Security adviser appointed Jordan PM

Jordan’s King Abdullah II appointed his national security adviser as prime minister today, asking him to form a new government in the wake of the Amman hotel bombings, state radio announced.

The prime minister designate is Marouf al-Bakhit, 58, who was Jordan’s ambassador to Israel until appointed to head the national security council six days after the bombings, the radio said.

It said Prime Minister Adnan Badran, 69, resigned earlier today.

The official Petra news agency reported that Badran, who took office in April, had tendered his cabinet’s resignation to the king in a meeting earlier today. It added the king had accepted the government’s resignation.

State television said al-Bakhit began consultations for his cabinet by meeting the speakers of parliament and senate on this afternoon.

The new cabinet is likely to be named on Sunday and would be sworn in the same day, a government official said.

The change of government is part of general shake-up following the suicide-bombings of three Amman hotels on November 9, which killed 63 people, including the bombers, and wounded hundreds.

The blasts harmed Jordan’s reputation as one of the most stable countries in the Middle East.

Al-Bakhit was appointed on November 15 to head the national security council, a post that entails liaising between the king and the security services.

Government officials said the king may have chosen al-Bakhit owing to his reputation as a tough former general who taught political science in a southern Jordanian university that trains army and police recruits.

He is known to be a moderate politician, who is expected to embrace Abdullah’s policies of upholding longtime alliance with the US, strategic ties with Israel under a peace treaty signed in 1994 and close political and economic relations with Arab countries, particularly one-time business associate – Iraq.

Al-Bakhit, a graduate of British and American universities, served in the army for 35 years until he retired with the rank of major general in 1999, according to a biography released by the palace press office.

Al-Bakhit served as Jordan’s ambassador to Turkey for three years until he was appointed ambassador to Israel in February.