King Hussein's values and images and their relationship with Jordan's foreign policy aims

In view of the central role played by King Hussein in the formulation of Jordan's foreign policy throughout the period leading up to the 1967 war it is useful to examine the values and images which influence him. These are: his Hashemite heritage; his commitment to Arabism; his commitment to Arab solidarity and co-operation; his commitment to the cause of Palestine; his commitment to the West and antagonism to communism. A further point examines Jordan's foreign policy aim of survival, which at times overrides all others because without the survival of the state all the other values are meaningless.

King Hussein's Hashemite heritage

In a sense all King Hussein's values can be seen to be rooted in his Hashemite heritage. The Hashemites have stood for, inter alia, Arab unity and co-operation, commitment to the needs of the Palestinian people and commitment to the West. All of these have been central elements of Jordan's foreign policy aims from the time of King Hussein's accession to the throne until the present day. King Hussein's image of himself as a Hashemite and great-grandson of the man who instigated and led the Great Arab Revolt is therefore one of the keys to understanding the objectives behind Jordan's attitude to other Arab countries.

King Hussein was strongly influenced by his grandfather King Abdullah and was ‘brought up to believe in the manifest destiny of the Hashemite family’. Prime Minister Zaid Rifai and Nussaibah confirm that the King is acutely aware that his heritage has imposed on him a total commitment to the ideals for which his family has struggled.