Cyprus backs King in Jordan’s ‘malicious plot’

The government of the Republic of Cyprus has expressed “firm support” to King Abdullah over the weekend, after Jordan’s government officials accused the country’s former crown prince of plotting against the kingdom.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides took to Twitter Sunday morning to express his government’s “firm support to King Abdullah II,” noting Cyprus gave importance to “maintaining security and stability in the Hashemite Kingdom, in the interests of the Jordanian people and of the broader region, in which Cyprus and Jordan are close partners.”

A day earlier, Jordanian security high officials said Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, who is King Abdullah’s half-brother, had been liaising with foreign parties over a “malicious plot” to destabilize the country.

The prince, who has been speaking out against corruption n the Kingdom, later appeared in a video saying he was under house arrest, while over a dozen others were reportedly detained.

Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said on Sunday that “investigations had monitored interferences and communications with foreign parties over the right timing to destabilize Jordan,” alleging that a foreign intelligence agency had contacted Prince Hamzah’s wife to charter a flight out of Jordan. 

It was later reported but not confirmed that an Israeli businessman was in touch with Prince Hamzah when he was placed under house arrest on Saturday. The businessman had allegedly proposed to send a private jet to take the prince's wife and kids to Europe. 

Prince Hamzah, who managed to film a short video that was made public over the weekend, expressed harsh criticism of the government but without referring to his half-brother by name.

“I am not the person responsible for the breakdown in governance, for the corruption and the incompetence that has been prevalent in our governing structure for the last 15 to 20 years and has been getting worse every year. I am not responsible for the lack of faith people have in institutions, they are responsible,” the prince said in the video.

Additional reports suggested Prince Hamzah was told he was being punished over taking part in a meeting where the King had been criticized in his presence. Observers said government officials close to the King had been anxious over the prince attending various meetings throughout the Kingdom.

Many countries were quick to issue firm support for King Abdullah, including statements of condoning any measures to be taken by the Kingdom to ensure stability, while other countries declared support but also expressed concern over the news of detentions.