Jordan's King Abdullah II told lawmakers Monday that the deadly attack on a church in the southern city of Karak would not shake the kingdom. He pledged that the army and security services would respond with an iron fist.
The attack, about two weeks earlier, killed nine people and wounded dozens. Opening a new session of parliament in Amman, Abdullah asked members to stand for a minute of silence while relatives of the victims watched from the chamber.
The king portrayed the attackers as outsiders with no place in Jordanian society. He described the assault as an attempt to test the state's resilience and the will of its people.
There is no place for them among us, not today and not tomorrow.
King Abdullah II of Jordan
He said national unity and public awareness would form Jordan's first defense against terrorism and extremism, with the military and security forces standing behind them.
Warning over Israel and water
Abdullah also called Israeli expansionist ambitions the gravest danger to the Middle East's future and security. He pointed to the continuing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and repeated assaults in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Israeli expansionist ambitions are the greatest threat to the future of the region and its security
King Abdullah II of Jordan
He vowed to protect Jordan's scarce water supplies, saying no party would be allowed to hold Jordanians' thirst hostage. The pledge reflects concerns that Israeli projects threaten the kingdom's water security.
Jordan, a close ally of the United States, signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Millions of its citizens are of Palestinian origin.
Message to lawmakers
Turning to parliament itself, the king said the nation is the source of authority. Disagreements among members, he argued, make the country stronger when Jordan's interest is the aim.
He urged the government to improve living conditions and cautioned officials against misusing their posts, saying the law makes no exceptions for name, rank or influence.
