Jordan's king turns 61

ALBAWABA - Jordan's King Abdullah II celebrated his 61st on Monday with messages of support by his wife, Queen Rania, and other members of the Hashemite dynasty, his loyal subjects and his traditional U.S. ally.

"There is no greater blessing than walking through life by your side," Rania tweeted.

She added that she was "grateful for you every day."

Jordanians also flooded the internet with messages of love for their king.

The U.S. Embassy also wished the monarch well. "We Wish His Majesty King Abdullah II, a happy birthday and many more to come!" the tweet read.

"May our friendship continue to blossom and bring prosperity and success to the people of #Jordan," it added.

Abdullah ascended to the throne on Feb. 7, 1999 following the death of his father, King Hussein. He vowed reforms to make Jordan a model of a flourishing Muslim nation, an example to others in the region and the world.

The monarch has since introduced legislation to encourage the country's once-banned political parties to have a wider role in decision-making.

Top on his agenda is woman and youth empowerment, as well as improved healthcare services and education for the kingdom's 10 million people.

Among his achievements is keeping his tiny nation an oasis for stability and security in the tempestuous Middle East. Jordan is sandwiched between hotspots like Syria, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Abdullah is a tireless peace campaigner. He is a strong proponent of Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking, hoping that the talks, which are now stalled, would restore the Palestinian right to independence and self-determination.