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Jordan's king dissolves parliament as Islamic unrest intensifies
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Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, June 18, 2001
AMMAN Ñ Jordan, amid a crisis with Islamic fundamentalists, has
dissolved its parliament and reshuffled the Cabinet.
King Abdullah announced a decree on Saturday that dissolved the
80-member lower house as well as the 40-member Senate. The lower house is
elected while the Senate is appointed by the king.
Jordanian sources said the dissolution of parliament opens the way for
elections by the end of the year. The king also named 11 new ministers to
the 28-member Cabinet headed by incumbent Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb.
Leading members of the Cabinet, such as the defense minister, foreign
minister and finance minister were retained in their posts.
Jordan has been struck by a growing crisis with its Islamic opposition.
The kingdom is refusing the entry of Hamas spokesman Ibrahim Ghousheh,
exiled in 1999, who landed in Amman on a flight from Qatar.
The Jordanian refusal to allow Ghousheh entry has sparked demonstrations
by Islamic groups and their allies in trade unions.
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