US embassy cable - 03AMMAN5699

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005699 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2013 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, PTER, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN OFFICIALS SURPRISED BY ABU MAZEN'S 
RESIGNATION, CONDEMN ISRAELI ATTACK ON SHEIKH YASSIN 
 
Classified By: Classified by: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D 
) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C)  Jordanian officials publicly and privately expressed 
their concern about the fate of the roadmap after the 
resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen and 
subsequent Israeli assassination attempt against senior HAMAS 
leaders in Gaza on Saturday.  MFA officials appealed to the 
United States to do more to rein in Israel to prevent further 
deterioration of an already dismal situation.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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JORDANIAN OFFICIALS: ROAD MAP IN JEOPARDY 
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1. (C) In the aftermath of Palestinian Prime Minister Abu 
Mazen's resignation and the failed Israeli assassination 
attempt of HAMAS leaders on Saturday, Jordanian officials 
publicly and privately expressed their concern about 
Palestinian disunity and the future of the roadmap.  Foreign 
Minister Marwan Mu'asher issued a statement on August 6 
calling on the Palestinian leadership to mend differences and 
to avoid providing Israel with an excuse to ignore its 
obligations under the roadmap.  Information Minister Nabil 
Sharif said in an interview that Jordan hopes "the 
Palestinians will put an end to their differences and close 
ranks," because such disputes "do not serve their interests." 
 Meanwhile, Mu'asher condemned the attack against HAMAS 
spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin in Gaza, describing it as a 
"serious threat to the peace process" which is "rejected 
regardless of the motives behind it." 
 
2, (C) Privately, Mu'asher's Office Director, Ali al-Ayed, 
told PolCouns and Poloff on September 7 that Jordanian 
officials were "shocked" by Abu Mazen's resignation, noting 
that it comes at a critical juncture in the peace process. 
He said that Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragib talked over the 
weekend with Abu Mazen, and that ForMin Mu'asher had called 
Nabil Shaath and other Palestinian officials, emphasizing 
that this development could jeopardize efforts to pursue the 
roadmap process.  He said that Jordan's message to the 
Palestinian leadership has been consistent and blunt: it must 
deliver on security.  Mu'asher saw PLO "Foreign Minister" 
Farouq Qaddumi in Amman on September 7.  Al-Ayed noted wryly 
that Qaddumi had provided a long historical review--"but he 
only made it up to 1973"--instead of engaging on ways to 
solve the current crisis. 
 
3. (C) Reflecting the Foreign Minister's public comments, 
al-Ayad deplored Israel's assassination attempt against HAMAS 
spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, noting that such 
attacks do not help Israel's security, much less the 
Palestinian Authority's political position vis-a-vis HAMAS. 
MFA official Ashraf Zeitoon, who follows peace process and 
Israeli matters, said that many Jordanians perceive that 
Sharon is ordering such provocative moves in order to 
distract from his own internal political problems. 
 
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JORDANIANS APPEAL FOR US ASSISTANCE TO REIN IN ISRAEL 
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4. (C) Al-Ayad said the Ministry has not contacted Israeli 
counterparts since the weekend's events, but that FM Mu'asher 
emphasized to Israel's new ambassador to Jordan last week 
(septel) that Israel must do more to sustain the roadmap and 
support Abu Mazen with concrete concessions so that he can 
adequately challenge HAMAS.  Al-Ayad appealed for U.S. 
assistance in encouraging the Israelis to stand down on 
future provocative actions in order to calm the situation. 
 
5. (C) Comment: Mu'asher's blunt and swift public 
condemnation of Israel's assassination attempt against Sheikh 
Yassin probably reflects the GOJ's anticipation of the 
outrage from ordinary Jordanians--regardless of political 
persuasion--about Israel's intensified assassination program. 
 While there certainly is no love lost in Jordan for HAMAS or 
its violent agenda, many here will consider Israel's attack 
on Yassin as deliberately provocative and reason to suspect 
that Israel seeks to undermine, rather than support Abu Mazen 
and other Palestinian opponents of violence. 
HALE