About 2,000 activists, mainly belonging to the Muslim
Brotherhood movement and tribes, demonstrated outside the Grand Husseini Mosque
in central Amman after Friday prayers, saying “Good Bye to Bakhit, Welcome to
the Reformer.”
The slogan referred to King Abdallah’s dismissal of Bakhit’s
Cabinet on Monday and his appointment of the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) judge, Awn Khasawneh, as new prime minister.
Khasawneh offered to include in his Cabinet hard-liners and
other opposition political parties, and pledged to carry out the needed
reforms, including the enactment of an up-to-date election law that produces a
lower house of Parliament truly representative of the people.
The premier designate said he expected to announce the
formation of his Cabinet on Monday.
The demonstrators appealed to Khasawneh to preserve the
right of the people to peaceful demonstration and to behave differently from
Bakhit, whom they accused of derailing the political reforms and plotting mob
attacks on pro-reform rallies.
They also chanted traditional slogans calling for dealing
firmly with corruption and fair elections that lead to “parliamentary
governments.”
Similar protests were also reported in the cities of Karak
and Tafileh.
