After Karak Attack, Jordan's King Abdullah Tells Parliament: The Attackers Are Not of Us, Terrorism Will Be Confronted

Jordan's King Abdullah II has said his country would not be shaken by last month's deadly attack on a church in the southern city of Karak. He made the remarks on Monday in the capital, Amman, while opening a new session of parliament.

The attack in Karak killed nine people and wounded dozens. Relatives of the victims attended the session, and the king asked lawmakers to stand for a minute of silence for the victims.

Speaking of the attackers, the king said: 'They are not of us. There is no place for them among us, not today and not tomorrow.' He said the treacherous hand of terrorism had reached out to test the resilience of the state and the resolve of its people.

Al Jazeera's Ahmed Jarrar, reporting from Amman, said Abdullah made clear that Jordan would confront 'terrorism and extremism' by relying first on national unity and public awareness, backed by the army and security services, which would strike 'with an iron fist'.

King Abdullah also addressed regional tensions, warning that Israeli expansionism is the greatest threat to the Middle East. In his words: 'Israeli expansionist ambitions are the greatest threat to the future of the region and its security.'

On Gaza, he said the humanitarian catastrophe there continues, and successive assaults persist in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The king also pledged to protect Jordan's scarce water supplies. 'We will not allow the thirst of Jordanians to be held hostage by any party,' he said. Jarrar said the remark reflected concerns that Israeli projects threaten the kingdom's water security.

Jordan is a close United States ally and signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Millions of its citizens are of Palestinian origin.

Addressing lawmakers, the king said the nation is the source of authority and that debate in parliament is healthy as long as it serves the national interest. 'Your differences of opinion are a strength so long as Jordan's interest is the goal,' Abdullah said, urging the government to improve living conditions.

He also warned officials against abusing their positions. 'The law knows no name, no position and no influence,' he said.