US embassy cable - 04AMMAN1390

UNCLAS AMMAN 001390 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PREL, KPAL, JO, IS 
SUBJECT: JORDANIANS PROTEST SEPARATION BARRIER 
 
REF: AMMAN 01260 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Protect accordingly. 
 
1.  (SBU)  Jordanians staged small and largely peaceful 
demonstrations in Amman on February 21 and 23 protesting 
Israel's construction of the security barrier in the West 
Bank.  RSO contacts estimate that approximately 300 people 
attended a two-hour candlelight vigil in Amman during the 
evening of February 21. 
 
2.  (U)  Timed to coincide with the opening of the 
International Court of Justice proceedings in the Hague to 
discuss the barrier, approximately 200 Jordanians on February 
23 staged a sit-in at the United Nations office in Amman amid 
heavy security.  The organizer of the protest, the Higher 
Committee of the Jordanian National Opposition Political 
Parties (among them Islamists and Communists) presented the 
head of the UN mission in Amman a petition addressed to UN 
Secretary General Kofi Annan condemning the barrier, 
 
SIPDIS 
according to press reports. 
 
3.  (U)  "We call on the ICJ in the Hague to show that this 
barrier is an apartheid wall and constitutes a danger to 
peace in the region as well as to the Palestinian people and 
Jordan," the petition stated.  Organizers also condemned in 
their statement Sharon's warning to Jordan for its 
anti-barrier position.  "We condemn the terrorist Sharon's 
threats to Jordan for its positive and effective stand 
against the wall." 
 
4.  (SBU)  Jordanian contacts of Palestinian origin say they 
are generally pleased with the GOJ's outspoken statements 
condemning the barrier and appreciate its advocacy on the 
issue (ref).  They note that the GOJ, which has appointed its 
ambassador to the UN, Prince Zeid Raad, to lead Jordan's 
delegation to the ICJ proceedings, has a strong security 
interest in advocating against the barrier.  Former Senator 
Husni Ayesh told PolOff that the wall is an effort to place 
Palestinians in a "ghetto-like" living situation that 
presents a humanitarian crisis that the international 
community cannot accept.  Another Palestinian contact 
Engineer Hani Abu Hijleh added that the Jordanian 
government's strong and public condemnation of the wall and 
its diplomatic efforts are appreciated by Palestinians.  He 
said that Jordanians will be following the proceedings 
carefully and, depending on developments, did not rule out 
more public protests. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  (SBU)  While further displays of public anger at the 
separate barrier are possible, we assume that they will be 
relatively small and peaceful. 
 
 
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