op-ed: King Hussein and the unforgettable positions

In my life, I have met more than 18 Arab and Islamic heads of state on various occasions, and I listened to some of them closely, and many of them did not impress me, but King Hussein (may God have mercy on him) had an aspect that distinguished him from others, which is his humility, wisdom, and human nature in his dealings with people.

In fact, there was more than one situation in which I touched the manifestations of these dimensions in the personality of the king, and I may begin by mentioning two scenes that I lived through myself, and another that I followed closely.

In 1994, King Hussein was on a visit to Washington, and the embassy invited a number of community leaders to meet with him. My friend Atef Dalkamouni and I entered the Four Seasons Hotel where the King stayed. We were preceded by personalities from the Jordanian and Arab communities. His Majesty entered the meeting hall smiling and saluting everyone with his hands. He delivered a welcoming speech in which he thanked the audience in a language of high politeness and good manners. Then he spoke for about twenty minutes about politics and the Palestinian issue, as it is Jordan's first issue. king, government and people.

Before leaving, there was an arrangement for everyone to pass by to greet the king.. The guests of the meeting, dignitaries and legal personalities, lined up and started moving to greet the king and his family.

I was watching the scene closely, and I had an idea in my mind trying to find a suitable conclusion for it.. The protocol required that the guest extend his hand in peace and then leave, making room for the one behind him.

Before we went to meet the king, my friend Atef told me about a number of well-known human attitudes about the king, which reflect his kindness, humility, vigil, and follow-up to the conditions of his people. In this regard, he mentioned to me a story that happened to him personally when the king met in Washington with Dr. Kamel al-Sharif in the summer of 1993, saying: I will not forget that meeting as long as I live, for the scene of the king's humility and humanity, and his question about my sick father and interest in his treatment had a great impact on my soul.

Going to your majesty.. you have arrived!!
While the line of those who offered peace was getting closer and closer to the podium on which the king and his family were standing, I whispered in the ear of my friend Atef, saying: What do you think that we raise the issue of our brother Moein before the king? Detained by the security services in Amman? He nodded his head in agreement. Brother Mueen is one of the Palestinian youth studying in America and sympathizing with the Hamas movement. He went to visit his family in Jordan, and he was arrested and interrogated there. We have heard that he was subjected to humiliating torture in detention, and no one knows what awaits him after the investigation.

On account of these fears for his life, I resolved to present his case to the King, but the challenge was time, for I had but a few seconds.

I decided to be the last to greet the king. Perhaps that would give me extra seconds.. My mind was preoccupied with how to present the novel, and what I could say to win the king's sympathy with the issue.. I delegated my affairs to God, and left it to the forgiveness of the mind and the diligence of the moment.
Words kept coming and going on my tongue, as I counted the time in seconds. My turn is approaching, and I am the last one in the line, and therefore I will be the last to shake hands with the King in this meeting.

Suddenly, I found myself in front of the King face to face. I was calm, as this is not the first time that I have met a leader or head of state of this weight. You have all our appreciation and respect, and we have a friend from our community who was arrested a month ago in Amman, and we hope for your generosity to quickly release him.. The King asked me: What is his name? I said: Moein...and I forgot the last name. The king appreciated that, and said to one of the attendants: Take his name and address to communicate with him.. Indeed; We left in a corner of the hall, where I presented him with my identity card, and on it was my name, address, work, and the full name of my brother, Moein, and we went back to the hall, where coffee and Jordanian sweets were waiting for us.

After the end of the meeting ceremony, we left the hotel, and on the way, the puzzled question on my tongue was: Do you see that the king pays attention to this issue? Atef said with confidence while smiling: Good news, brother Ahmed. Three days passed after that meeting, and if news arrived from Amman that brother "Mu'in" had been released.

Our joy was overwhelming, and I really felt that we had accomplished something great behind this meeting, in which my friend was credited.
Dr.. Musa Abu Marzouk in Raghadan Palace!!

The second scene was during the arrest of Dr. Musa Abu Marzouk is in America, and we were trying to reach the King as a defense committee, to appeal to him to mediate for his release, as he has close friendship with the American administration and President Clinton.

was dr. Fayez Al-Tarawneh; The Jordanian ambassador in Washington, D.C., who was the one we were communicating with, and the man was interested and interacted with us, and he promised Sister Nadia Al-Ashi; Dr.'s wife. Abu Marzouk, to make it easy for her to meet the King if health conditions permit, as the King - at that time - was in America for treatment.

The Defense Committee sent Dr. Abu Marzouk "Bouquet of Flowers" in the name of Sister Nadia, in which she wishes the king recovery, health and wellness, and expresses her desire to meet him. The answer came through His Excellency Ambassador Al-Tarawneh that the message had been received, that His Majesty was following up on the file, and that he would meet her when his health condition improved.

After Netanyahu's retraction of the request to extradite d. Abu Marzouk to Israel, there is no longer any justification for his continued detention, and the case was transferred to the Department of Immigration and Nationality, where it was agreed that he would be released in return for giving up his permanent residency card and not returning to America.

D. was deported. Abu Marzouk to Jordan in May 1997, when his family joined him there. In Jordan, Dr. Abu Marzouq was invited to meet the King and his wife at Raghadan Palace. The king shook hands with Dr. Abu Marzouq greeted his wife, and leaned caressing the child "Ruba" with some words.. After the meeting ended, Dr. left. Abu Marzouk and his minor family, with the king's welcome to him to reside in Jordan as long as he wants. That meeting was a generous gesture of loyalty from the King, as if he was saying to Sister Nadia: This is what we promised you in Washington.

The other scene that is not forgotten in our memory as Palestinians is that strong position of King Hussein, after the failed Mossad attempt to assassinate Mr. Khaled Meshaal, head of the Political Bureau in 1997.. where the king called President Clinton, and asked him to help provide treatment for Meshaal, telling him: If he dies Meshaal, a catastrophe will befall Jordan. Clinton personally asked Israel to provide accurate details about the poison that was used in the attempt to kill Meshaal.. Channel 1 of Israeli television said that Netanyahu had sent a private doctor to Amman with the "antidote", which made it possible to save Meshaal's life and heal him completely.

The king was angry at that Israeli insolence and audacity to insult Jordan, and his position was strong in criticizing Netanyahu, and his message to him came with a lot of threats and intimidation.

In the context of placating King Hussein, Israel released Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and treatment was provided for him in Jordan. The king personally visited him in the hospital to check on his safety, and to provide everything necessary during his stay in Jordan.

Arab wise..
May God have mercy on King Hussein, for he was one of the pillars of wisdom in this nation, even if there were differing points of view regarding some policies and positions. His charisma and attitudes made him loved by all his people. May God have mercy on King Hussein, and accept him among the righteous among his servants.