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Jordan’s King Abdullah II opened a new session of parliament in Amman on Monday with a direct warning to those behind a deadly attack on a church in the southern city of Karak, declaring that the kingdom would not be shaken and that the perpetrators had no place in Jordanian society.
“The treacherous hand of terrorism” had reached out “to test the resilience of our state and the resolve of our people,” the king told lawmakers. “They are not of us. There is no place for them among us, not today and not tomorrow.”
The attack, which took place roughly two weeks before the parliamentary session, killed nine people and wounded dozens. Abdullah asked lawmakers to observe a minute of silence for the victims, whose relatives were present in the chamber.
Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Jarrar, reporting from Amman, said the king made clear that Jordan would confront terrorism and extremism by drawing first on national unity and public awareness, with the army and security services ready to strike “with an iron fist.”
Israeli expansionism and water security
Abdullah used the address to deliver a broader warning about regional dynamics, stating that “Israeli expansionist ambitions are the greatest threat to the future of the region and its security.” He added that “the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues, and successive assaults persist in the West Bank and Jerusalem.”
The king also pledged to defend Jordan’s scarce water resources. “We will not allow the thirst of Jordanians to be held hostage by any party,” he said. Jarrar noted that the remark reflected concerns that Israeli projects threaten the kingdom’s water security, a sensitive issue in one of the world’s most water-stressed countries.
Jordan, a close United States ally, signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Millions of its citizens are of Palestinian origin, giving the conflict a particular domestic resonance.
A message to parliament itself
Abdullah also directed part of his address at the legislators before him, framing internal debate as a national asset rather than a liability. “Your differences of opinion are a strength so long as Jordan’s interest is the goal,” he said, while urging the government to improve living conditions for ordinary citizens.
He closed with a warning to officials against abusing their positions. “The law knows no name, no position and no influence,” the king said.