Balqa, Nov. 2 (Petra) -- Community leaders and public figures in Balqa Governorate said His Majesty King Abdullah II's Speech from the Throne at the opening of the third ordinary session of the 20th Parliament outlined a roadmap for strengthening Jordan's resilience and conveyed important messages on a wide range of national issues.

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), they said the Speech from the Throne underscored that Jordan's strength rests not only on its institutional and military capabilities but, above all, on the unity of its people, the cohesion of its domestic front, public awareness, and citizens' ability to confront challenges with a strong sense of responsibility and belonging.

They added that the speech delivered clear political, national, and economic messages that went beyond the traditional framework to establish a roadmap for the next phase and provide direct guidance to state institutions on national priorities. These include combating terrorism, strengthening the rule of law, achieving water and food security, accelerating economic modernization, improving living standards, and upholding Jordan's established position on the Palestinian cause.

Ahmad Al-Ajlouni, president of Al-Balqa Applied University, said the Speech from the Throne carried profound national messages affirming that popular solidarity and domestic unity constitute the first line of defense against regional crises and challenges. Jordan's real strength, he said, derives from the awareness and cohesion of its people and their rallying around the Hashemite leadership and state institutions.

He said the king's reference to the sacrifices of the Karak martyrs and his description of their blood as a trust borne by all Jordanians reflected a shared national responsibility to protect the country and safeguard its security and stability.

Combating terrorism, he added, requires more than security measures; it also calls for heightened public awareness and a national culture that rejects extremism and division.

Al-Ajlouni stressed the importance of entrenching the rule of law and applying it equally to everyone without exception as a guarantee of justice and equality and a means of strengthening public trust in state institutions.

He said Jordanian universities have a fundamental responsibility to translate the speech's messages into greater awareness and positive conduct among young people while promoting citizenship, dialogue, and acceptance of differing opinions.

Retired Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Fahad said Jordanians' solidarity behind their Hashemite leadership and their confidence in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security agencies were national assets that strengthened the country's ability to confront various challenges.

Citizens' responsibilities, he said, are no less important than those of security institutions, as public awareness and vigilance are essential to protecting society and maintaining stability. The Speech from the Throne, he added, presented a comprehensive vision for safeguarding Jordan's supreme interests and countering attempts to undermine its security and stability.

Retired Maj. Gen. Nasser Al-Manaseer described the speech as a roadmap for the Jordanian state at a sensitive security and regional juncture, noting that security issues featured prominently in light of terrorist threats and challenges targeting the country's security and stability.

He said the king's emphasis on the role of the armed forces and security agencies reflected their central importance in protecting Jordan's security and stability.

Al-Manaseer added that the Palestinian cause and Israel's expansionist ambitions were integral to the regional security equation and had direct implications for Jordan's national security.

The rule of law, combating corruption and strengthening economic justice, he said, were all pillars of comprehensive security, in which social stability is inseparable from security and military preparedness.

Ghassan Al-Tal said the Speech from the Throne conveyed critically important national messages amid the sensitive regional and international circumstances facing the region. The King, he said, stressed the need to strengthen domestic cohesion and protect the national front as the cornerstone of confronting challenges and attempts to threaten Jordan's security and stability.

Al-Tal said both chambers of Parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate, bore a major responsibility to translate the royal directives into legislation and national programs that advance political reform, encourage young people's participation in party and political life, and create opportunities for parties with realistic programs capable of offering solutions and driving positive change.

Ziad Al-Samardali, chairman of the Balqa Governorate Council committee, said the Speech from the Throne reaffirmed Jordan's established national principles and outlined the responsibilities facing the country at a critical stage.

He said genuine development should not be measured by figures and reports alone but by tangible improvements in citizens' living standards and access to employment, education, healthcare, and public services.

Al-Samardali highlighted the importance of economic modernization projects and strengthening water security as a strategic necessity affecting both the present and the future of coming generations.

Parliamentary and administrative responsibilities, he said, must be guided by service to citizens and the prioritization of the public interest.

Muhannad Al-Faouri, director of the All Jordan Youth Commission (AJYC) in Balqa, said the king's speech was exceptional in its messages, setting out clear priorities for the next phase and providing explicit guidance to the government and state institutions.

He highlighted the royal directives on water and food security, stressing the need to develop sustainable programs and projects to safeguard the rights of future generations and implement strategic initiatives that directly improve citizens' lives.

//Petra// AF