US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6473

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006473 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2014 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: GOJ SPOKESWOMAN BRISTLES AT REPORTS OF ISRAELI 
OPPOSITION TO AMRAAM SALE 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (U) The GOJ reacted angrily to Israeli media reports 
August 1 claiming that Israel is trying to block the U.S. 
sale of AMRAAM missiles to Jordan.  Minister of State and 
Government Spokeswoman Asma Khader alleged that Israeli 
opposition to the arms deal was in response to Jordan's 
strong stance against the separation barrier being 
constructed in the West Bank.  Khader added that Jordan was 
interested in diversifying its sources of military purchases, 
a point made earlier by King Abdullah with Chinese officials 
during an official visit to Beijing.  End Summary. 
 
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UP IN ARMS OVER MISSILES 
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2.  (U) On August 1, Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the 
government of Israel was trying to scrap a U.S.-Jordanian 
arms deal to sell AMRAAM missiles for use in Jordanian 
airplanes.  Later the same day, Government Spokeswoman Khader 
denounced the alleged Israeli campaign against the AMRAAM 
sale, stating, "This is a Jordanian internal issue, and we do 
not accept any interference under any circumstances." 
Furthermore, although Haaretz claimed that the GOI was acting 
out of concern that a Jordanian AMRAAM purchase could lead to 
a similar acquisition by Egypt, Khader accused Israel of 
seeking to penalize the GOJ for its active stance in 
international fora against the Israeli separation barrier. 
 
3.  (C) In a conversation with EmbOffs on August 2, Khader 
said that she was particularly upset over a quote from an 
unnamed Israeli political source in the Haaretz article 
asserting that Jordan did not need advanced weaponry since 
Israel would come to Jordan's aid if attacked.  Jordan, she 
declared, was responsible for its own security and would not 
rely on Israel for protection. 
 
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GOJ LOOKING EAST? 
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4.  (U) In her August 1 public statement, Khader also 
announced that Jordan was interested in purchasing weapons 
from new sources, a point made earlier by King Abdullah on 
August 30 (prior to the Haaretz report) during an official 
visit to China.  Specifically, after meeting with Chinese 
President Hu Jintao, the King stated that Jordan intended to 
diversify its sources of military purchases and accordingly 
was looking at China given its advanced military industry. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  (C) Given the solid, strategic security relationship 
between Israel and Jordan, Jordanian officials will be 
confused and angry over active Israeli opposition to the 
AMRAAM purchase -- especially as they see Israel as a 
beneficiary of enhanced Jordanian air defenses.  Israel's 
stance will also be used by anti-normalization elements in 
Parliament to embarrass defenders of the Israel/Jordan 
relationship on the very point most frequently cited in favor 
of the peace treaty, its role in preserving Jordan's 
security.  Khader's unfortunate - and inaccurate - 
explanation of Israel's motives contrasts with that of 
Israeli sources, which have emphasized the concerns relate 
solely to fear that Egypt will be more likely to acquire 
AMRAAM if the Jordan deal proceeds.  This is another example 
of Khader's penchant for statements which fuel problems, 
rather than solve them.  She admitted to one Embassy officer 
on August 2 that she really didn't know what she was talking 
about when she responded on the AMRAAM issue -- a rare moment 
of accuracy for the spokeswoman. 
 
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. 
HALE