King’s Illness Brings Cloud of Uncertainty Over Jordan

King Hussein’s disclosure to the Jordanian people that he is suffering from cancer has caused panic in some and denial in others. But in most cases, the illness of the 62-year-old ruler has focused people’s minds on the future of the Hashemite Kingdom.

In unusually candid remarks by a monarch to his subjects, Hussein confirmed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic tissue but vowed that he will win his latest battle.

The king pointed out that his form of cancer, B-cell lymphoma, responds to chemotherapy and that he has already undergone the first of a series of treatments expected to last several months. And he reassured his people that he will continue to watch over the kingdom during his illness.

“Cancer or not, if you need me, I will get on the first plane, and I will come back to Amman,” he said during two interviews with Jordanian television--one in Arabic and one in English--that were broadcast from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The TV appearance culminated a week of high anxiety and even dread in Jordan. When the king entered the hospital July 14, some people rushed to sell the normally rock-solid Jordanian dinar, deflating the currency’s price vis-a-vis the dollar.

“He’s like a father for us. Losing him would be like losing part of yourself,” said Jawad Masri, a 36-year-old currency dealer.

In his remarks, Hussein sought to assuage such fears. “Rest assured that I am not over and done with,” he said, looking relaxed in shirt sleeves and a loosely knotted tie and speaking in a firm baritone.

Hussein, whose image is that of a plucky king who knows how to weave and dance around the belligerent forces of the Middle East, will have been on the throne for 46 years next month. No other living leader has exercised power for so long. Little wonder that Jordanians--a close-knit society of 4 million--have a hard time imagining life without him.

The king would also be missed outside his country. Even though he voiced sympathy for Iraq during the Persian Gulf War, irritating the United States, he has won plaudits in Washington as a rare Arab leader willing to extend a warm hand of friendship to the Israelis.

Voice of Reasonable Compromise

He is also seen as a voice of reasonable compromise in the present, gridlocked negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, a leader whose counsel is often sought by President Clinton, among others.

For the week since Hussein revealed to the world that he probably had cancer, the royal court in Amman has been working hard to assure everyone that the situation is not dire.

However, the king himself alluded to the possibility of his passing: “There is life and there is an end to life, and that is the way with everyone.”

A statement issued by the Mayo Clinic expressed optimism, pointing out that the disease is “highly treatable with chemotherapy.” The statement said the king will need plenty of relaxation.

“The general mood is one of great concern, anticipation and wishes for the king’s well-being,” said Ramy Khoury, a talk-show host and political commentator in the kingdom. “This is a major preoccupation of the people--everyone is talking about it.”

“There is definitely a degree of anxiety, related not necessarily to one’s relation to the king but the situation of the country as a whole,” agreed political scientist Radwan Abdullah, citing stalled Middle East peace talks and the struggling Jordanian economy.

“It is a time of uncertainty for Jordan. I am sure his illness, his serious illness, now only aggravates this uncertainty.”

One question that presumably should not trouble Jordanians is who is next in line for the throne.

The king’s 51-year-old brother, Crown Prince Hassan, has been the designated heir apparent since 1965. As one local wag put it: “The crown prince is probably the most experienced No. 2 in the history of the 20th century.”

Hassan is described by a Western observer here as “a very thoughtful man who doesn’t have some of the charismatic characteristics of his brother, but he could acquire those.”

Like the king, Hassan is a strong supporter of the Arab-Israeli peace process. And he also advocates liberalizing the Jordanian economy and maintaining a strong relationship with the United States.

But he appears to lack Hussein’s gift for communication with the people.

“His problem,” said Masri, the currency dealer, “is when he gives a speech the words he uses in English and Arabic and French are too big for us to understand. . . . He talks in a way that even an educated person cannot understand. So what about a regular person?”

Speculation About King’s Sons

Although diplomats and most officials here anticipate a very smooth transfer of power to Hassan should anything happen to his brother, there is a minority view that the king might one day choose to alter the line of succession in favor of one of his five sons.

Such speculation lately has focused on Prince Hamzeh, son of the king and American-born Queen Noor. Hamzeh, 18, is often seen in Hussein’s company and is regarded as a favorite.

According to one journalist here, Hamzeh projects a royal gravitas and has appeared recently on state television speaking flawless classical Arabic, almost in “the voice of his father.”

Two other sons, Prince Abdullah, 36, who is a general in the Jordanian army, and Prince Ali, 22, are also sometimes mentioned by royal watchers as possible successors, as is Hassan’s 19-year-old son, Prince Rashed.

“If the king lives for a while, a struggle for power can take hold and it can become very ugly,” said one Jordanian academic who insisted on anonymity when it came to talking about the royal family. “It also depends how the king handles it. If he is wise, he would give the reins of power now to the crown prince. Otherwise, they may destroy themselves.”

It is not the first time that Hussein has had medical troubles. In 1992, he underwent surgery to remove cancer from his ureter and left kidney at the Mayo Clinic. Last year, an enlarged prostate and an inflamed lymph gland were removed, but no cancer was detected. In the past, thousands of Jordanians would turn out to greet Hussein upon his release from medical treatment.

Speculation about the king’s health and the royal succession has always been taboo in Jordan, which was under martial law until 1992, when the king began to institute a series of democratic reforms. And in a traditional society like Jordan’s, there is still a stigma attached to cancer. In polite conversation it is frequently referred to as the “unnameable disease.”

But the king seemed this time to be going out of his way to invite a frank discussion about his illness.

In a letter to Hassan made public last week, when he first revealed that he was undergoing tests for cancer, the king went into some detail, including information about his white blood cell counts.

One Jordanian ex-minister who has known the king since childhood said his frankness about such matters is part of his typical openness.

“The people know exactly where he stands.”