Oil Pipeline Agreement
December 30, 2001
Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan agree on a $1 billion oil pipeline project.
American Diplomat Slain
October 30, 2002
Senior U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley is fatally shot in the capital city of Amman; Al-Qaeda claims responsibility but denies Foley was the target.
Terror in Election Time
August 1, 2003
Jordanian embassy in Iraq is attacked, killing 11. Jordan’s Central Bank releases frozen accounts of Hamas leaders. First parliamentary elections under King Abdullah II take place.
Laurence Foley Suspects Arrested
April 8, 2004
Officials arrest al-Qaeda suspects while seizing several explosive-laden cars. Eight Islamic terrorists are sentenced to death for the killing of senior U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley in 2002. Arrested militants allege confession was coerced.
Abdullah Calls for Reforms
April 11, 2005
King Abdullah pressures the parliament to instill new reforms, which prompts the cabinet to resign and a new cabinet is sworn in.
Attack on USS Ashland
August 11, 2005
Insurgents in southern Jordan launch a rocket attack against the USS Ashland, missing the vessel but killing one Jordanian soldier.
Abdullah Criticizes the U.S. & Israel
August 30, 2006
King Abdullah II criticizes the U.S. and Israel for conflict in Lebanon.
Islamic Action Front Loses Power
November 26, 2007
Parliamentary elections strengthen role of tribal leaders as well as government advocates. The Islamic Action Front opposition party begins to lose electoral power, and moderate Nader Dahabi is appointed prime minister. IAF claims that the government rigged the election.
Jordanian Parliament Dissolved
November 30, 2009
Jordan’s King Abdullah II dissolves parliament and appoints a new premier to push economic reform.
Arab Spring in Jordan
February 28, 2011
Arab Spring protests compel King Abdullah II to replace the prime minister, who he selected without consulting parliament, a sticking point with protesters who were opposed to monarchical power.
Political Upheaval in Jordan
October 31, 2012
Jordan’s parliamentary elections are boycotted by the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, and a new prime minister is appointed. Demonstrations erupt against the lifting of fuel subsidies, and there are calls by activists for the end of the monarchy.
Jordanian Parliamentary Elections
January 31, 2013
Pro-government candidates win parliamentary elections and opposition Islamic Action Front boycott elections.
Jordan in Regional Conflict
February 28, 2015
Jordan continues airstrikes against Daesh, and receives $113 million in EU loans to help Syrian refugee crisis. Jordan also joins the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
IS Threat in Jordan
March 30, 2016
Following country’s most significant terrorism-related incident in ten years, Jordanians worry that Islamic State has penetrated their country.
Jordan Cracks Down
September 30, 2016
Military court sentences six suspected terrorists to death for plotting attacks against Israeli and U.S. targets.
Elections and Protest in Jordan
November 30, 2016
Government introduces a new electoral law, but critics say that it does not make elections more representative. Parliamentary elections are boycotted by IAF, and riots ensue after elections heavily favor pro-government candidates.
Terrorist attack in Karak
December 18, 2016
Seven Jordanian security officers, two Jordanian civilians, and a Canadian tourist were killed by an ISIS gunmen hiding inside the Crusader castle in the southern city of Karak.
Arab back accused of financing terror groups
April 3, 2017
The Jordan-based Arab Bank was accused of processing financial transactions for groups with ties to terrorism through a branch in New York. The plaintiffs argued that the bank was essentially the “paymaster” for Hamas and other terrorist organizations, but the bank responded that it had actually helped the U.S. in the fight against terrorism financing.
Executions after crackdown on extremism
April 4, 2017
Jordanian authorities executed ten prisoners linked to Islamic extremism and involved in five shooting and a bombing since 2003. These executions were meant to send a message to its international allies as well as violent extremists that Jordan is actively fighting terrorism, especially ISIS.
Ceasefire agreement in Syria
July 7, 2017
Jordan, the United States, and Russia all agreed to initiate a ceasefire in a southwestern area of Syria after months of negotiations. The three countries coordinated in order to achieve a united front to rid Syria and the greater Middle East of ISIS militants.
“Marry-Your-Rapist-Law” revoked
August 1, 2017
The Parliament voted to revoke a law that permitted rapists to avoid criminal prosecution if they married their victims. This historical achievement followed the move by Tunisian courts the week prior to scrap a similar law.
Jordan re-opens main border with Iraq
August 29, 2017
For the first time since 2015, Jordan opened its main border crossing with Iraq after Iraqi government forces gained control of the main highway to Baghdad from ISIS militants. Jordanian and Iraqi officials alike hope the reopening of the border will restore commerce between the two countries, which were originally significant trade partners.
Nationwide protests against proposed income tax law
May 30, 2018
Thousands of Jordanians participated in a nationwide strike to protest the proposed income tax legislation, which citizens say is a government cover-up of its corruption and failed economic policies. In response to the demonstrations, King Abdullah II removed his prime minister and introduced a new one, Omar al-Razzaz, as a way to appease the public’s discontent.
Withdrawal of tax law amidst protests
June 4, 2018
After the installation of the new prime minister, the government announced it would withdraw the controversial income tax bill. Shortly after, the government announced and accepted an aid package from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates worth $2.5 billion to attempt to stabilize the country and improve its dire economic situation.
