Only days into his appointment by King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz is facing opposition from military veterans, while analysts consider his appointment as a pragmatic move.
The country’s powerful Military Veterans Association issued a statement earlier in the week signed by several retired senior military leaders and others decrying al-Razzaz’ appointment.
The statement called the appointment “shocking” and a “provocation”.
Retired General Musa al-Adwan, a former commander of Jordan’s Special Forces, told al Jazeera that al-Razzaz is not the right man at this time.
“He is an honourable man and a technocrat. However, he is unfit to lead the government at this critical junction,” said al-Adwan, who is one of the signatories of the veterans’ statement.
“He was part of the old failed government, and if he is not empowered to lead the government with a great measure of independence, he will fail,” he said.
