Ammon News -
By Darlene Casella

There are more Palestinian Refugees in Jordan than in any Arab Country. Although Queen Rania is Palestinian, Jordan considers the “Right of Return” a vital part of Israel/Palestinian Authority Peace Negotiations.

The ancient city of Petra, Jordan was the resting place of the Holy Grail in the Indiana Jones movie, The Last Crusade. The 6th Century “rose city”, is one of the world’s most impressive sites. Archeological riches, from Greco-Roman Jerash, to Ezion Befer where King Solomon built ships and the Queen of Sheba visited; to the 14th Century Fort in Aqaba where Lawrence of Arabia launched his 1916 attacks, to the modern skyline of Amman; His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein reigns the land between Iran and Israel on the Gulf of Aqaba. At age 37 he assumed the Hashemite Kingdom’s Monarchy on the day his father, King Hussein, passed away in 1999.

Directly descended from the Prophet Mohammad, Abdullah II is the oldest son of King Hussein and his British born second wife, Antoinette Gardiner. He attended the Islamic Educational College in Amman, then St. Edmunds in Surrey England, then to America and Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. In 1980 he graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom; becoming a Battalion leader in the Royal Hussars, British Army. Completing a Studies course in Middle Eastern Affairs, he joined the Jordanian Armed Forces. In 1985 he attended the Armored Officers Advanced Course at Fort Knox Kentucky. Becoming a Cobra Attack Pilot, he served the Royal Jordanian Air force. At Georgetown University he received a Masters degree before resuming a military career. Abdullah II was promoted to Major General in 1998; and attended defense courses in Monterey California at the Naval Post Graduate School. He is a qualified frogman, a free fall parachutist, a motorcyclist, and a race car driver.

The King married a Kuwaiti born Palestinian with a degree from the American University in Cairo. Queen Rania worked for Citibank and then Apple, in Amman. A stunningly beautiful woman with expensive tastes and designer clothes; she is a regular in London society pages. They have four children.

“Our Last Best Chance: The pursuit of peace in a time of peril,” his memoir, focuses on the Middle Eastern Peace Process, and his journey to the throne. The back cover is signed by President Bill Clinton, General Tommy Frank, and Warren Buffet.

To integrate with the world economy, King Abdullah II joined the World Trade Organization, signed free trade agreements with the United States, and the EU, and forged ties with countries from Asia to Latin America.

President Bill Clinton was an observer at the peace treaty signing between the Israel and Jordan in 1994. Half of the population is Bedouin and Hashemite, the rest are Palestinian; more than in any other Arab state. Refugees remain a sensitive issue. For Jordan, peace negotiations between Israel and Palestinian Authority must include a refugee “Right of Return”; which includes children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of the 1948 refugees. Refugee host countries do not grant citizenship. Generations of Palestinian families living in a country are not citizens. An alternative Palestinian homeland has been suggested. As it might be Jordan, The King emphatically states that an alternative homeland cannot be part of the negotiations.

Last week King Abdullah II visited the West Bank acknowledging President Mahmoud Abbas as the legitimate Palestinian leader. Both are proponents of peace negotiations with Israel, which derailed three years ago. Israeli leader of the Opposition, Tzipi Livni, met with Abbas in Amman to encourage him to return to negotiations with Israel; and not to join with Hamas. On Monday Israeli President Shimon Peres and the King met at the Palace in Amman to discuss ways to overcome obstacles in the peace process; discussions will continue. Peres also emphasized that Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to strengthen the good strategic ties between their countries.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta spoke at the Brookings Institute about Obama’s Middle Eastern vision. Panetta spoke about Islamist advances as a positive force; and told Israel to “get back to the damn negotiating table”, and chided her for being isolated from security partners.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Israeli buses for segregation of male and female religious Hareidi passengers; comparing this to Rosa Parks; a black woman who sat in the white section of a bus before the Equal Rights became the law. She asserted that Prime Minister Netanyahu should apologize to Turkey for the incident aboard the Gaza flotilla, evidently unaware that Israeli soldiers were attacked by knives and clubs and fired in self defense.

In a Washington Post interview King Abdullah II said “Nobody can depend on America anymore.” After protests in January, the King replaced the cabinet and took concrete steps to launch genuine political and economic reforms. This subdued the Muslim Brotherhood, but there are still groups against the King.

Middle Eastern Kingdoms are nervous. Perhaps world class destiny will be thrust upon this soldier King. King Abdullah does not seek international domination; but joins in a quest for solutions to government thrashings by extreme Islamists.


* Family Security Matters

* Family Security Matters Contributor Darlene Casella was, before her , an English teacher, a stockbroker, and president/owner of a small corporation. She lives with her husband in , California, and can be reached at thedeadseawest@aol.com.La Quintaretirement