US embassy cable - 04AMMAN9152

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 009152 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KISL, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN TO PUSH FOR INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF 
"AMMAN MESSAGE" ON MODERATE ISLAM 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) At the direction of King Abdullah, one of Jordan's 
leading Muslim clerics issued a strong message November 9 
rejecting religious extremism and terrorism while promoting 
principles of moderation, tolerance and dialogue.  The GOJ 
intends to host an international conference of Muslim 
scholars -- including from the West -- to endorse this 
message, though no formal planning for the conference has yet 
been done.  End Summary. 
 
 
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PROMOTING MODERATION, DENOUNCING EXTREMISM 
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2.  (U) On November 9, in the presence of King Abdullah, 
leading Islamic cleric and advisor to the royal court Sheikh 
Izzeddine Tamimi delivered a speech on Islam, dubbed the 
"Amman Message," at the Al Hashemiyeen mosque in Amman. 
Quoting liberally from the Koran, Sheikh Tamimi gave a strong 
message defending Islam as a religion of moderation and 
tolerance that embraces dialogue between different faiths and 
peoples.  He rejected extremism as a deviation from authentic 
Islam and condemned acts of terrorism.  Noting that some who 
claim to Muslims have committed "gruesome and criminal acts 
in (Islam's) name," Tamimi stated that Muslims are called to 
"demonstrate tolerance and delight in human life."  He 
specifically denounced assaults on civilians, the killing of 
prisoners and wounded persons, and the destruction of 
buildings.  Tamimi highlighted Jordan's historic role under 
the rule of the Hashemites in defending Islam and in 
promoting a true understanding of the faith.  In this 
context, he called for holding an Islamic conference to 
discuss and adopt the concepts included in the Amman Message. 
 
 
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PROPOSED CONFERENCE IN THE WORKS 
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3.  (C) In a meeting with Acting DCM on November 10, Sheikh 
Tamimi said that he had drafted the Amman Message in 
consultation with the palace.  He confirmed that Jordan would 
like to host an international conference to endorse its 
principles, but stated that no planning for this had been 
done yet, nor had invitations been issued.  Tamimi and his 
staff will be traveling to the U.S. in late November on a 
U.S. government-funded trip (i.e., the Stephen Cohen 
program), and will focus on organizing the proposed 
conference when they return to Jordan in December. 
 
4.  (C) Abdullah Woreikat, an aide in the policy office at 
the royal court, told Acting DCM November 10 that a committee 
of Jordanian Muslim scholars had drafted the Amman Message at 
King Abdullah's direction.  According to Woreikat, the palace 
hopes to gain international endorsement of the statement, 
with the King planning to personally ask other Muslim leaders 
to encourage their clerical establishments to give their 
stamp of approval.  Woreikat said that while the GOJ expected 
no substantive disagreement, there had been no coordination 
to date with Muslim authorities outside Jordan.  He also 
acknowledged that Al-Azhar and the Organization of Islamic 
Conference might not appreciate such a unilateral Jordanian 
initiative.  No plans had yet been made for an international 
conference, but Woreikat said the GOJ would push to host it 
in Jordan. 
 
5.  (C) Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Foreign Minister 
Marwan Muasher told CODEL Ackerman on November 11 that King 
Abdullah was worried that the "radicalization" of Islam by 
violent extremists was destroying Islam's image in the 
Western world.  The Amman Message and the proposed 
international conference endorsing it were intended by the 
King to be a "counter measure" against the extremist 
movement.  Muasher said the King hoped his status as a direct 
descendant of the prophet Mohammad would give him some 
credibility in promoting the conference, and that the King 
wanted Islamic clerics from Russia, Europe, and the U.S. to 
participate along with representatives from Muslim majority 
states.  Muasher conceded that securing cooperation from 
Saudi Arabia could be a problem given Saudi sensitivity to a 
Hashemite-inspired process, but said that the conference 
would proceed regardless.  He hoped the conference would take 
place in two to three months' time. 
 
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COMMENT 
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6.  (C) In Jordan as in most other Muslim countries, 
revolutionary Islamists, despite all the publicity they 
generate, are still far outnumbered by traditionally 
inclined, quietist Muslims, and by modernizing Muslims. 
Through the Amman Message and conference, royal support for 
the Al al-Beit Foundation, and similar activities, the King 
wants to obtain equal time for the silent majority in Islam 
that opposes radicalism.  He is also seeking to bolster his 
own credentials as a defender of "true" Islam against 
perceptions, indirectly fueled by Islamists and opposition 
elements, that he is abetting anti-Islamic U.S. policies in 
the region. 
HALE