Jordan
's
King Abdullah II will meet later Thursday with members of the country's Muslim
Brotherhood, the first such meeting in nearly a decade, according to a
prominent member of the Islamist movement.
At the meeting, the Muslim Brotherhood will press its case for the dissolution
of parliament and the holding of new elections under a reformed electoral law,
according to Abdul Latif Arabiat, the head of the Muslim Brotherhood's
consultative council.
"His Majesty the King will meet with our group this afternoon," said
Arabiat, who is also an ex-speaker of parliament.
Earlier Thursday, the Islamic Action Front, the political wing of the Muslim
Brotherhood, said it plans to go ahead with protest marches Friday, despite
receiving a commitment from newly appointed Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit at a
meeting Wednesday that his government will enact political reforms.
The front wants to see "deeds, not promises," according to Zeki Bani
Arsheid, the head of the front's political office. He said Bakhit promised to
make changes to the electoral law and carry out other political reforms at
Wednesday's meeting. The front boycotted the last elections, held in November.
On Tuesday, King Abdullah II fired his government and appointed Bakhit as the new
prime minister, bowing to the demands of protesters seeking political reform.
Jordan
has
been swept by demonstrations in recent weeks, following the ouster of former
president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in
Tunisia
and
the anti-government protests in
Egypt
and
other Arab countries.
A palace
spokesman couldn't be reached for comment.