JERUSALEM – A new audio recording that surfaced Tuesday indicates that Jordanian authorities tried to silence a former crown prince for meeting with internal critics but contains no mention of a foreign plot to destabilize the Western-allied monarchy that they claim he was involved in.
Jordan slapped a sweeping gag order on all coverage of the dispute involving the king's half brother, Prince Hamzah, hours after the recording circulated online, indicating authorities are increasingly nervous about how the rare public rift at the highest levels of the royal family is being perceived.
The recording circulated shortly after the palace and a mediator close to Hamzah said that the royal family was in the process of resolving the crisis.