A Middle News portal has provided further background information on what has been described as the biggest crisis in 70 years for the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood. According to a an Al-Monitor report:
March 3, 2015 Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, the largest Islamist organization in the kingdom, is facing the biggest crisis in its 70 years of existence. On Feb. 14, the group’s Shura Council, the highest body in the organization, voted to terminate the membership of 10 leading members, including former overseer Abdul Majid Thuneibat, for ‘violating the basic law of the group,’ creating an internal rift within the Brotherhood.
According to a statement by the organization, ‘a number of members collected signatures and met with government officials to seek a new license’ in the name of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan. Most of those whose membership was revoked belong to the so-called Zamzam Initiative, a reformist movement within the group that wants to sever the Muslim Brotherhood’s ties to Egypt. Most were threatened with suspension last year for violating the group’s internal laws, but the decision of the Shura Council is final.
In 1953, the group was first registered as a charitable organization with the ministry and formed a political party, the Islamic Action Front, in 1992. On Feb. 26, the Cabinet decided to refer the Muslim Brotherhood case and the new application for its licensing to the Ministry of Social Development for evaluation. Anonymous sources told Al-Monitor that the group’s top leadership had requested a meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour to discuss the issue of re-licensing, but no date has been set for such a meeting.
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The GMBDW reported last week that the Jordanian government will re-designate the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as independent from its Egyptian parent organization. However, as explained above, it now appears that redesignation involves the splinter group known as the “Zamzam Initiative” and which was first discussed by the GMBDW in June 2014. Meanwhile, the Middle East Monitor is reporting that the new splinter group has chosen its Supreme Guide.
In March 2014, the GMBDW discussed an article in a UAE newspaper suggesting that the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan was facing an increasingly deteriorating situation and in July 2103, Jordanian media reported that the Jordanian Brotherhood was “in shock” over the deposition of Egyptian. Other recent developments of interest have included:
- In April 2014, the GMBDW reported that that the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood had expelled three senior members for trying to initiate reforms.
- In June 2014, we discussed an article that revealed internal conflicts within the Jordanian Brotherhood.Muslim Brotherhood.
- In December 2014, we reported that the Jordanian government had arrested 21 Muslim Brotherhood members accused of smuggling weapons and money into the West Bank.
- In February we reported that the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for publicly criticising the UAE.
For a history of extremist statements made in the past by the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, go here.
For an analysis of the relationship between the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood and the government, go here.