Jordan "King's Brother Plotted Rebellion in Collusion with Israeli Mossad"

Abdullah II's Half-Brother Prince Hamzah Under House Arrest
Mossad-Linked Businessman Reportedly Contacted Prince Hamzah
Tensions Rise Amid Political Instability in the Middle East's Most Stable Country

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Jordan, known as the most stable monarchy in the Middle East, is facing growing concerns over political instability following news of a coup attempt and house arrest involving the king's brother. The Jordanian government officially announced that Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the half-brother of King Abdullah II, conspired with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad to incite a rebellion, while Prince Hamzah's side is protesting their innocence. Jordan, which borders Iraq, Syria, and Israel and is considered the most pro-Western Arab country, is drawing attention as its political instability could potentially worsen the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press on the 4th (local time), Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi stated in a press release, "Communications and involvement between Prince Hamzah and foreign forces have been detected," adding, "Although these movements could directly impact national security, the king has decided that resolving the matter within the royal family is best for now," explaining the reason for Prince Hamzah's house arrest. Earlier, Prince Hamzah revealed to the British BBC that he is under house arrest and claimed he was falsely accused, sparking global controversy.

Axios reported that shortly after Prince Hamzah was placed under house arrest, the Jordanian government identified that the person he contacted was an Israeli businessman and former Mossad operative, who reportedly offered to send a private jet to take the prince's family to Europe. Prince Hamzah explained that this individual is a personal friend and has no connection to Mossad.

Prince Hamzah was the Crown Prince of Jordan until 2004 and the heir apparent to the throne. However, in 2004, his half-brother Abdullah II stripped him of the crown prince title and appointed his own eldest son, Prince Hussein, as the new crown prince, causing tensions between the king and Prince Hamzah. Despite this, Prince Hamzah did not oppose Abdullah II at the time, and no significant conflicts had been publicly revealed since then.

Due to this, concerns about potential political instability in Jordan have arisen not only among Western countries but also within the Middle East. Jordan is strategically located, sharing borders with Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, and is the most pro-Western Arab country. It has provided significant support to international coalition forces in various civil wars and in the fight against the Sunni extremist militant group ISIS. There are worries that worsening political instability in Jordan could negatively affect the civil wars in Syria and Iraq.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.