Jordan’s king vows to confront extremism after deadly Karak church attack

Jordan’s King Abdullah II pledged to confront terrorism and extremism as he opened a new parliamentary session in Amman on Monday, November 2. Addressing lawmakers after last month’s deadly attack on a church in the southern city of Karak, he said the violence would not undermine the kingdom or shake its people’s resolve.

Nine people were killed and dozens wounded in the attack, which took place about two weeks before his address. Relatives of the victims attended the parliamentary session, where Abdullah asked lawmakers to observe a minute of silence. He described the assault as an attempt to challenge the resilience of the state and its people, and said the attackers had no place in Jordanian society.

Reporting from Amman, Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Jarrar said the king placed national unity and public awareness at the centre of Jordan’s response to terrorism and extremism. Those efforts would be supported by the army and security services, which Abdullah said would respond forcefully. His remarks presented public solidarity as the first line of the kingdom’s response.

The king also turned to regional affairs, identifying Israel’s expansionist ambitions as the most serious danger facing the Middle East’s future and security. He pointed to the continuing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, alongside repeated assaults in the West Bank and Jerusalem, as he outlined his concerns about the region.

Protecting Jordan’s limited water resources was another focus of the address. Abdullah pledged that no party would be allowed to hold Jordanians’ access to water hostage. Jarrar said those comments reflected concerns over Israeli projects that threaten the kingdom’s water security.

Jordan maintains close ties with the United States and concluded a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Millions of Jordanian citizens are of Palestinian origin, a part of the country’s background as the king addressed developments involving Israel and the Palestinian territories.

In remarks directed at parliament, Abdullah stressed that authority comes from the nation and that differences among lawmakers can strengthen political debate when they serve Jordan’s interests. Jarrar described this as the king’s third message. Abdullah also called on the government to improve living conditions.

The address included a warning to officials against using their positions improperly. Emphasising that status and influence offer no exemption from legal accountability, Abdullah said: “The law knows no name, no position and no influence.”