Jordan Times
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Jordan marks King Hussein's
birthday
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday received cables from senior
officials and military officers marking the 69th anniversary of the birth of the
late King Hussein today and praising his efforts to build the country and
support Arab and Islamic causes.
King Abdullah received cables from Prime Minister Faisal Fayez, Senate President
Zeid Rifai, House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali, the King's Adviser on Security
Affairs, Director of the General Intelligence Department and President of the
National Security Council General Saad Kheir, Adviser on Islamic Affairs and
Chief Islamic Justice Izzeddine Al Khatib Al Tamimi, Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs-of-Staff General Khalid Sarayreh and directors of the Public Security and
Civil Defence departments.
Born on Nov. 14, 1935, to King Talal Ben Abdullah and Queen Zein Al Sharaf, he
was proclaimed King of Jordan on Aug. 11, 1952.
A Regency Council was appointed until King Hussein's formal accession to the
Throne on May 2, 1953, when he assumed his constitutional powers after reaching
the age of 18, according to the Islamic calendar.
Throughout his long and eventful reign, King Hussein worked hard at building his
country and raising the living standard of citizens.
He also focused on building an economic and industrial infrastructure that would
complement and enhance the advances he wanted to achieve in the quality of life
of his people.
King Hussein also struggled throughout his 47-year reign to promote peace in the
Middle East.
After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, he was instrumental in drafting UN Security
Council Resolution 242 which calls on Israel to withdraw from all the Arab lands
it occupied in the 1967 war in exchange for peace. This resolution has served as
the benchmark for all subsequent peace negotiations.
In 1991, King Hussein played a pivotal role in convening the Madrid peace
conference, and providing an “umbrella” for Palestinians to negotiate their
future as part of a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation.
The 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel was a major step towards
achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East.
While working towards Arab-Israeli peace, King Hussein also strove to resolve
disputes between Arab states.
During the 1990-91 Gulf War, he exerted vigorous efforts to peacefully effect an
Iraqi withdrawal and restore the sovereignty of Kuwait.
The late King's commitment to democracy, civil liberties and human rights has
helped pave the way in making Jordan a model state for the region. At the time
of his death on Feb. 7, 1999, King Hussein was the longest serving executive
head of state in the world.
King Hussein wrote three books during his reign: Mon Metier de Roi, Paris: R.
Laffont, 1975; My War with Israel, London, 1968; and Uneasy Lies the Head,
London, Heinemann, 1962.