US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2957

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, KPAL, PREL, PGOV, PTER, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIANS REACT TO RANTISSI KILLING 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 2395 
     B. AMMAN 2170 
     C. AMMAN 2882 
 
Classified By: CDA David M. Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) King Abdullah and the GOJ strongly condemned the 
Israeli killing of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi, stating 
that the move would only lead to more violence and anger in 
the region.  A spontaneous demonstration erupted at the Baqaa 
refugee camp shortly after news of the killing broke, but no 
violence was reported.  The Muslim Brotherhood and the 
Islamic Action Front promised to organize several events to 
protest Rantissi's assassination, the first being a march 
April 17 in Amman following afternoon prayers.  Public 
security forces plan to allow Jordanians to express their 
anger through peaceful demonstrations, but will not tolerate 
violence.  Press reaction was muted since the late hour of 
the killing precluded editorial comment.  Embassy contacts 
voiced frustration over the attack and warned that the 
Jordanian public is increasingly blaming the U.S. for 
Israel's targeted killings.  End Summary. 
 
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KING, GOJ CONDEMN KILLING 
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2.  (U) In a press statement released from Los Angeles, where 
he is currently visiting, King Abdullah strongly denounced 
Israel's attack against Rantissi, describing the killing as a 
"crime" that reflects Israel's "policy of arrogance."  The 
King warned that this latest action would breed even greater 
violence and instability in the region and further undermine 
the peace process.  GOJ Minister and Government Spokesperson 
Asma Khader similarly rejected "Israel's policy of military 
escalation and assassination of Palestinians."  She stressed 
that the Rantissi killing was a "heinous" violation of 
international conventions that would "only lead to more rage, 
violence and bloodshed in the region." 
 
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JORDANIANS PROTEST IN CAMPS, STREET MARCHES 
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3.  (C) Shortly after news broke of Rantissi's killing, 
spontaneous protests erupted at the Baqaa refugee camp, the 
scene of violent demonstrations following the Israeli killing 
of Hamas founder Sheikh Yassin (see refs a, b).  According to 
the head of the Public Security Directorate (PSD), a "few 
hundred young people" initially gathered together to chant 
slogans against Israel and the U.S.  Others later joined them 
to march through the camp and burn Israeli and U.S. flags, 
but no violence was reported. 
 
4.  (U) A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its 
political wing, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), announced 
that the two organizations would organize several events to 
protest the Rantissi killing, the first being a march 
following afternoon prayers April 17 in downtown Amman.  The 
MB also declared that it would receive official "condolence 
calls" on April 18 and 19.  A peaceful public rally marked by 
fiery pro-Palestinian political speeches took place April 17 
outside the Professional Associations building. 
 
5.  (C) The PSD has informed the Embassy that, although it 
does not plan to approve permits for protests, it will 
nonetheless not interfere with peaceful demonstrations to 
allow Jordanians to vent their anger.  (Comment: The PSD 
successfully followed this tactic in the aftermath of the 
Sheikh Yassin killing.)  The MB claimed in a statement that 
Acting Minister of Interior Amjad Majali called the MB 
Controller General to say that the government would help 
"facilitate" public expression against Rantissi's 
assassination.  The PSD has assured us, however, that it will 
not tolerate acts of violence. 
 
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A QUIET PRESS ... FOR NOW 
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6.  (U) Due to the late hour of the Israeli attack against 
Rantissi, the Jordanian press on April 17 carried only 
factual accounts of the killing with no real editorial 
comment or opinion pieces.  The major Arabic daily Al Arab Al 
Yawm carried the headline "Israel Assassinates Al Rantissi 
with an American Green Light."  The written media will 
undoubtedly provide a wealth of (negative) commentary 
starting in April 18 editions. 
 
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CONTACTS EXPRESS MOUNTING FRUSTRATION 
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7.  (C) Embassy contacts have uniformly condemned the 
killing, not out of love for Hamas, but for its potential to 
generate more violence and instability in the region.  Jamal 
Tahat Director of Research at the National Defense College, 
said that the Israeli action ended any chance of restraining 
Hamas and feared that Hamas may seek to retaliate outside of 
Israel and the Occupied Territories, including against U.S. 
targets.  Dr. Fawzi Samhoury, a human rights activist, warned 
that the killing would only increase Hamas determination and 
the Palestinian public's support for violent resistance. 
Noting the popular perception that the U.S. has given Israel 
free rein to kill militants, he questioned, "How can you say 
that Israel acted in self-defense and then ask why people 
here hate the U.S.?" 
 
8.  (C) In a related note, female member of Parliament 
Nariman Rousan (East Banker, Irbid-5th District) called April 
18 to express her disgust at the assassination of Rantissi 
and to cancel her meeting with PolOff.  She said that she 
could no longer meet with anyone from the Embassy because of 
"what you people are doing." 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C) It is too early to know whether Rantissi's killing 
will provoke as pronounced a reaction in Jordan as Israel's 
attack against Sheikh Yassin.  The GOJ will likely continue 
its strategy of selectively "joining in" protests, either 
through official statements or participation in events by 
government officials, to emphasize its solidarity with the 
public and to head off demands that it take political action 
against Israel.  Anger at the U.S., especially after the 
recent summit between President Bush and Israeli PM Sharon in 
Washington (see ref c), will likely grow as Jordanians 
increasingly blame the U.S. for giving Israel carte blanche 
to engage in targeted killings. 
 
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. 
HALE