His Majesty King Abdullah II
A Conversation with
Jordan's King Abdullah II
by Susan Hack
Condé Nast Traveler
Published in January 2007
In his calls for Muslims to reclaim their religion from extremists, King
Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has become a champion of moderate
Islam, and yet his country is surrounded by sectarian strife. In Amman's Basman
Palace, the father of four talked with Condé Nast Traveler's Susan Hack about
what Middle East leaders must do to combat extremism, the perils of American
isolationism, the power of travel in promoting understanding—and the magic of a
desert night.
CNT: Despite all the conflict in the Middle East, it is the world's
fastest-growing region for tourism and hotel investment. Can you explain
Jordan's attraction?
HM King Abdullah: The peace treaty [between Jordan and Israel] in 1994 opened a large
door for tourism, but even before that we always had a lot of European and
American visitors. Where I think the visitor numbers and investment have
increased is in post-9/11 Arab tourism, with Arabs who are feeling concerned
about travel to Europe and the States starting to look to Jordan. The people of
this area know how safe and stable Jordan is. In the south, especially, we have
mega projects and hotels going up; Aqaba will triple its capacity in the next
few years. That's due to Arab investors who know they have a jewel in their own
neighborhood.
CNT: What makes Jordan a unique destination?
HM King Abdullah: Several things. Our famous antiquities sites, such as Petra and Jerash,
but also sites holy to people of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths on our
side of the Jordan River that are a beacon to a lot of religious tourists from
all over the world. There are desert castles and the routes of Lawrence of
Arabia and the Crusaders. We even have medical tourism, with Europeans coming to
our facilities for treatment and then going on holiday for less money than they
would pay just for their doctor at home. There are amazing places to see here
with a backpack or on a motorcycle, and we are reaching out to adventure
tourists who want to travel beyond Aqaba, the Dead Sea, and Petra to places like
Wadi Rum and the Dana Nature Reserve. Most of all, Jordan is a peaceful country
known throughout the Middle East for being hospitable. We have a history as a
tolerant society, and our Muslim and Christian communities have coexisted for
centuries.
CNT: Back in 2000, you hosted the first Peace Through Tourism summit. Does that
seem naive now? How can tourism resolve Middle East conflicts?
HM King Abdullah: The 2000 conference was a good launching point. Today, extremist
ideologies have sprung up on all sides, with elements that want desperately to
pit us all against one another. Keeping people traveling, breaking boundaries
and going beyond stereotypes, is vital. When we close ourselves off from one
another is when the world gets into trouble. The more we travel, the better the
world is. Understanding other cultures…well, that can only be good for all of
us.
CNT: You've called upon moderate Muslims to take back their religion from
violence and extremism. Is it happening?
HM King Abdullah: It is, but it's not something that can happen overnight. We have to
develop tactics to combat violence, but the long-term issue is
education—teaching the silent majority about their rights and what true Islam
is, and reaching out to other religions and cultures to teach people what Islam
is all about. We also need to remind people that the three monotheistic
religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—have a commonality of values.
CNT: What keeps the silent majority silent?
HM King Abdullah: In societies around the world, there are people who believe that they
have no power and who fear that their voice has no impact. Our responsibility as
leaders is to say to the silent majority, particularly in the Islamic world,
that we have to decide what is acceptable and what is not, and that crimes
perpetrated in the name of religion are unacceptable. It's time to say enough is
enough.
CNT: There have been terrorist plots and attacks here in Jordan. Can you
reassure Americans that the country is safe?
HM King Abdullah: Many countries have experienced terrorist incidents; I think Jordan's
record is as good as any in keeping travelers safe. My bottom line is, look at
the neighborhood. To have Arabs—whether Iraqis, Lebanese, or others—flooding
toward Jordan to escape violence shows that Jordan is secure.
CNT: What's your favorite way of seeing Jordan?
HM King Abdullah: When I want to relax with the family, it's always Aqaba. But I'm a
particular fan of Wadi Rum. I take my older son camping there on his birthday.
There's no infrastructure, and I like just putting up a tent to relax and read
and enjoy nature, to see the sky at night or how the colors change when the sun
comes up. It's extremely dramatic. By the way, we are starting a cinematic arts
academy and will launch movie production in virgin parts of Wadi Rum South,
which I think will give the Moroccan film industry a run for its money.
CNT: Wadi Rum is where Lawrence of Arabia led the Arab revolt and where the
famous film was made…
HM King Abdullah: It's spectacular, monumental. You know, we think of night as the
"dark" half of the day, but whenever I am in Rum, I am astonished at how bright
the nighttime really is. We just don't notice it in the cities. The other thing
that always shocks me is the silence. In some areas, the sand is packed down
hard. Once, I noticed a beetle making its way, and believe it or not, I could
hear its legs tapping on the packed sand. It was incredible. Imagine all the
things we never hear in our busy city lives. It reminded me of Lawrence of
Arabia's description of Wadi Rum as vast, echoing, and godlike.
Rum incorporates history from the prehistoric era to the present. It's great for
kids, because it puts them in touch with that, with nature, and with another
contemporary culture that is both Jordanian and Bedouin.
The Bedouins of Wadi Rum are so connected to the environment. This is a gift
that I think most of the world has lost. We see beautiful mountains and desert,
but we could never navigate them on our own. The Bedouins see paths and routes,
distinguish one area from another by the type of sand or plants, know which
kinds of animals and birds inhabit which areas. They are the living embodiment
of one aspect of our culture, which is desert life. They have admirably
incorporated this into a very contemporary lifestyle.
CNT: When was the first time you visited the United States, and what were your
impressions?
HM King Abdullah: It must have been 1972 or 1973. I went for a summer holiday on the
East Coast—Washington and Florida. My late father, His Majesty King Hussein, was
an avid water-skier and loved Cypress Gardens. So my first introduction to the
United States was amazing. We went to Disney World—pretty impressive for a boy
10 or 11 years old. Later, while taking some military courses, I visited
families in Middle America—Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Louisiana—and was
struck by how they welcomed me. It reminded me of the way Jordanians look after
foreigners who come through. Middle America was a pleasant surprise, and I made
a lot of friends there.
CNT: Does it disappoint you that many Americans don't know much about the Middle
East?
HM King Abdullah: America has always had a tradition of isolationism, but it surprises
me that Americans lack knowledge about the international world. When I would
say, "I come from Jordan," they'd say, "Oh, do you mean the state of Georgia?"
They would tell me that they'd never heard of Jordan, although some of them had
heard of King Hussein. I watch Jay Leno at night [on satellite TV], and when he
asks Americans questions in the street about history or culture, their responses
are still pretty shocking. One of the problems I've found with American
politicians is the small number of senators who have traveled. But I think that
has changed in the last few years, and lawmakers understand that they need to
get a better idea of what's happening beyond the borders of the United States.
CNT: What were some of your favorite international trips?
HM King Abdullah: As a boy, I traveled a lot with my father. When I joined the army at
18 and became independent, I took trips all over the world with a backpack,
particularly in Europe and Asia. I loved new sights, new sounds, new smells,
eating exotic foods. Whenever I had a break, I would make it a point to go
somewhere I had never been before, which is something I do now with my own
children.
CNT: Where have you traveled with them?
HM King Abdullah: We recently went to South Africa. I took my older son, who is 12, to
swim with great white sharks.
CNT: Wasn't he scared?
HM King Abdullah: [Laughs] In fact, I went in a cage and he watched from the boat. We've
been there twice, and I almost convinced him to come in the cage the second
time. It's like you see on the Discovery Channel: You go out to where the seals
are running and get into the cage, which is just chicken wire—it ain't all that
solid. They chop up fish and throw it in the water around you. The great whites
are huge. They hit the cage, and it's important to keep your hands inside so the
sharks don't bite them off.
CNT: What did Queen Rania, your wife, think?
HM King Abdullah: Actually, we didn't tell her.