Thousands of Jordanians have protested after Amman raised fuel prices for the second time in three months. In a series of Saturday evening demonstrations led by the Muslim Brotherhood, Jordanians from Amman to the southern city of Maan rallied for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh for issuing a 10 per cent fuel price increase. The government said the price rise was necessary to help cover a record $US4.2 billion ($A4.1 billion) budget deficit it blames on years of electricity and water subsidies. Protesters targeted the royal palace, which they blamed for tolerating rampant corruption they say is the real reason for Jordan's economic crisis. "The royal palace is standing between the people and their rights," they chanted. During the rallies Islamists, leftists and independent activists called on Amman to roll back the decision, chanting: "Jordanian people, why are they draining us?" At the Interior Ministry, protesters and the Muslim Brotherhood claimed the price increase had been directed by the World Bank. "True legitimacy lies with the people and not with foreign agendas ... America did not protect [ousted Tunisian president] Zain Abbeidne or [former Libyan strongman] Muammar Gaddafi," said Zaki Bani Rsheid, deputy head of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood.
