US embassy cable - 04AMMAN386

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000386 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN-ISRAEL RELATIONS IN NEED OF TENDING 
 
 
Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (S)  Recent separate conversations with the Jordanian MFA 
and the Israeli Embassy indicate that both sides are letting 
an accumulation of irritants affect the tone of the overall 
relationship.  We reminded both of the strategic partnership 
that is the base of Jordan-Israel relations, and reemphasized 
the importance the USG places on maintenance of good ties. 
We also suggested that, given the lack of progress in the 
peace process and Jordanian neuralgia over the separation 
barrier, a little tending of the garden might be needed.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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THE ISRAELIS:  A LIST OF COMPLAINTS 
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2.  (S)  Israel DCM Dany Nevo (protect) expressed to the DCM 
and PolCouns January 14 his concern that Jordan has 
subordinated its relations with Israel to the release of four 
Jordanians convicted in Israel of killing an Israeli soldier. 
 A Jordanian MFA team that visited Israel last week to 
coordinate the projected January 28 visit of FonMin Silvan 
Shalom to Jordan, Nevo claimed, had insisted on the release 
of the four and rejected a group of 18 other detainees held 
on criminal, visa, and security grounds.  Nevo said this 
attitude was symptomatic of a recent downturn in Jordan's 
interaction with Israel, including rejection of Israeli 
participation in a regional fencing competition (later 
resolved, see para 6 below), refusal of requests for senior 
level exchanges (he specifically mentioned the Planning 
Minister and Director General of Customs), and Jordanian 
parliamentary calls for abrogation of the Jordan-Israel peace 
treaty.  "Jordan asks us for prisoners, or for changes in the 
QIZ regulations, but wants to give nothing in return.  They 
take us for granted." 
 
3.  (S)  Nevo also expressed some frustration with his own 
MFA's attitudes toward the relationship, commenting that 
there is currently "no high-level constituency" in the MFA 
willing to address the slide in relations with Jordan.  Nevo 
concluded by describing the importance of Israel's relations 
with Jordan, and suggested that the U.S. remind Jordan of the 
importance.  The DCM agreed that Jordan-Israel relations, 
while currently strained, were strategically important to 
both sides.  Neither side should lose sight of the benefits 
of those relations.  For Jordan, that meant tending the 
relationship despite domestic opposition to relations with 
Israel based on the lack of progress in the peace process and 
popular perception of Israeli policies in the West Bank and 
Gaza.  Israel should understand that this situation posed 
some problems for the GOJ.  Meanwhile, we would continue to 
emphasize to Jordanian officials the importance we attach to 
the Israeli-Jordanian relationship. 
 
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THE JORDANIANS:  THEY'RE COMPARING US TO MAURITANIA! 
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4.  (S)  Ali al-Ayed, Director of FonMin Marwan Muasher's 
private office, relayed similar, mirror concerns about Israel 
to PolCouns in a subsequent conversation January 14.  Ayed 
said he had traveled to Israel January 12-13 to prepare for 
Shalom's Amman visit, and had met with Shalom and other 
senior Israeli MFA officials.  Ayed complained that the MFA 
presented him with a list of "PR demands" for Shalom's visit 
that contained nothing of PR value to the GOJ.  He posited 
that Israel might be delaying the release of the four 
Jordanian prisoners "until after they seal a deal on other 
releases with Hizballah," and complained about recent Likud 
party statements suggesting Jordan as an alternate homeland 
for Palestinians.  Saying that Israel "takes Jordan for 
granted," he described a conversation in which a senior 
Israeli MFA official had expressed to him "no concern" about 
Israel's relations with the Arab world because it enjoyed 
quiet contacts with "Morocco, Mauritania, and even Libya." 
If Israel puts its relations with Mauritania and Jordan on 
the same level, Ayed said, Israel is ignoring the concrete 
benefits it gets from cooperation with Jordan. 
 
5.  (S)  PolCouns reminded Ayed of the strategic importance 
of Jordan's relations with Israel, both for Jordan and for 
the broader region.  Jordan should not let irritants 
overshadow the importance of the relationship.  Ayed agreed, 
noting that Jordan hopes to use the Shalom visit and the 
expected Israeli release of 18 Jordanian detainees to put a 
more positive spin on ties. 
 
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ON FENCING AND THE FENCE 
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6.  (C)  One small bilateral irritant was resolved January 
14.  Nevo complained that the GOJ would not permit the 
Israeli fencing team to participate in a regional Olympic 
qualifying tournament in Aqaba January 15-16.  PolCouns 
subsequently raised the issue with Ayed, who said that the 
Jordan Fencing Federation had refused to register the 
Israelis because they were faced with boycott threats from 
six Arab fencing teams if the Israelis participated.  Ayed 
called back later on January 14 to report that GOJ 
intervention with the fencing federation had reversed the 
decision.  However, "they can't always expect help on fencing 
when they keep building the fence," he quipped lamely. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (S)  Over a period of months, the Ambassador has shared 
his "personal" concern with a number of senior Jordanian 
officials that both Israel and Jordan were permitting a 
variety of irritants to build up, creating a potentially 
negative environment in the relationship.  We have watched 
this trend develop with considerable concern. 
 
8.  (S)  Recently, both sides have shown heightened 
sensitivity to an accumulation of irritants in the 
relationship -- on Jordanian curriculum reform (ref), 
prisoner releases, and irresponsible statements from each 
side's political extremes.  We believe that both Jordan and 
Israel could do more to tend these issues in their relations 
and avoid unnecessary irritants, and will look for 
opportunities to emphasize the strategic importance of 
Jordan-Israel ties with GOJ officials. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET 
home page. 
GNEHM