Jordan to Try Suspects Arrested in 'Sedition' Case

King Abdullah II lays a wreath at a memorial in Amman on the occasion of the Kingdom's independence (AFP)
King Abdullah II lays a wreath at a memorial in Amman on the occasion of the Kingdom's independence (AFP)
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Jordan to Try Suspects Arrested in 'Sedition' Case

King Abdullah II lays a wreath at a memorial in Amman on the occasion of the Kingdom's independence (AFP)
King Abdullah II lays a wreath at a memorial in Amman on the occasion of the Kingdom's independence (AFP)

Jordan’s State Security Court started an investigation into the case of former chief of the royal court, Bassem Awadallah, Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, and others, accused of sedition and “undermining the security and stability of the kingdom,” according to judicial sources.

Almamlaka stated TV quoted an official source as saying that the Public Prosecutor of the State Security Court began Wednesday the investigation into the coup for all those involved, without giving further details.

The State Security Prosecutor will review the case of April 03 which was linked to the former Crown Prince Hamza bin al-Hussein, the King’s half-brother.

Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh asserted in a parliamentary session that the former heir will not be tried and that his case “has been resolved within the Royal Household,” and the case has been handed over to the prosecution.

Activists circulated copies of the ruling family law issued in 1937, which did not include immunity for family members.

Khasawneh revealed, in two separate House of Representatives meetings last Monday, details of the relationship between Prince Hamza, Awadallah, and bin Zaid.

He disclosed that there had been suspicious movements and visits exchanged between the prince and the former chief of the Royal Court, as well as coordination that lasted more than a year.

According to the deputies, Khasawneh said they even discussed dates to implement their plans to destabilize security and stability, in preparation for the prince to present himself as a King.

Meanwhile, deputies stated that the prime minister linked the recent events with the pressures that King Abdullah II faced for refusing to join the plan of the “deal of the century” that was promoted by the former US administration.

The prime minister stated that the evidence proves the involvement of the detainees, confirming elements tried to use local incidents to instigate strife and mobilize forces against the King. They even used thousands of fake accounts on social media, directed from abroad to spread rumors and rhetoric against the Kng.

Earlier, a joint force of the armed forces and the General Intelligence arrested 16 people, including Awadallah and bin Zaid.

Prince Hamza was ordered to halt all actions targeting security and stability, and then Prince el-Hassan bin Talal succeeded in forcing him to sign a letter, in which he renewed allegiance to the King, placing “himself at the disposal” of the Jordanian monarch.

Last Sunday, Prince Hamza appeared behind King Abdullah II with the sons of the late King Hussein and his cousins visiting the royal graves on the occasion of 100 years of the Hashemite kingdom’s independence.



Israeli Army Plans to Remain in Gaza Until End of 2025

Palestinians search the rubble of a house targeted by an Israeli army strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians search the rubble of a house targeted by an Israeli army strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Israeli Army Plans to Remain in Gaza Until End of 2025

Palestinians search the rubble of a house targeted by an Israeli army strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians search the rubble of a house targeted by an Israeli army strike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Despite the debate in Tel Aviv between the political leadership and the military establishment over the objective of the fighting in Gaza, sources on Friday confirmed that the two sides agreed on the principle of “continuing and even escalating the war” in the Palestinian enclave.

The political leadership says that defeating Hamas is Israel's main goal while the military leadership says it is a mistake to prioritize fighting over the release of the hostages.

A military official in Tel Aviv said that during high-level security consultations with senior ministers and military officials held early on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a plan for the army to remain in the Gaza Strip until at least the end of the year.

The plan will become official on Sunday, following a vote by the government cabinet, the official said.

He noted that the Army is expected to call up thousands of reservists as it readies for a significant expansion of its ongoing military operation in Gaza.

Netanyahu also approved a reserve call-up and the movement of troops between the West Bank, Syria and Lebanon, the official added.

He said that calling up reservists was being carried out solely out of “practical and operational interests,” amid mounting letters signed by more than 200,000 veterans calling for a hostage deal with Hamas.

The military official said that the Israeli army’s most important mission remains returning the 59 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, roughly 24 of whom are presumed alive, while collapsing the group’s rule over the Strip was secondary, contrary to the position of Netanyahu, who said on Thursday that “victory” over the group, not the return of the hostages, was the supreme objective of the war in Gaza.

“The supreme mission that the Israeli army is dealing with is our moral duty to return the hostages. The second mission is defeating Hamas. We are working to advance both goals, with the return of the hostages being at the top (of the list of priorities),” the military official said.

Following the multi-hour security meeting with Netanyahu, an Israeli official told the Ynet news site, “As long as Hamas does not release our hostages, we will significantly deepen our military action. That is what will happen unless Hamas agrees at the last moment to a deal and releases the hostages.”

Last Monday, Hebrew media outlets said Israel rejected a five-year truce proposal with Hamas in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.

Observers said Netanyahu is now more than ever determined to continue the war. The PM is convinced that a ceasefire will open the door to an internal war aimed at overthrowing his government.

The only obstacle to Netanyahu’s plan remains the position of President Donald Trump’s administration which is pushing for a Gaza ceasefire deal ahead of the President’s mid-May Middle East tour.

Political sources in Tel Aviv said Netanyahu aims to influence Trump's thinking and convince him to endorse his plans for continuing the war in Gaza.