Attacks on armed forces 'grave' betrayal of Jordan - Lower House speaker

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Ahmad Safadi on Wednesday issued a strong rebuke of what he described as recent unlawful actions and inflammatory rhetoric targeting Jordan’s national principles and institutions, particularly the armed forces.

Speaking at the opening of a parliamentary session, Safadi condemned the attacks on the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), calling them “a crime, an act of ingratitude and a betrayal that cannot be accepted or tolerated,” the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He also underscored the deep symbolic value the army holds in Jordan’s national identity, describing it as a red line that must not be crossed. “Whoever dares to touch the dignity of our armed forces is nothing but a tool in the hands of the nation’s enemies,” he said.

Safadi also commended the JAF as the same “brave army that fought on the walls of Jerusalem, supported Arab brothers with convoys of martyrs, and continues, despite fire and hardship, to stand with our people in Gaza.”

He also pointed to the role of Jordan’s field hospitals in Gaza as evidence of the army’s ongoing heroism, adding that “some fail to recognise this.”

The speaker also hailed the role of the security forces in preserving national stability and defending the country against threats.

On the war in Gaza, Safadi described the Israeli aggression as “barbaric” and criticised the international community’s “shameful failure” to stop it. “Amid this inaction, Jordan stands firmly, politically, diplomatically and humanely,  with the people of Gaza,” he said.

Safadi also commended His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent diplomatic efforts, which included a European tour and participation in a tripartite summit in Egypt with the Egyptian and French presidents.

He also reiterated the House’s full support for the King’s positions, especially those voiced during the summit. He also expressed support for regional and international efforts to rebuild Gaza and firmly rejected Israeli attempts to isolate West Bank towns, accelerate settlement expansion or forcibly displace Palestinians.