US embassy cable - 03AMMAN7111

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2013 
TAGS: KPAL, IS, PTER, LE, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIANS, ISRAELIS FAULT THE OTHER FOR LACK OF 
PROGRESS ON PRISONER DEAL 
 
REF: A. JERUSALEM 03548 
 
     B. BEIRUT 04585 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Ghehm for reasons 1.5 (B, D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C)  Jordanian Foreign Minister Muasher on October 28 
publicly defended Jordan's as yet unsuccessful efforts to 
negotiate the release of 82 Jordanian prisoners currently 
held in Israel.  Muasher's public comment on this issue was 
partly driven by Hizballah's recent public statements that it 
is negotiating on behalf of the Jordanian prisoners. 
Privately, MFA officials blamed Israel for the stalemate, 
saying the Israelis needed to make a "political decision" to 
conclude a deal.  The Israeli Ambassador in Jordan complained 
that the Jordanians are "holding hostage" a potential meeting 
with the Israeli foreign minister over the prisoner issue. 
MFA officials also privately slammed Hizballah for attempting 
to advocate on behalf of Jordanian citizens, saying there has 
been absolutely no communication with the group on this 
matter.  They also confirmed that no Palestinian prisoners -- 
including jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti -- would be 
included in any Jordanian-Israeli deal.  End Summary. 
 
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JORDANIANS SLAM ISRAELIS, HIZBALLAH ON PRISONER ISSUE 
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2.  (C)  In a wide ranging press conference October 28, 
Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said the GOJ had intensified 
efforts to gain the release of 82 Jordanians currently held 
in Israeli jails and that he expected the efforts to bear 
fruit "soon."  However, the MFA action officer on this issue, 
Ashraf Zeitoon, told Poloff that Jordan had refused an 
Israeli request to meet on the matter unless the Israelis 
come to the table with a clear mandate from the Prime 
Minister to cut a deal.  Until now, it does not appear that 
the Israeli foreign minister has this mandate, he said. 
 
3.  (C)  Zeitoon denounced Hizballah's public statements that 
Jordanian prisoners were included in the prisoner swap it was 
currently negotiating with Israel (ref b), saying that only 
the Jordanian government has the right to negotiate on behalf 
of Jordanian citizens.  Muasher's office director Ali al-Ayed 
reiterated this point to PolCouns, saying that there has been 
absolutely no communication or cooperation between the GOJ 
and Hizballah on this matter.  Zeitoon also denied that 
Palestinian prisoners would be included in any 
Jordanian-Israeli deal, including detained Fatah leader 
Marwan Barghuti -- saying it was "none of our business." (ref 
a). 
 
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ISRAELIS COMPLAIN FM MEETING "HELD HOSTAGE" OVER DISPUTE 
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4.  (C)  The Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Yacov Handlesman 
complained to the Ambassador over lunch on October 29 that 
the Jordanians had effectively cut him out of discussions on 
the issue because the Jordanians have been dealing directly 
with Dov Weissglas in PM Sharon's office through the 
Jordanian Charge in Tel Aviv, Mazen al-Tal.  According to 
Handlesman, Muasher was not pleased with Weissglas's 
explanation that there are legal restrictions on releasing 
the prisoners, especially the four longest-held "murderers," 
as he put it.  Handlesman complained that the Jordanians were 
"holding hostage" a meeting between Muasher and the Israeli 
FM Shalom over this issue. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  (C)  Hizballah's public advocacy on behalf of the 
Jordanian prisoners put the Jordanians on the spot and 
probably compelled the GOJ to publicly tout its efforts to 
gain the prisoners' release.  The GOJ, which has stopped just 
short of conditioning return of its Ambassador to Tel Aviv on 
the release of the Jordanian prisoners, clearly is frustrated 
that its behind the scenes discussions with Israel to win the 
prisoners release have not borne fruit. 
GNEHM