King Abdullah has appointed his uncle to resolve the dispute over the arrest of his younger brother, Prince Hamza, who is under house arrest on charges of plotting against the government
King Abdullah and Prince Hamza in better days // Photo: AP
The Jordanian royal house announced tonight (Monday) that King Abdullah II has authorized his uncle, Prince Hassan, to deal with the crisis caused by the arrest of the king's half-brother, Prince Hamza, and resolve matters "within the Hashemite royal house".
"In light of His Majesty King Abdullah's decision to address the issue of His Majesty Prince Hamza within the Hashemite family, he ordered Prince Hassan to contact Hamza. Hamza in turn confirmed that he was willing to resolve the dispute within the royal family," the statement said.
Hassan is expected to serve as a mediator between the king and the younger brother, who is being held under house arrest after allegations arose against him that he tried to undermine the stability of the government in the country.
Along with Hamza, about 20 other senior officials in the kingdom were enriched.
Earlier today, Hamza, through his associates, sent an audio recording to the Jordanian opposition, in which he declared: "I intend to oppose the army's instructions - and not to stop communication with the outside world."
Foreign Minister Ayman Spadi accused him yesterday (Sunday) of "contacting external and opposition figures in Jordan with the aim of undermining the stability of the government and the royal house."
