'Former Israel Mossad agent' offered to evacuate Jordan Prince Hamzah's family: report

Roy Shaposhnik, an alleged former Mossad officer, offered to fly Hamzah's wife and children out of Jordan, according to reports.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

05 April, 2021

Prince Hamzah is being accused of plotting a coup [Getty]

A Europe-based alleged Israeli Mossad officer offered to evacuate Jordan's Prince Hamzah bin Hussein's family out of the kingdom via a private jet, according to a Jordanian media report.

Ammon news agency claimed on Sunday that Israeli citizen Roy Shaposhnik - or Shaposhnik - contacted Basmah Bani Ahmad, the wife of Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, offering to evacuate her and their children from Jordan after her husband was arrested over an alleged coup attempt.

The report stated that Shaposhnik was a former Israel Mossad officer.

However, in a statement to Walla news site, Shaposhnik denied ever being a Mossad officer and offered to evacuate Hamzah’s family due to his personal friendship with the prince and claimed he had no idea about the political situation in the kingdom.

"I am an Israeli living in Europe. I never served in any role in the Israeli intelligence services. I am a close personal friend of Prince Hamzah," Shaposhnik told Walla.

Read also: Jordan's authoritarian shift: The erosion of civic space since the Arab Spring

"During the weekend, Prince Hamzah told me about what happened to him in Jordan and I offered to send his wife and kids to stay in my house."

"I have no knowledge of the events that took place in Jordan or of the people involved," he urged.

"I offered Prince Hamzah help on the basis of our personal friendship and out of a wish to help the princess and their kids at this difficult moment."

Hamzah - a former crown prince who lost the title in 2004 - was among nearly 20 people detained by authorities on Saturday evening, in what officials linked to an alleged plot to topple the regime led by King Abdullah.

The 41-year-old prince on Saturday released a video message via the BBC in which he accused Jordan's rulers of nepotism and corruption and charged that he had been placed under house arrest.

Hamzah in his message, which he said he was sending via satellite phone, lashed out at Jordan's "ruling system" and said several of his friends had been arrested, his security detail removed, and his internet and phone lines cut.

He denied being part of "any conspiracy or nefarious organisation", but said the country had "become stymied in corruption, in nepotism and in misrule" and that nobody was allowed to criticise the authorities.

Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said on Sunday that Hamzah had worked with a foreign power to "undermine the security of Jordan".

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