US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2170

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002170 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, PREL, KPAL, JO, KTER 
SUBJECT: YASSIN ASSASSINATION SPARKS CONDEMNATION, RALLIES 
AND LIMITED VIOLENCE IN CAMPS 
 
REF: AMMAN 2156 
 
Classified By: DCM David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b), (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (S) Both King Abdullah and Prime Minister al-Fayez 
publicly condemned the Israeli assassination of Hamas founder 
Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, warning that the killing would lead to 
an escalation of violence and instability in the region.  A 
visibly upset Foreign Minister Muasher complained to the 
Ambassador that the Israelis had chosen to kill Yassin only 
three days after the King's meeting with Israeli Prime 
Minister Sharon.  Approximately 800 persons each demonstrated 
against the assassination at the University of Jordan and the 
Professional Associations headquarters, while a protest later 
in the day at the King Hussein mosque garnered roughly 2,500 
Jordanians.  A violent demonstration at the Baqa refugee camp 
led to the closing of schools and government offices in the 
camp, as well as the deployment of additional police.  Public 
security forces have been instructed to allow demonstrators 
to let off steam, but to keep any violence from getting out 
of hand.  Embassy contacts outside the government have 
unanimously denounced the assassination and warned of its 
negative effects on the peace process, the upcoming Arab 
League summit, and attitudes towards the U.S. in the region. 
End Summary. 
 
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GOVERNMENT CONDEMNATION 
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2.  (U) In a written statement released by the palace March 
22, King Abdullah condemned the Israeli killing of Yassin, 
saying "We are disappointed and pained by the new development 
despite the relentless efforts that we have exerted with all 
parties, including the Israeli government, to prevent 
continuation of the policy of military escalation."  The King 
called on the Israeli government to return immediately to the 
negotiation table with the Palestinians, while he urged the 
international community to make all efforts to put the peace 
process back on track.  In a similar press statement, Prime 
Minister Faisal al-Fayez called Yassin's assassination a 
"crime ... committed against the Palestinian people" and "a 
flagrant violation of all charters and norms."  He further 
warned that the killing would lead to more bloodshed and 
undermine opportunities to achieve peace in the region. 
 
3.  (C) During a March 22 meeting with the Ambassador and 
visiting Ambassador Dick Jones from CPA, Foreign Minister 
Marwan Muasher was visibly upset as he briefly talked about 
the assassination.  He noted with bitterness that the 
Israelis had chosen to kill Yassin only three days after the 
King had met with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon in Israel 
(reported septel), implying that this would embarrass the 
King both in Jordan and the Arab world and fan more public 
opposition to the government's policy of engagement with 
Israel.  "Jordan looks terrible this morning," said Muasher. 
This act, he stated, would silence his efforts to ensure 
moderate treatment of Israeli-Palestinian issues at the Arab 
League Tunis Summit. 
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HOSTILE PUBLIC REACTION 
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4.  (C) The Jordanian Public Security Directorate (PSD) and 
mobile Embassy security units reported a non-violent 
demonstration of roughly 800 students, academics and others 
at the University of Jordan strongly condemning Israel for 
its killing of Yassin.  A similar rally of around 800 persons 
organized by labor activists and opposition political parties 
took place at the Professional Associations headquarters in 
Amman.  Roughly 2,500 people, some carrying HAMAS flags, 
gathered later in the day at the King Hussein mosque in 
downtown Amman for a march towards City Hall to voice their 
outrage against the assassination.  As a precautionary 
measure, the Israeli embassy did not open March 22 and sent 
all but three diplomats and security officers home to Israel. 
 That embassy will evaluate the situation over the next week. 
 (See ref for U.S. Embassy/EAC responses.) 
 
5.  (S) The most serious protest against Yassin's death 
erupted at the Baqa refugee camp with reports of burning 
tires and the smashing of vehicles.  As a result of the 
unrest, schools and government offices in the camp were 
closed and the PSD sent in additional police to the camp. 
The government also temporarily closed roads to Jerash, Irbid 
and the Syrian border.  Security officials indicated that 
while public security forces will prevent any violence from 
getting out of hand, they have been instructed to allow 
demonstrators in the country to let off steam. 
 
6.  (S) According to the Jordanian military, military units 
with back-up security responsibility for refugee camps have 
been placed on alert, though none has been deployed.  King 
Abdullah was scheduled to attend a meeting at 13:00 at the 
military general headquarters to discuss the security 
situation. 
 
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PRIVATE DESPAIR 
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7.  (C) Embassy sources outside the government contacted 
March 22 all expressed sharp condemnation of Israel's action 
and predicted that it could have serious negative 
consequences in the region.  One noted academic and media 
columnist feared that it would provoke a hard-line stance in 
the upcoming Arab League summit and increase hostility 
towards Americans, as well as further damage any prospects 
for Arab-Israeli peace negotiations.  A former member of 
Parliament who represented the Wehdat refugee camp in Jordan 
called the assassination an "ugly crime" and said the 
resulting mood inside the camp was "very tense." 
 
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COMMENT 
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8.  (C) While there is little love lost for HAMAS in the GOJ, 
nearly all Jordanians agree that the assassination of Sheikh 
Yassin was unnecessary and escalatory.  It is likely that we 
will see more protests in the coming days, particularly after 
communal prayers on Friday. 
 
Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or through the 
Department of State's SIPRNET site. 
GNEHM