A royal decree was issued on Wednesday approving a reshuffle of Prime Minister Samir Rifai''s government where the following lineup formed the new ministers: Khaled Karaki, Minister of Education and Deputy Premier, Tawfiq Kraishan, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hisham Tal, Minister of Justice, Suhair Al Ali, State Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Ibrahim Omoush, State Minister for Prime Ministry and Legal Affairs, Ali Al Ayed, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications, Mazen Khasawneh, Minister of Agriculture, Suzanne Afaneh, Minister of Tourism, and Samir Murad, Minister of Labour.

The new ministers were sworn in before His Majesty King Abdullah II in the presence of Prime Minister Samir Rifai, Royal Court Chief Nasser Lozi, King''s Adviser Ali Al Faza'', King''s Adviser for Tribal Affairs Sharif Fawaz Bin Abdullah, and King''s Adviser Ayman Safadi.

King Abdullah II met the outgoing ministers, Nabil sharif, Tawfiq Kraishan, Maha Khatib, Ayman Odeh, Samir Masri, Jamal Shamayleh, Ibrahim Badran, and Ibrahim Omoush, and expressed appreciation for their efforts while they were in office.

The reshuffle took place in seven ministries where a new one was created under the name of State Minister for Prime Ministry and Legal Affairs that went to Ibrahim Omoush.

Prime Minister Samir Rifai has previously denied during a visit to Arab Al-Yawm daily newspaper on July 7 any intention to reshuffle the cabinet before the upcoming elections, yet, it seems it took place due to public and media pressure over the cabinet.