Jordan king vows to fight extremism and condemns regional threats

Jordan's King Abdullah II pledged that his country will stand firm against extremism following a deadly church assault in the southern city of Karak, telling lawmakers that the perpetrators have no place in Jordanian society.

Speaking in Amman at the inauguration of a new parliamentary session, the monarch led a moment of silence to honor those killed in the incident. Relatives of the victims were present in the legislative chamber. The attack, which took place roughly two weeks earlier, left nine people dead and injured dozens more.

According to Al Jazeera, King Abdullah stressed that Jordan's response to violence and radicalism relies primarily on social cohesion and public vigilance, bolstered by the armed forces and security agencies striking with an iron fist. He rejected the perpetrators as foreign to the nation's values, stating that Jordan's stability and public determination would not be undermined by violence.

Turning to international affairs, the monarch delivered a stern warning regarding regional security, describing Israeli expansionism as the primary danger facing the Middle East. He highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza alongside continued military actions in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Jordan signed a formal peace accord with Israel in 1994, though millions of Jordanian citizens trace their ancestry to Palestine.

The king also addressed domestic resources, vowing to safeguard the country's limited water reserves against external pressures. He declared that the country's water security would not be compromised or leveraged by any outside party, a statement linked to broader concerns about neighboring water initiatives impacting Jordan's supply.

Domestically, Abdullah called on parliamentarians to focus on improving the public's standard of living while welcoming policy debate that prioritizes national interests over division. He also issued a caution to state officials regarding accountability, asserting that the legal system applies equally to all individuals regardless of their rank, title, or connections.