US embassy cable - 03JERUSALEM4246

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 004246 
 
 
NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2013 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IS, EG 
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC RADICALS ATTACK EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER 
AT AL-AQSA 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL DAVID D. PEARCE PER 1.5(D). 
 
1. (U) EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AHMAD MAHER CAME UNDER 
ATTACK BY ISLAMIC ACTIVISTS WHILE VISITING AND PRAYING AT THE 
HARAM ASH-SHARIF ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 22.  A VIDEO 
SHOWS MAHER BEING MOBBED BY ANGRY WORSHIPPERS AND APPARENTLY 
CHOKED BRIEFLY BY A CLOTH AROUND HIS NECK.  WORSHIPPERS 
REPORTEDLY THREW SHOES AT HIM, AN ARAB SIGN OF DISRESPECT, AS 
HIS ENTOURAGE RUSHED HIM OUT OF THE MOSQUE.  HE IS REPORTED 
TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AFTER SUFFERING SHORTNESS OF BREATH. 
SALAH ZUHEIKEH, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA) WAQF DEPUTY 
MINISTER, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE ISLAMIC HIZB AT-TAHRIR 
(LIBERATION PARTY) WAS BEHIND THE ASSAULT.  THE PARTY 
OBJECTED TO MAHER'S PRESENCE BECAUSE OF THE ALLEGEDLY 
"UN-ISLAMIC" NATURE OF THE EGYPTIAN REGIME AND THE EGYPTIAN 
GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO NEGOTIATE PEACE WITH ISRAEL.  PA 
PRIME MINISTER ABU ALA'A AND NEGOTIATIONS AFFAIRS MINISTER 
SA'EB EREKAT CONDEMNED THE ATTACK, AND THE WAQF COUNCIL IS 
PREPARING A SIMILAR CONDEMNATION. 
 
2. (C) ZUKEIKEH TOLD POLOFF THAT THIS ATTACK WAS NOT THE 
FIRST TIME THAT HIZB AT-TAHRIR FANATICS HAVE CAUSED A 
DISTURBANCE ON THE HARAM ASH-SHARIF.  WHEN JORDAN FINANCED 
THE RENOVATION OF THE DOME OF THE ROCK TEN YEARS AGO, WAQF 
WORKERS ATTEMPTING TO PUT UP A SIGN IN HONOR OF KING HUSSEIN 
CAME UNDER ATTACK FROM HIZB AT-TAHRIR MEMBERS.  AS IN THIS 
INCIDENT, THE VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK WERE ONLY LIGHTLY 
INJURED. 
 
3. (U) COMMENT: HIZB AT-TAHRIR ESPOUSES A RADICAL PHILOSOPHY 
WHILE PROMOTING SURPRISINGLY MODERATE MEANS.  THE PARTY CALLS 
FOR THE RETURN OF THE MUSLIM CALIPHATE, THE ABOLITION OF ALL 
CURRENT "INFIDEL" ARAB REGIMES, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF 
ISRAEL.  NEVERTHELESS, THE PARTY REJECTS THE USE OF VIOLENCE 
IN THE PURSUIT OF THESE GOALS.  THE PARTY CLAIMS THAT THE 
PROPHET MUHAMMAD DID NOT RESORT TO JIHAD AND VIOLENCE IN THE 
EARLY DAYS OF ISLAM UNTIL HE HAD FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF AN 
ISLAMIC NATION.  ONLY THEN DID HE BEGIN THE JIHAD AND 
CONQUESTS THAT SPREAD ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST.  IN 
KEEPING WITH THAT TRADITION, THE PARTY ESCHEWS VIOLENCE UNTIL 
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROPER ISLAMIC STATE.  ZUHEIKEH TOLD 
POLOFF THAT, IN RECENT YEARS, RIVAL FACTIONS OF THE PARTY 
HAVE EMERGED PUSHING A HARDER LINE THAT CALLS FOR A MORE 
FORCEFUL APPROACH TO SPREADING THE PARTY'S MESSAGE.  WHILE 
THESE MEMBERS STOP SHORT OF TERRORISM, THEY DO BELIEVE IN 
USING FORCE OCCASIONALLY LIKE THE GROUP'S FOLLOWERS DISPLAYED 
ON THE HARAM ASH-SHARIF TODAY. 
 
 
PEARCE