For years, King Abdallah has successfully steered Jordan’s ship through the turbulent waters of a tempestuous regional context and a complex economic and social situation within the country. However, the country has not been immune to the wave of unrest sweeping the region following the revolts that toppled President Ben Ali in Tunisia and President Mubarak in Egypt, and the king will have to institute greater and more fundamental reforms in order to maintain the basic pact between the monarchy and the people and to prevent Jordanians from beginning to question the legitimacy of his rule.
THE CROSSROADS OF MUSLIM BROTHERS IN JORDAN
As former allies of the monarchy, the Muslim Brothers have played a key role in Jordanian political life at times when the regime has engaged in political openness. However, their moderation in domestic politics has been accompanied by a growing radicalization on foreign policy issues, as a result of their refusal to accept the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan and their staunch opposition to the military intervention in Iraq. Hamas’s victory in the Palestinian elections have prompted a change of attitude on the part of the government, which has opted to restrict the Brotherhood’s social activities and lessen its capacity for mobilization.
Middle East Salafism and the Radicalization of Muslim Communities in Europe
Published by the GLORIA Center,Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya Volume 10, No. 3, Article 1/10 – September 2006Total Circulation 22,500 MIDDLE EAST SALAFISM’S INFLUENCE AND THE RADICALIZATION OF MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN EUROPEJuan Jos� Escobar Stemmann* This article discusses the Salafi ideology behind the recent terror attacks in Europe, including the Madrid (March 2004) and London bombings (July […]