Jordan’s King Abdullah appoints palace aide Bisher al Khasawneh PM

Jordan’s King Abdullah on Wednesday appointed veteran diplomat and palace aide Bisher al Khasawneh as the new prime minister, days after accepting the resignation of Omar al-Razzaz, the royal palace said.

In a letter of designation, the monarch said he entrusted Khasawneh, who has been a palace advisor since last year after a career mostly spent as a diplomat and peace negotiator with Israel, to form a cabinet of qualified ministers who would rise to the country’s challenges.

Khasawneh will oversee parliamentary elections due on Nov. 10 whose outcome is expected under an electoral law that marginalises the Islamist opposition to maintain a majority of pro-government deputies.