AFP/Amman

 

 

Jordanian tribe leaders take part in a march in Amman yesterday to support the monarchy

Thousands of Jordanians rallied yesterday in support of King Abdullah II in response to an appeal on website Facebook to do so. Police said close to 70,000 people converged from all over Jordan to attend, although independent estimates put the total at 25,000.

The rally started south of Amman and proceeded to the state-run broadcaster a kilometre away. Demonstrators raised giant portraits of the king and banners proclaiming ‘Oh, Abdullah, we sacrifice our bodies and souls for you’, ‘The people want to bring down political parties’ and ‘The Islamic Action Front does not represent Jordanian people’.

Among those to rally were 22 parliamentarians, 200 handicapped people and 3,000 children, police said.

Popular discontent in Jordan has for nine weeks been manifesting itself in demonstrations calling for political reform.

Tensions between the government and Islamists escalated Friday after the latter refused to take part in a national dialogue commission, claiming the regime is not serious about reform.

The powerful Islamic Action Front has been calling for a constitutional monarchy and a reformed electoral law, leading to a parliamentary government and elected prime minister.

And nationalists and independent Islamists have formed a commission for what they call a “Constitutional Monarchy Initiative,” saying “the solution for Jordan is to move to a constitutional monarchy under which the king does not rule.”

Meanwhile, newly appointed Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit accuses the Islamist opposition of wanting to “profit from the situation for their personal advantage.”