US embassy cable - 05AMMAN1945

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAL, KISL, PTER, IS, SY, LE, JO 
SUBJECT: MULKI VISIT WARMS JORDANIAN-ISRAELI TIES; CALLS 
AGAIN FOR SYRIA WITHDRAWAL 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 909 
 
     B. AMMAN 1854 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C)  During a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank 
March 5-6, Jordanian Foreign Minister al-Mulki announced that 
Jordan would "intensify its mediating role" between Israelis 
and Palestinians.  Mulki said the Palestinians agreed to 
accept the dispatch of a Jordanian-trained Palestinian force 
to bolster security in the West Bank.  He told press that his 
Israeli counterpart would visit Jordan in the coming weeks, 
and that King Abdullah may consider visiting Israel. 
Jordanian prisoners in Israel topped Mulki's agenda, and one 
contact suggests a release could come as early as next week. 
Mulki also reiterated during his trip Jordan's demand that 
Syria withdraw from Lebanon.  End Summary. 
 
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JORDANIAN-ISRAELI TIES THAWING 
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2.  (U)   Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani al-Mulki visited 
Israel and the West Bank March 5-6 in the first visit to 
Israel of a Jordanian foreign minister in nearly four years. 
After meeting Abu Mazen in Ramallah, Mulki traveled to Tel 
Aviv and Jerusalem for talks with Israeli leaders, including 
Israeli PM Sharon, Deputy PM Peres, Defense Minister Mufaz, 
and FM Shalom.  Mulki told reporters after meeting Sharon 
that Jordan would step up its efforts to mediate the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict and host meetings in the coming 
weeks with Shalom and Palestinian officials.  King Abdullah 
also may consider visiting Israel, according to Mulki, but he 
offered no timetable.  "We have been saying for a long time 
that we want peace for future generations.  Today we say we 
want peace for us first," he told reporters.  "We have to 
stop the terror right away, we have to make peace right 
away," he said, adding that peace between Israel and the 
Palestinians would quickly lead to peace for Israel with 
other Arab states.  "Everybody has to know that peace pays." 
He said that during meetings with Israeli officials, he 
planned to focus on how "to bring the peace treaty and the 
agreements between Jordan and Israel back into action." 
 
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IN RAMALLAH, TALKS CENTER ON SECURITY 
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3.  (U)   After the meeting with Abu Mazen in Ramallah on 
March 5, Mulki told reporters that their talks focused on 
security cooperation.  He said that the Palestinians welcomed 
the dispatch of a 1,000-member Jordanian-trained security 
force, known as the Badr Brigade (ref A), to secure areas in 
the West Bank once Israel withdraws its troops.  "It is a 
Palestinian force and it is well trained," Mulki told a press 
conference.  "The Palestinian Authority would like it to come 
back and we would like to facilitate that."  (Note: Israeli 
press reported that Sharon did not respond favorably to the 
dispatch of the Badr Brigade to the West Bank, but that he 
would permit PA security personnel to be trained in Jordan. 
End Note.) 
 
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PRISONER RELEASE IN THE WORKS? 
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4.  (C)  Highlighting the thorn in the GOJ's side, Mulki 
emphasized that the release of more than 20 Jordanian 
prisoners from Israeli jails is a top priority.  "There is no 
bargaining over this issue," he told reporters.  "You have to 
understand they (the prisoners) are important to us and we 
want to see them released next month or during this month," 
he added.  "I don't think this issue should be responsible 
for derailing our relations."  No resolution was announced 
publicly, but MP Abul Rahim Malhas (Amman-3rd District) told 
poloff on March 7 that Mulki told him the previous evening: 
"I will release the prisoners on March 14."  Malhas said he 
was taken aback by the Minister's use of the word "I," noting 
that the Israelis (not Mulki) would release the prisoners. 
According to Malhas, Mulki did not say how many prisoners 
would be released, but it was clear that Mulki saw even a 
partial prisoner release as a personal victory.  Public 
statements by the GOJ also suggested a release is imminent. 
Spokesperson Asma Khader told reporters on March 7 that a 
group of prisoners would be released "soon," and that the two 
sides were talking about the arrangements. 
 
5.  (C)  Prior to Mulki's trip, oppositionists were using the 
prisoner issue to focus mounting pressure on the GOJ.  The 
Islamic Action Front hosted a press conference at its Amman 
headquarters on March 1 to express solidarity with prisoners 
in Israel who had started a hunger strike.  Relatives called 
on King Abdullah to intervene personally to secure their 
release, and they criticized the current and former 
governments for failing to act on this issue.  The 
spokesperson for the Families of the Prisoners Committee, 
Saleh al-Ajlouni, highlighted alleged promises by former FM 
Muasher not to return an ambassador to Israel until the 
prisoners were released, and suggested that the families 
would not squander Hizballah's offer to help secure their 
release. 
 
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STRONG WORDS FOR SYRIA 
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6.  (C)  Mulki took the opportunity of his visit to repeat 
his call on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon.  "Implementation 
of the (UN Security Council) resolution (1559) should result 
in a stronger Lebanon and a Lebanon that is undivided," he 
declared on March 5.  While applauding Jordan's support for 
Lebanese sovereignty, some Jordanians criticized the manner 
in which the message was delivered.  Embassy contact and 
businessman Wahib Shair, for example, criticized Mulki for 
making the comment during a visit to Israel.  He told poloff 
that while a Syrian withdrawal may be in Jordan's interest, 
saying so in that particular venue made it appear as if Mulki 
was speaking on the Israelis' behalf.  He also ridiculed 
Mulki's demeanor during press appearances, saying the 
perceived "chumminess" with the Israelis he displayed was 
inappropriate given the current state in relations.  Dr. 
Husni Shiyyab, a professor at al-Isra University, expressed 
disbelief to poloff at Mulki's approach, criticizing him for 
calling for the implementation of 1559 while in Israel, but 
not even mentioning resolutions 338 and 242, which call for 
Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza.  Malhas, in 
contrast, sought to defend Mulki, a personal friend, noting 
that his casual, informal demeanor is a personal trait and 
that no more should be read into it. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (C)  Many Jordanians have come to view the 
Jordanian-Israeli relationship through the prism of the 
prisoner issue.  The prisoners' families, backed by the 
opposition, keep the issue alive; weekly newspapers regularly 
display glossy photos of and features on the prisoners, 
particularly the four accused of killing Israelis before the 
peace treaty.  The GOJ realizes that the average Jordanian 
perceives little benefit in the Jordanian-Israeli 
relationship, and the opposition effectively exploits this. 
Charge will follow up this issue with Mulki and report septel. 
 
8.  (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through 
the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. 
HALE