Jordan's king opens parliament with larger Islamist wing

Jordan's King Abdullah opened a newly elected parliament with a larger contingent of Islamists on Monday, giving a speech that took a firm line towards Israel in a sign of political unease in the US ally which has a large Palestinian population.

Authorities in Jordan have carefully managed dissent, even as war in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon ignited mass demonstrations against Israel, with which Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994.

Jordan has long worried in particular about the prospect of an Israeli escalation in the West Bank sending Palestinians fleeing across the border. Those fears have been heightened by the upcoming return of Donald Trump, an ally of Israel's right-wing government, to the US presidency in January.

Jordan's future "will not be subject to policies that do not fulfil its interests," Abdullah told newly elected lawmakers at the start of their four-year term, in a speech interrupted by loud applause.

"Jordan stands firm against the aggression on Gaza and the Israeli violations in the West Bank and we are working tirelessly through Arab and international efforts to stop this war," he said.

Though the political environment in Jordan remains tightly controlled, the new parliament was elected under rules that were adjusted to give voice to a wider range of views.

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood more than doubled its contingent to around a fifth of total seats, becoming the largest single group in parliament although most seats are still held by tribal figures, centrists and government supporters.

"The elections mark a new phase in the process of progress and modernisation," Abdullah said.

The Islamists, buoyed by anger over the Gaza war, campaigned on a platform of support for Hamas, and say they aim to challenge Jordan's pro-Western stance and reverse its peace treaty with Israel. 

(Reuters)