US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2968

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002968 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ASEC, PGOV, PTER, PHUM, KPAL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIANS PROTEST REPORTS OF ISRAELI EXTREMIST 
PLANS IN JERUSALEM 
 
REF: AMMAN 2426 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (SBU)  Reports that Israeli extremists intended to enter 
the Haram al-Sharif over the weekend prompted public warnings 
from King Abdullah that such a move would spark wider unrest 
in the region.  GOJ officials say they are in close contact 
with Israeli counterparts to avoid re-kindling yet another 
cycle of violence.  Meanwhile, Jordanian students (organized 
by the Islamic Action Front) protested at several university 
campuses and refugee camps on April 10.  The rallies -- the 
second at the University of Jordan in less than a month -- 
ended without incident.  End Summary. 
 
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KING WARNS EXTREMISTS COULD WREAK HAVOC 
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2.  (U)  In response to reports that Israeli settlers 
intended to enter the Islamic holy sites inside the old city 
of Jerusalem, King Abdullah on April 10 issued a public 
warning that such a move would destabilize the region.  "Any 
...tampering with this sacred Arab and Muslim site will 
destroy security and stability in the region," the king told 
Jordan's official news agency, Petra.  His comments were 
featured prominently in local newspapers.  The King called on 
the Israeli government to prevent the Jewish extremists from 
approaching al-Aqsa Mosque, which is under the custodianship 
of Jordan.  He stressed that Jordan will continue contacts 
with the Israeli government to avoid any incident, noting 
that Jordan's peace treaty with Israel provides for Jordan's 
special role in preserving the holy sites in Jerusalem. 
 
3.  (U)  The King's comments followed remarks by an unnamed 
foreign ministry official published in papers on April 9 that 
Jordan was exerting all diplomatic efforts to stave off a 
crisis.  "The government, in line with its duties stipulated 
in the 1994 peace treaty with Israel, is currently trying 
through diplomatic means to prevent any harm to the holy 
sites of Jerusalem," the official said.  Meanwhile, during a 
meeting in Amman with his Palestinian counterpart Ahmad 
Qure'ia on April 9, newly-appointed Prime Minister Adnan 
Badran reiterated Jordan's support for the Palestinians in 
establishing an independent state. 
 
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IAF ORGANIZES ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS 
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4.  (U)  The Muslim Brotherhood's political arm, the Islamic 
Action Front (IAF), organized rallies to protest the actions 
of Israeli extremists at several university campuses and 
refugee camps throughout Jordan on April 10.  Demonstrators 
called for a severing of diplomatic relations with Israel, 
expelling Israel's ambassador to Jordan, and allowing HAMAS 
officials to return to Jordan.  (Note: Then-GOJ spokesperson 
Asma Khader told reporters at a recent press conference, in 
response to a journalist's question, that the GOJ is not 
considering allowing the return of HAMAS.  End note.) 
 
5.  (SBU)  The largest rally took place on the campus of the 
University of Jordan in Amman, when approximately 1,000 
students gathered at noon.  Jordan University witnessed a 
similar rally -- albeit not as large -- on March 22 to mark 
the anniversary of HAMAS founder Sheikh Yasin's death (ref). 
RSO contacts, who had monitored the rally, reported that it 
was tightly contained by Public Security Directorate (PSD) 
officers.  A front-page Reuters photo carried by the 
English-language Jordan Times showed PSD officers dressed in 
riot gear facing the demonstrators, who included male and 
female protesters.  The students shouted anti-Israeli and 
anti-U.S. slogans and burned the Israeli flag, according to 
RSO contacts.  The march ended peacefully after an hour. 
 
6.  (SBU)  Meanwhile, two hundreds students rallied at the 
Applied Science University in Amman, and approximately 60 
students gathered at al-Baqa'a refugee camp north of the 
capital.  No violence or arrests were reported during the 
demonstrations, according to the PSD.  Local papers also 
reported demonstrations at Mu'tah University in the southern 
town of Karak as well as Zarqa National University.  Police 
contacts confirmed that the governor of Irbid refused 
permission for a march that was intended to begin after 
Friday prayers on April 8 outside the main mosque in downtown 
Irbid. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (C)  Jordanian authorities view student demonstrations, 
carefully monitored by security services, as a relatively 
safe outlet of expression for the widespread frustration 
Jordanians feel on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.  In the 
aftermath of the GOJ's controversial crackdown on (anti-U.S., 
anti-Israel) political activity by the professional 
associations in recent months, and sensitive to international 
criticism of its hard-line approach to public gatherings, the 
GOJ may have decided to take a more measured -- albeit 
controlled -- approach to this week's rallies.   Jordanian 
authorities tell us that permits are not required for 
demonstrations held on university campuses, as long as they 
stay within the university's confines.  We expect that if 
there is an attempt to move rallies beyond the campuses, they 
will be blocked. 
 
8.  (U)  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