King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan
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King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday paid tribute to the lives lost at Al Hussein hospital in Salt due to oxygen outage, stressing that all those proven to have been negligent in the investigation will be held to account.

Chairing a National Policies Council (NPC) meeting, the King said officials and junior or senior employees must be up to the responsibility, or else step aside to enable those who want to serve Jordanians to replace them.

He said it was absolutely unacceptable to lose a citizen as a result of negligence, according to a Royal Court statement.

Official positions do not serve to offer favors and benefits, he affirmed.

The King dismissed claims that negligence or corruption was part of the culture in Jordan, stressing that Jordanians have always been known for honor and dignity, in line with the values of their ancestors who founded the state.

He further expressed understanding of the difficulties facing Jordanians as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this context, Jordan reported 9,417 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, which is its highest one-day tally since the pandemic started, official health data showed on Monday. It also recorded 82 deaths.

A total of 48,638 virus tests were also conducted on Monday.

The statement added that there are currently 79,723 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan. A total of 491 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Monday, it added.



Palestinian President Abbas Appoints New Deputy in Major Step in Naming Successor

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
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Palestinian President Abbas Appoints New Deputy in Major Step in Naming Successor

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, gestures during an interview with The Associate Press at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 13, 2022. (AP)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday named a veteran aide and confidant as his new vice president. It’s a major step by the aging leader to designate a successor.

The appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization does not guarantee he will be the next Palestinian president. But it makes him the front-runner among longtime politicians in the dominant Fatah party who hope to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas.

Abbas hopes to play a major role in postwar Gaza. He has been under pressure from Western and Arab allies to rehabilitate the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.  

The PLO is the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people and oversees the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Abbas has led both entities for two decades.