Jordan’s Public Institutions on Alert against Protests

Protesters raise their hands before members of the Gendarmerie and security forces during a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Amman early Sunday (AFP photo by Khalil Mazraawi)
Protesters raise their hands before members of the Gendarmerie and security forces during a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Amman early Sunday (AFP photo by Khalil Mazraawi)
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Jordan’s Public Institutions on Alert against Protests

Protesters raise their hands before members of the Gendarmerie and security forces during a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Amman early Sunday (AFP photo by Khalil Mazraawi)
Protesters raise their hands before members of the Gendarmerie and security forces during a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Amman early Sunday (AFP photo by Khalil Mazraawi)

Jordanian public institutions have gone on alert to contain mounting protests that kicked off four days ago over a new income tax draft-law and price hikes, as unions called for a general strike across the country next Wednesday.

King Abdullah II asked to meet with Prime Minister Hani Mulki at his office Monday to discuss the protests in Amman and other governorates.

After a meeting on Sunday, the Jordanian Senate sent to the King two suggestions on the matter: Ask the government to withdraw the draft, and to issue a royal decree for holding a special session of the Parliament on Monday during which deputies will re-send the bill to the Senate.

Senate Speaker Faisal al-Fayez called for a “comprehensive national dialogue” on the law.

He emphasized the importance of adopting the principle of collective participation of the Jordanian society within a national dialogue aimed at agreeing on a modern law that promotes the principles of transparency and equality.

The House members are expected to reject the amended income tax draft-law and forward it to the Senate, which would return the bill to the government as stipulated by the Constitution.

Sources predicted that the government would resign in the coming days.

Last month, the government proposed the law that is aimed at raising taxes on employees by at least five percent and on companies by 20 to 40 percent.

“The legislature made a recommendation to His Majesty King Abdullah to convene the Parliament for an extraordinary session to be held as soon as possible to bring an end to the income tax crisis,” Jordanian news agency Petra quoted Speaker of the House of Representatives Atef Tarawneh as saying following a meeting with Mulki and the Professional Associations Council at the Lower House.

Tarawneh said: "We are forming a committee to follow up the dialogue, which we hope will be positive and fruitful.”

Parliament is not bound by the decision of the International Monetary Fund but committed to the interest of the Jordanian people, he added.



Israel Issues Evacuation Warning for Five Southern Lebanese Towns

A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Israel Issues Evacuation Warning for Five Southern Lebanese Towns

A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A civil defense member walks among the debris at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's Basta neighborhood, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The Israeli army issued a statement on Sunday requesting the residents of five towns in southern Lebanon to evacuate in anticipation of airstrikes, while warning residents not to head south.
The military told the residents of Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Arnoun, Yuhmor, and al-Qusayba, to evacuate their homes immediately and move north of the Awwali River.
“You must evacuate immediately to the north of Awwali River to ensure your safety, you must evacuate without delay. Anyone near Hezbollah fighters, facilities or weapons is putting their life at risk”, added the statement.
In a separate statement, the army said that sirens sounded in central Israel due to Hezbollah rockets fired from Lebanon.
It added that six projectiles were detected crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, and that its air forces intercepted five of the rockets, while the last one landed in an open area.