, Columnist
For Jordan’s Allies, Royal Ructions Are a Rude Awakening
Palace intrigues against King Abdullah are a reminder of the kingdom’s importance and its precariousness.
Time for royal reflection, and reform.
Photographer: Yousef Allan/The Royal Hashemite CourtThis article is for subscribers only.
A pledge by Prince Hamza to put himself “at the disposal” of King Abdullah II, his half-brother, appears to have resolved the feud within the Jordanian royal family that erupted at the end of last week. But the kingdom’s most serious crisis in decades was as a salutary reminder of both the importance and the precariousness of Jordan’s stabilizing role in the Middle East.
The events of the weekend remain murky and may never be fully disclosed. The kingdom has banned the publication of “anything related to the investigations,” which suggests the palace is keen to draw a line under the affair.