Ruth King

Jordan’s pretty queen Rania was interviewed by George Stephanopolous on November 13th, following the bombings in Amman. After the requisite denunciation of terrorism -- terrorism which kills Muslims, that is -- she offered her take on one cause of the suicide bombing in Amman, namely, the “two occupations of neighboring countries: Iraq and Israel." The queen, it should be noted, led a large anti-Israel demonstration in Amman in April 2002 which included burning an American flag.

The comely queenlette routinely identifies herself as Palestinian and both the Jordanian and American media describe her as a “Palestinian” from Tulkarm. In fact, she was born in Kuwait to a wealthy doctor of “Palestinian” origins, and she did indeed become a “refugee” -- when Kuwait expelled 400,000 Palestinian residents following the first Persian Gulf War, as punishment for their support of Saddam Hussein.

The family went to Amman, where she doffed “refugee” status, put on designer duds, and practically took a cab to the court and a wedding to Abdullah, the son of King Hussein. Her website and her US media appearances describe her as “a working mother” who appreciates that the “hard work” must be done. Among her hard labors she has to make sure that the royal meals are tasted by others as a poison alert.

Her husband King Abdullah is described as a direct descendant of Mohammed and heir to the “ancient Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.” This history is also a tad untrue. He may descend from Mohammed, but the "ancient Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan" dates only as far back as 1920 when the British deeded 82% of Mandated Palestine to the Arabs. The British gave Iraq to King Feisal and his kid brother Abdullah Senior (great-grandpa to the present Abdullah) had to be mollified so they gave him Trans Jordan. He was assassinated and his grandson King Hussein, known as Al-Malik Al-Insan ("The Humane King"), succeeded his own father Talal the insane, who ruled only for a few months.

Check out the family tree which derails the spin of that ancient Kingdom of Jordan (http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/rfamily_immediate.html). Until 1922 the Hashemites were Emirs of Mecca. When Abdullah (the First) took over Jordan the local population was totally indifferent. Calvin Coolidge could have been made king and no one would have cared.

Abdullah's mama was a British girl named Antoinette “Tony” Gardener. She was King Hussein’s second wife and she bore him four children. On conversion to Islam the "award-winning field hockey player, former typist, and daughter of a British army officer turned innkeeper," she was given the title Princess Muna al Hussein. Apparently Hussein’s mother did not like her and pressed her son to divorce her, which he did in 1972. Her present whereabouts are unknown.

The late King Hussein understood the shaky nature of his rule. In 1962 he penned a book named “Uneasy Lies the Head.” In it he wrote: "I had seen enough of Europe even at 17 to know that its playgrounds were filled with ex-kings, some of whom lost their thrones because they did not understand the duties of a monarch. I was not going to become a permanent member of their swimming parties in the south of France."

In 1970 when the PLO got uppity in Jordan and exerted a thuggish local rule in Amman and other cities, King Hussein killed and expelled thousands in what became known as “Black September.” The terrorist thugs alighted in Lebanon where they ruled until the Lebanon War of 1981 when Israel almost finished them off. A U.S. enforced ceasefire and missteps by the Reagan administration exiled the PLO to Tunisia but Jordan was forced to accept several thousand. King Hussein had to greet them and kiss each and every terrorist on both cheeks. One shudders to think of the royal chaff from all that stubble and one shudders to think of them among the population.

Abdullah knows the PLO aims to topple his regime. Despite the dozens of medals adorning his chest -- since his coronation he has received medals and honorary titles from all over the world including the Order of the White Eagle of Poland and the Grand Order of Nungunghwa of Korea -- he and his wife are in a tough situation. Unlike his father, Abdullah cannot count on a modus vivendi with Israel, including shared intelligence, protection of the palace and a de facto understanding about control of Judea and Samaria. Oslo queered that deal forever. So Abdullah snuggles up to the Arab League and plays a duplicitous game, with soothing speeches to Western leaders not matched by what he practices at home or among his Arab friends. Like Humpty Dumpty he straddles a slippery wall.

Times have changed and Abdullah and Rania may yet have to get their swim suits out. France has too many Moslems for the family to live in peace, but they could easily become the new A list "it" couple in the Hamptons.