Abdullah was heir apparent until Hussein transferred the title to Abdullah's uncle Prince Hassan in 1965. Abdullah began his schooling in Amman, continuing his education abroad. He began his military career in 1980 as

2871-629: The Hashemites , ruled Mecca for over 700 years—from the 10th century until the House of Saud conquered Mecca in 1925—and have ruled Jordan since 1921. The Hashemites are the oldest ruling dynasty in the Muslim world . According to family tradition , Abdullah is the 41st-generation agnatic descendant of Muhammad 's daughter Fatimah and her husband, Ali , the fourth Rashidun caliph . As Hussein's eldest son, Abdullah became heir apparent to

2958-482: 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

3045-820: The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England in 1980, while he was a training officer in the Jordanian Armed Forces. After Sandhurst, Abdullah was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Army and served a year in Britain and West Germany as a troop commander in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (now the Light Dragoons ). Abdullah was admitted to Pembroke College, Oxford , in 1982, where he completed

3132-664: 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

3219-702: The 1967 Six-Day War . Its annexation of the West Bank was not recognized, and in 1988 the kingdom 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

3306-480: The 37-year-old king and his 29-year-old wife, Rania—the then youngest queen in the world. As king, Abdullah retains wider executive and legislative authority than is normally the case for a constitutional monarch . He is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Jordanian Armed Forces and appoints the prime minister and the directors of security agencies. The prime minister is free to choose his cabinet . The Parliament of Jordan consists of two chambers :

3393-591: The 40th Brigade. Abdullah met Rania Al-Yassin , a marketing employee at Apple Inc. 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 two years later. He became

3480-579: The Arab world, ahead of Mr. Netanyahu in seeing the new president." 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 recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. On 4 June 2018, Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki resigned from office. Large protests against corruption,

3567-485: The GID is Mohammad Rasoul Al-Kailani in 1964 and the current director is General Ahmad Husni. On June 6, 2016, at 4:00 GMT, on the first day of the month of Ramadan , three GID officers were killed in an attack in the refugee camp located outside of Amman . The suspect was identified as Mahmoud Masharfeh. According to Al Jazeera , Masharfeh had been imprisoned between 2012 and 2014 for attempting to enter Gaza and join

General Intelligence Department (Jordan) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3654-528: The Jordan Compact, which improved legal employments opportunities for refugees. After Donald Trump 's 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

3741-494: 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 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 middle school at Eaglebrook School and high school at Deerfield Academy in

3828-530: The Kingdom through carrying out necessary intelligence operations and executing duties assigned by the Prime Minister in writing. As quoted from the official GID Site, their mission is to contribute to the safeguarding of the Kingdom and the Nation under the Hashemite leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin al Hussein, as well as protecting the freedoms of the Jordanian people and preserving

3915-581: The Middle East including Israel 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 addition, Abdullah dissolved the parliament and instructed his chief policy adviser, Bishr Al-Khasawneh , to form

4002-514: The Middle East, as well as its cooperation with American, British, and Israeli intelligence. Through a complex spying system, it plays a central role in preserving stability in Jordan and monitoring seditious activity. The GID is believed to be the CIA 's closest partner after MI6 . The GID enjoys good relations with the Mossad , Israel's intelligence agency, but relations temporarily soured in 1997 after

4089-434: 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. 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

4176-632: 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 , 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

4263-588: 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

4350-530: The Royal Court citing privacy and security reasons, attributing the funds to inherited wealth. Abdullah was born on 30 January 1962 at Palestine Hospital in Al Abdali, Amman, to King Hussein and Hussein's British-born second wife, Princess Muna Al-Hussein (born Toni Avril Gardiner). He is the namesake of his paternal great-grandfather, Abdullah I , who founded modern Jordan. Abdullah's dynasty,

4437-457: The Syrians coming into the country", and I say "How?" When you have a mother, a pregnant mother with a child in the hand trying to cross the border, how are we going to stop her? Do we sort of point bayonets at these people that are running away from horrible and threatening lives? There is a level of humanity that we have to reach out to each other. Abdullah's 23 November 2016 interview with

SECTION 50

#1732776544704

4524-399: The United States. He was the commencement speaker at Deerfield Academy 's class of 2000 graduation. Abdullah has four brothers and six sisters: Princess Alia , Prince Faisal , Princess Aisha , Princess Zein , Princess Haya , Prince Ali , Prince Hamzah , Prince Hashem , Princess Iman and Princess Raiyah ; seven of them are paternal half-siblings. He began his military career at

4611-498: The air force rank of air chief marshal as the equivalent of the specific army rank of general. This latter group includes the British Royal Air Force and many current and former Commonwealth air forces—e.g. Royal Australian Air Force , Indian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Air Force , Nigerian Air Force , Pakistan Air Force , etc. In most navies , flag officers are the equivalent of general officers, and

4698-411: 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

4785-449: The appointed Senate and the elected House of Representatives , which serve as a check on the government. However, according to Freedom House , 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 . When Abdullah ascended to

4872-481: The army in question, these ranks may be considered to be equivalent to a "full" general or to a field marshal five-star rank (NATO OF-10). The rank of general came about as a "captain-general", the captain of an army in general (i.e., the whole army). The rank of captain-general began appearing around the time of the organisation of professional armies in the 17th century. In most countries "captain-general" contracted to just "general". The following articles deal with

4959-470: 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" 43rd birthday party in 2013. I was asked many questions by Jordanians that were getting just as frustrated seeing that 20 per cent of their country are now Syrian refugees, the impact it has on jobs, on property, on unemployment. And they ask me, "stop

5046-457: The biggest catches in the war on terror: Al Qaeda operations head Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Persian Gulf chief Abd al-Rahim al Nashiri . The reliance of US intelligence on its Jordanian counterpart was forged in part by both countries’ aversion to Islamic radicalism . Their collaboration is believed to have helped quell the Al-Qaeda insurgency in Iraq and eliminate terrorist masterminds such as Abu Musab al Zarqawi . The first director of

5133-410: The country's borders with Iraq and Syria were "extremely safe". In late December 2014, a Jordanian 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

5220-445: 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 1948 and 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 November 2016 Jordanian general election

5307-414: The dawn of the new millennium, Jordanian Intelligence uncovered a large-scale terrorist plan to attack dozens of hotels across Jordan and the United States . Jordan immediately relayed the information to Washington and the attacks were thwarted in both countries. The GID warned the United States of the impending 9/11 attacks. In late summer 2001, Jordanian intelligence intercepted a message implying that

SECTION 60

#1732776544704

5394-440: 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,

5481-421: The education he received at Deerfield Academy . He hired Deerfield headmaster Eric Widmer 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

5568-460: The first contact since the start of the Syrian civil war . They discussed bilateral relations after Amman fully opened borders with Syria. In October 2023, Abdullah condemned Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and the "collective punishment" of Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel–Hamas war . In February 2024, Abdullah called for an immediate ceasefire in the war, and called upon the U.S.A. to restore funding to UNRWA. He also warned against

5655-435: The flow of refugees. Jordan was involved in the CIA-led Timber Sycamore covert operation to train and arm Syrian rebels . In April 2014, the 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

5742-420: The former GID director. In 2012, Muhammad Dahabi was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment . Officers are also appointed by royal decree upon the recommendation of the Director-General; they all have university degrees in different majors and must go through a thorough security check before joining the service. The duties of the GID is specified in law and consists of protecting the internal and external security of

5829-585: The government of using rising Islamism 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. 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

5916-409: 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 . Abdullah called for an early parliamentary election and appointed Abdullah Ensour to form

6003-409: 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 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

6090-409: The nation". Speaker of the Senate Zaid Al-Rifai opened the session with Al-Fatiha (the opening chapter of the Quran ), 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 attended by 800 dignitaries followed a motorcade ride through Amman by

6177-421: 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 oil-extraction facilities. His retaliation

6264-607: The political violence. On 23 June 2000, while vacationing in the Greek Islands , Abdullah received a phone call from the director of Mukhabarat (the country's Intelligence Directorate ) warning of an assassination attempt against him by Al-Qaeda . The plot was to target Abdullah and his family's rented yacht with explosives. The September 11 attacks in 2001 on American targets were fiercely condemned by Abdullah. Jordan responded quickly to American requests for assistance, enacting counterterrorism legislation and maintaining

6351-463: The proposed Rafah offensive , arguing it would "produce another humanitarian catastrophe". In conjunction with several other nations, Abdullah and the Jordanian government arranged for aid packages to delivered to Gaza via airdrop . A video filmed by Jordanian TV station Al-Mamlaka depicted Abdullah personally taking part in one of these airdrops, which delivered food aid and medical supplies to affected areas. General A general officer

6438-472: The rank of general, or its equivalent, as it is or was employed in the militaries of those countries: Some countries (such as the United States) use the general officer ranks for both the army and the air force , as well as their marine corps ; other states only use the general officer ranks for the army, while in the air force they use air officers as the equivalent of general officers. They use

6525-647: The reforms as cosmetic changes. The reforms took place amid unprecedented challenges stemming from regional instability, including an influx of 1.4 million Syrian refugees . Abdullah is known for promoting interfaith dialogue and a moderate understanding of Islam. The longest-serving current Arab leader, he is custodian of the Muslim and Christian religious sites in Jerusalem , a position held by his dynasty since 1924. The 2021 Pandora Papers revealed Abdullah's vast hidden wealth through offshore entities, countered by

6612-454: The region as a whole and will threaten the security and stability of the Middle East", he warned during American vice president Dick Cheney '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

6699-495: 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

6786-647: The threat from Iran and the crisis in Syria, and working towards a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians". In August 2018, after the 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. In an interview with Der Spiegel in May 2020, Abdullah criticized Donald Trump's plans for peace in

6873-428: 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 , and the royal transition prompted the United States and Arab states of the Persian Gulf to increase their aid. In the early years of Abdullah's reign, which then ruled over

6960-473: The titles and ranks: In addition to militarily educated generals, there are also generals in medicine and engineering. The rank of the most senior chaplain, (chaplain general), is also usually considered to be a general officer rank. In the old European system, a general, without prefix or suffix (and sometimes referred to informally as a " full general "), is usually the most senior type of general, above lieutenant general and directly below field marshal as

7047-498: 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,

7134-476: 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

7221-609: Was occasionally King Hussein's regent 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 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 in Baghdad (before

7308-463: Was praised on the Internet, where he was dubbed "The Warrior King". Rumors had circulated that he personally led the sorties, although the government officially denied this. 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

7395-443: Was the first election since 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

7482-437: Was the first head of state to visit the West Bank after a United Nations General Assembly vote upgraded the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state . Jordan sees an independent Palestinian state, with the 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, ruled it after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and lost in

7569-573: Was tightened, and no major terrorist attacks have been reported in the country since then. Russian president Vladimir Putin 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 near Madaba , the Middle East's first boarding school, in 2007 in appreciation of

#703296