US embassy cable - 04AMMAN540

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KISL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: ISLAMISTS RENEW DEMANDS TO CANCEL VISIT OF ISRAELI 
FM SHALOM 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 459 
 
     B. AMMAN 381 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for Reasons 1.5 (b), (d) 
 
1.  (U) In a statement released to the press January 20, the 
Jordanian Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of 
the Muslim Brotherhood, urged the GOJ to cancel the upcoming 
visit to Jordan of Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom.  The 
statement read, in part, that, "The announcement of a visit 
by terrorist Silvan Shalom, the foreign minister of the 
Zionist entity, to Amman is a provocation for every 
Jordanian.  We ask the government . . . to cancel this visit 
as a step towards closing the den of terrorists (the Israeli 
embassy) in Amman." 
 
2.  (U) The statement further denounced the "brazen threats" 
made against Jordan by Israeli Prime Minister Sharon on 
January 19, apparently referring to Sharon's statements to 
the Knesset that Jordan had "much to lose" if it pursued its 
vigorous opposition to the Israeli separation wall before the 
International Court of Justice (see ref a). 
 
3.  (C) Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher told the Ambassador 
on January 21 that he had been accused of treason during a 
session of the Parliament that day because he was prepared to 
receive Shalom in Amman.  Muasher said he had responded 
forcefully to these allegations and pointed out the 
importance to Jordan of its relations with Israel. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT:  The IAF has previously called for the 
cancellation of Shalom's visit (see ref b), but Sharon's 
statements criticizing Jordan for its legal opposition to the 
wall, as well as those of Likud hard-liners calling for the 
transfer of Palestinians, have added fuel to their fire.  We 
can expect the IAF to continue to capitalize on the current 
strain in Jordanian-Israeli relations in pursuing their 
campaign to sever ties between the two countries.  End 
Comment. 
 
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