His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), on Monday visited the 81st Airborne Battalion, one of the formations of the 28th Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II Royal Rangers Brigade, and met with a number of senior army officers.

At the meeting, attended by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, King Abdullah expressed pride in his brothers in arms at JAF, stressing the important role of the army and security agencies in building society and developing Jordan.

His Majesty affirmed that Jordan is fully capable of protecting its border with Syria, citing the ceasefire agreement secured by Jordan, the US, and Russia.

Commenting on economic conditions in the Kingdom, the King stressed the need for the government to take measures to protect the middle class and low-income families.

Subsidies, His Majesty noted, should be directed to serve citizens. With millions of non-Jordanians residing in Jordan, protecting citizens is the priority, the King said.

Stressing that the income tax bill must address tax evasion, His Majesty said Jordan’s financial crisis is due to regional conditions over the past few years.

The King cited the disruption of gas supplies from Egypt, adding that crises in neighbouring countries increased Jordan’s population by 20 per cent.

In addition, the lack of sufficient support from the international community and the closure of borders with Jordan’s trade partners have had a major impact on the Kingdom’s economy, His Majesty continued.

The world is lagging behind when it comes to helping Jordan, the King said, noting that a quarter of the budget is spent annually on refugees.

No other country in the world spends so much of its budget on refugees, His Majesty stressed.

The King also highlighted the main issues discussed during the meetings he held with heads of state and delegations while in New York to participate in the 72nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, foremost of which were the Palestinian issue and regional crises.

Jordan’s policies on regional issues are appreciated by countries around the world, His Majesty said, expressing optimism over US President Donald Trump’s commitment to pushing the Palestinian-Israeli peace process forward.

Also at the meeting, the King said the Princess Salma military housing project in Zarqa Governorate is part of a comprehensive plan to establish military housing around the Kingdom.

His Majesty voiced appreciation for the support provided by the United Arab Emirates in this regard.

The meeting also covered a number of issues concerning JAF, its armament and training.