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Jordan's King Abdallah II in Washington to Discuss 'Regional Tensions'

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy holding talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Washington (Reuters)
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy holding talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Washington (Reuters)
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Jordan's King Abdallah II in Washington to Discuss 'Regional Tensions'

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy holding talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Washington (Reuters)
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy holding talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Washington (Reuters)

Jordan's King Abdullah II kicked off his visit to the US on Tuesday and is set to hold talks with President Joe Biden on Thursday at the White House, according to the Jordanian embassy in Washington.

The Jordanian monarch held a series of meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress during his visit, a part of an international tour that included Qatar and Canada.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy hosted King Abdullah II for a bipartisan leadership meeting and discussed issues of mutual concern.

It was McCarthy's first foreign meeting as the new speaker of the House with a foreign official since he took office after the Republicans won the majority in the House of Representatives.

King Abdullah also met the leaders of the specialized committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The King held several closed meetings and addressed the recent escalation between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the strategic relations between Jordan and the US, and other issues of common interest.

A source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Jordanian monarch would also meet during his visit Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken after his return from his regional tour following the escalating tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

King Abdullah visited the United States in May, and in July, he met Biden during a visit to Saudi Arabia. The two sides "reaffirmed the enduring strength of the strategic friendship between the two countries."

Ahead of his arrival in Washington, the Jordanian monarch visited Canada and met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ontario, where the two sides discussed "global security."

In a joint statement, they expressed "deep concern about the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and Gaza."

They stressed the need to "stop all unilateral and provocative measures that undermine the two-state solution, increase tension, and lead to violence."

They also encouraged efforts to relaunch peace negotiations to achieve the two-state solution to ensure an independent, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state.

Last week, King Abdullah received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a surprise visit to Jordan and stressed that Israel should respect the "historical and legal status quo in the Holy Aqsa mosque and not violate it," the royal court said.

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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)

The Iran-backed Houthi militias have prevented their so-called prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, from naming the head of his office.

The Houthis have instead forced him to appoint a person of their choosing against his wishes, revealed informed sources in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

The Houthis are attempting to strip al-Rahwi, who was named as head of the militias’ new government, of his powers, making his appointment simply a cover for imposing their agenda and favoring Houthis who are descended of the line of their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The sources revealed that al-Rahwi had headed to the government headquarters with Rabih al-Mehdi, the director of the office of his predecessor. Mehdi hails from the Abyan province that is held by the legitimate government.

Al-Rahwi was seeking to keep al-Mehdi in his post. However, a leading Houthi member, Mohammed Qassem al-Kabisi, who used to occupy the position of government secretary, barred him from making the appointment.

Kabisi even prevented al-Mehdi from entering his office, resulting in an argument with al-Rahwi.

Kabisi informed al-Rahwi that he had no authority in naming the head of his office, saying that he does instead.

Al-Rahwi turned to the Houthis’ so-called ruling high political council to resolve the dispute and was informed that he should accept Kabisi as head of his office despite his objection.

A decree was issued days later naming Kabisi to the post.

He will effectively hold absolute power in government, while al-Rahwi will simply play a figurative role and only be needed to approve decisions and procedures taken by the Houthi leadership, joining other ministers who have no real duties.

The Houthis have formed a new government that will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor in keeping actual power to the militias themselves.

The new lineup includes a pro-Houthi figure, with no diplomatic background or experience, who was named foreign minister, replacing leading General People's Congress member Hisham Sharaf.

The appointment only fueled claims that the Houthis were seeking to eliminate their partners from rule. Al-Rahwi himself had no say in the lineup.

The Houthis announced the formation of their government on August 12. It met on August 17 to discuss its program, referred it to parliament the same day and by the next morning, an announcement was made that it was approved with no amendments or objections.

The incident with al-Rahwi has fueled speculation that the coming period will witness more struggles for power among the Houthis and their partners, whom they are trying to keep out of rule.

Observers noted that Kabisi is the son of a top Houthi leader. Qassem al-Kabisi is one of the founders of the group and is close to their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The senior Houthi officials believe they have the right to represent the Houthis in rule since they are its founders and oldest members.