Jordan’s King Abdullah promises to confront ‘terrorists’ after Karak attack

What the report says

Jordan’s King Abdullah II used the opening of parliament in Amman on Monday to respond to a deadly church attack in the southern city of Karak last month, saying the kingdom would not be intimidated by what he described as terrorism. According to Al Jazeera, he asked lawmakers to observe a minute of silence for the victims and told them the attackers “are not of us,” signaling that the state would treat the assault as a challenge to national stability.

The attack killed nine people and injured dozens, and relatives of the victims attended the parliamentary session. Al Jazeera reported that Abdullah said Jordan would counter extremism through national unity, public awareness and the backing of the army and security services. The report also said he warned officials against abuse of power and emphasized that the law applies equally to everyone.

The king also widened his remarks to regional issues, saying Israeli expansionism poses the biggest threat to the Middle East. He cited the situation in Gaza and violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem, while also promising to protect Jordan’s limited water resources. Jordan is a U.S. ally and has a peace treaty with Israel, and the reporting noted that many Jordanians are of Palestinian origin, which gives these issues added domestic sensitivity.