More than 100 Islamists were arrested for trying to fuel a strike after a cabinet decision endorsed a 12 to 65 per cent rise on a range of petroleum products.
"A work stoppage is a legitimate right and this is not meant as a confrontation with the authorities but as a protest against a decision that affects people's livelihoods," the head of the Islamic Action Front, Zaki Bani Irsheid, told reporters.
"This is a strategic move to end a large subsidy ... I know the decision is painful and the poor will suffer but we are concerned about helping them to cushion the impact," Prime Minister Marouf Bakheet told reporters.
Kerosene and diesel, used by a lot of households in Jordan for heating purposes, rose by a whopping 43 per cent.
The government has pledged it will give 62 million dinars ($87 million) to help low-income families deal with the increases.
