Alwaght- After years of ups and downs in relationship between the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the Jordanian government, Amman last week banned groups affiliated with the MB in the country. The statement accused the movement of participating in activities that can destabilize national security and unity. The movement had been active politically in Jordan for decades and its ban raises questions about this decision after eight decades of activity in this country.
Jordan's MB, from foundation to split
The MB is the oldest and the largest Islamist movement in Jordan. It was founded in 1946 with coordination of its Egypt-based central nucleus, receiving an official authorization from the Jordanian PM at the time. The parent organization was founded in 1920 in Egypt. It currently has over 10,000 members in Jordan.
In 2015, the MB of Jordan split into two reformist groups, the Muslim Brotherhood Community and the Traditional Muslim Brotherhood. Although the two factions are political rivals, they are in principle committed to the Brotherhood's core principles of gaining political power with the goal of building an Islamic state. In September 2016, the MB-affiliated Islamic Action Front party won 10 of the 130 seats in parliament. Its reformist candidates, however, ran under a separate party, the National Congress Party, and did not win any seats in the parliament.
The movement's strategy in Jordan has always been to emphasize political participation and popular demonstrations, while rejecting armed and violent activity. However, at a general meeting of the MB in Amman in January 2013, Hammam Saeed, a senior member, declared his commitment to establishing an Islamic caliphate in Jordan, a stance that made the Jordanian government suspicious of the movement's activities. In a 2013 interview with The Atlantic, King Abdullah II of Jordan accused the Brotherhood leaders of being “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Despite the MB's commitment to non-violence, their protests have sometimes turned violent, with protesers clashing with police. In March 2014, police clashed with demonstrators who intended to raid the Israeli embassy in the capital Amman. Many were reportedly arrested. In November the same year, Jordanian authorities arrested 31 people on charges of being members of a MB cell that was smuggling weapons and money to the West Bank.
During Israel's 2014 war on Gaza, Hammam Saeed praised Hamas' "heroic resistance" to Israel. The Brotherhood in Jordan, like its parent organization in Egypt, opposes Jordan's relationship with Israel. At a March 2014 demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy in Amman, Saeed called on Jordan to expel the Israeli ambassador, scrap the peace treaty with Israel, and declare Jews "enemies of our nation." The MB are also strong supporters of Hamas's Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the Israeli regime on October 7, 2023.
However, over the past decade, the MB of Jordan has faced numerous splits, and in some cases, internal rivalries within the Islamist movement have weakened it overall. Currently, although at least 30 members of the Jordanian parliament are affiliated with the group, they do not always agree on all issues. In fact, as conflicts between different factions of the Brotherhood continue, observers question the effectiveness of it in Jordan.
The movement's approach
This movement describes itself a supporter of moderate Islam and is working to expand moderation in the society and counter extremism and bigotry. As Arab analysts suggest, this movement in Jordan has special attention to the Palestinian cause. Critics in Jordan accuse them of putting the Palestinian cause over national Jordanian interests.
On the other hand, it should be noted that Hamas and the MB of Jordan have a close "coordination". Rahel Al-Gharaibeh, the former head of the MB's political office in Jordan, told the BBC that Hamas is actually a branch of the Jordanian MB and that the basis for the formation of this resistance group in Gaza returns to the movement in Jordan.
The Jordanian MB has been a supporter of the country's government for several decades. Jordanian authorities allowed it to operate in the mid-20th century, when political parties in Jordan were mostly limited. However, it has always described itself as "an opposition party to the ruling class and the largest, most powerful and influential party in Jordan".
Ban after 8 decades of activity
After 80 years of political and religious activity in the country, the Jordanian government last week officially banned the Muslim Brotherhood, seized its headquarters and assets, and criminalized any promotion of the group’s ideas or publications.
The decision, announced by Jordan’s interior minister, follows a final ruling issued in 2020 by the Court of Appeals. The decision also includes “closing offices or headquarters used by the Muslim Brotherhood or any affiliated entity and prohibiting transactions with them.”
Since the ban was announced, Jordanian authorities have raided, searched, and sealed several homes and offices affiliated with the group, according to official Jordanian government sources. Although the official headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood was closed in 2020 following a court order, observers estimate that approximately 50 other headquarters of the party are currently active in Jordan.
Why is Jordan concerned?
The developments after October 7 attack and other operations against Israel have given larger popularity to the MB which promote themselves as the forerunners in backing Palestine. Winning 31 out of total 138 seats by the MB in the 2024 elections was shocking for observers. This political coalition gained nearly half a million votes from the total 1.6 million registered voters, becoming the largest opposition force in the country. In reaction, it seems that the government intends to check the growing influence of the movement by restricting and banning it.
On the other hand, the issue of pressure on Hamas in Gaza and the US plan to withdraw Hamas from Gaza has caused concern among Jordanian officials, and Amman is concerned that if the joint Israeli-US plan to expel Hamas from Gaza is implemented, Hamas forces will use Jordan as their base and join their colleagues and party members in Jordan. This seems to be giving the Jordanian government a reason to clamp down on the MB.
Another motivation behind the MB ban is driven by worries of the country's officials about establishment of an MB axis in the region by Turkey. After fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December and rise of new government close to Ankara headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known for his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Jordanian government grew concerned that the MB, who have close ties to new rulers of Damascus and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, may act against the Amman monarchy.
