US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2426

UNCLAS AMMAN 002426 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ASEC, PGOV, PTER, KPAL, IS, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST U.S., 
ISRAEL, IRAQ 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  Police contacts confirm that approximately 400 
students at the University of Jordan in Amman held a 
demonstration on March 22 to mark the one-year anniversary of 
the death of HAMAS founder Sheikh Yasin.  During the rally, 
which was organized by members of the Islamic Action Front, 
demonstrators burned the U.S. and Israeli flags.  The rally 
began at approximately 1230 and ended after one and a half 
hours without incident. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Arabic dailies al-Rai and al-Ghad reported that 
this is the first demonstration at a Jordanian university in 
six months.  The students called on the Arab League to 
respond to reports that Israel plans to establish new 
settlements, and to an alleged plot by Israeli settlers to 
"storm" the al-Aqsa Mosque.  They criticized the burning of 
the Jordanian flag in Iraq during recent demonstrations 
there.  They also called on university administrators to 
"raise the ceiling" of freedom of expression and to open 
dialogue with the students.  According to al-Ghad, veiled 
students wearing "military dress" led the march. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Head of the university's Student Affairs 
department Bajes al-Slaibi told reporters that the students 
did not apply for a permit to organize the march, and that 
the university will "deal with the participants according to 
bylaws and instructions."  However, an RSO contact informs us 
that gatherings on university campuses are exempted from the 
Public Assembly Law, which requires a permit before 
organizing a public event.  The source added that if the 
demonstrators had tried to exit the university premises, they 
would have been stopped by police. 
 
4.  (U)  Minimize considered. 
HENZEL