Peerless King

The death of King Hussein leaves Jordan and the Middle East in an uncertain state. The new king, his eldest son, Abdullah, who was named ...

February 9, 1999 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

The death of King Hussein leaves Jordan and the Middle East in an uncertain state. The new king, his eldest son, Abdullah, who was named heir-apparent just days ago, has promised to continue his father8217;s policies at home and abroad. But he is young and untried and it will be some time before he gets a firm grip on his job. He succeeds one of the tallest leaders in the region whose importance in his last years lay not in the size of the country he led or its army but something far more intangible. The late king showed qualities of leadership, vision and courage which combined with the warmth of his personality set him apart from his peers in the Middle East. He showed great political skill in turning a poor desert kingdom with uncertain borders and predatory neighbours into a stable nation. As elsewhere in the Middle East the army was essential to this project but the Jordanian nation has proved more resilient so far under its monarchy than nations in the region which chose republican forms of governmentunderwritten by large armies.

There were many errors of judgment in Hussein8217;s long career and there were colossal mistakes as well. But the capacity to surmount troubles, turn adversaries into friends and setbacks into new beginnings is rare. Hussein demonstrated that capacity not once or twice but several times over. Three decades ago Jordan joined the other Arab states in the war against Israel. Today Jordan is a lynch-pin in the Middle East peace process and is regarded in Israel as essential to enlarging peace in the region. During Black September Palestinians were brutally driven out of Jordan. Today Palestinians weep over the passing of the king as over the loss of a much loved friend. More recently Jordan backed Iraq during the Gulf war running counter to other Arab states as well as the Western coalition. That setback was overcome when Jordan joined the Oslo peace process and stayed the course through all its subsequent vicissitudes. When Jordan and world leaders mourn, they mourn Hussein8217;s passingfrom the scene as well as the possible loss of many certitudes in the Middle East.

The stability of Jordan will be a prime concern. The country8217;s political establishment and particularly prince Hassan who acted and was seen as the late king8217;s successor for almost three decades, have come out in support of the young Abdullah. This was to be expected in deference to Hussein8217;s wishes and in order to bring a measure of calm to the people. But monarchical succession has never been smooth in the kingdoms of the Middle East. King Abdullah8217;s arm will be strengthened by Jordan8217;s friends and allies who are determined to maintain things as they are. But uncertainty will dog the scene for a long time and he will need to establish the kind of rapport with Jordanians that his father achieved so well. Steady progress in the peace process will be crucial to the well-being of the regime and Jordan. Should the Israeli elections produce a Labour-led government, Jordan should be able to breath a little easier knowing that theIsraeli left is committed to Oslo. If not, Jordan8217;s anxieties about the future could increase.

Tags: