Cabinet reshuffle expected in Jordan

Sources at the Jordanian royal palace expected on Wednesday that King Abdullah Bin Hussein will accept the resignation of the chairman of the Jordanian Royal Court, Abdul Karim al-Kabariti, and appoint in his place former Prime Minister Fayez al-Tarawneh.

Al-Kabariti, who considers himself as one of liberal politicians, had disputed with Prime Minister Abdul Raouf al-Rawabdeh since he was appointed as the chairman of the Jordanian royal court in March, a matter which provoked al-Kabariti to send a message to King Abdullah asking him to exempt him from his post.

The sources indicated that al-Rawabdeh might possibly make a ministerial reshuffle which will target eight ministers at the end of the current week in an attempt to win the backing of the parliament.

Such a reshuffle would be the first since King Abdullah ascended to the throne in February 1999.