US embassy cable - 05AMMAN4326

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, KISL, ASEC, ECON, JO 
SUBJECT: ISLAMISTS SCORE POPULIST POINTS 
 
REF: 04 AMMAN 8868 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (U) Jordanian Islamists have capitalized on the Koran 
desecration allegations and other developments to promote 
their agenda and maintain a high public profile.  They staged 
a peaceful demonstration May 27 against alleged U.S. 
desecration of the Koran, and publicly denounced the recent 
World Economic Forum as a tool to promote American and 
Israeli hegemony in the region.  Eager to be viewed as 
champions of reform and the disadvantaged, they have 
presented the GOJ with their own vision for social and 
economic reform, while Islamist members of parliament have 
rejected a controversial decision to purchase new luxury cars 
for MPs.  End Summary. 
 
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DEFENDING THE KORAN 
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2.  (U) Following Friday prayers on May 27, approximately 
3,000 demonstrators (as estimated by the Jordanian Public 
Security Directorate) marched peacefully from the Al-Hussein 
mosque near downtown Amman to the city's municipal government 
building to protest the alleged desecration of the Koran at 
the U.S. detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.  The protest 
was organized by the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the 
political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, and had been 
granted a permit by the governor of Amman as required by 
Jordanian law.  In addition to chants and banners calling for 
the "defense of Islam," demonstrators also yelled anti-U.S., 
anti-Israel and anti-Jewish slogans. 
 
3.  (U) IAF leaders, including six of the 17 IAF members in 
parliament, led the protesters in their march; several also 
gave speeches before the crowd.  IAF Secretary General Hamzah 
Mansour, for example, urged a boycott of American goods and 
demanded that Muslim detainees held in Israeli and U.S. jails 
be freed.  Other speakers demanded the expulsion of Israeli 
and U.S. ambassadors from Jordan and the withdrawal of U.S. 
forces from Iraq.  According to the Jordanian police, no 
arrests were made and there were no similar demonstrations 
elsewhere in the country. 
 
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BOYCOTTING THE WEF, CAMPUS ELECTIONS 
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4.  (U) Striking a similarly populist pose on another issue, 
IAF MPs announced May 16 that they were boycotting the 
opening and closing ceremonies of the recent World Economic 
Forum (WEF) at the Dead Sea.  IAF MP Zuhair Abu Al-Ragheb 
(East Banker, Amman), told the press that the decision was 
meant to protest the participation of Israeli politicians and 
business representatives at the WEF.  IAF Secretary General 
Mansour further denounced the WEF as a "tool to promote 
American and Israeli hegemony" in the region.  The attack on 
the WEF will resonate to the IAF's advantage among the 
working-class Jordanians, unfamiliar with the WEF's utility 
in attracting foreign investment, who view the event as a 
government-funded party for the jet set. 
 
5.  (U) Islamic groups also announced May 16 that they would 
boycott the elections of student councils at the University 
of Jordan campus in Amman.  The Islamists characterized these 
polls as "illegitimate" as only 50% of the council members 
are elected, with the remaining 50% (and the council 
presidents) appointed by the university administration. 
 
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REFORM ISLAMIC STYLE 
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6.  (U) Seeking to jump on the reform bandwagon, the IAF has 
presented a "comprehensive memo" to Prime Minister Badran 
presenting its outline for the reform of Jordanian society. 
Its vision of change includes the following:  implementation 
of Shari'a law, limiting the role of the security services 
and ending their harassment of citizens, a commitment not to 
raise fuel prices, a pardon for all those arrested for 
"political reasons," and the recall of preachers dismissed by 
the government from mosques.  The memo also stressed the 
importance of cutting relations with Israel and adopting a 
new, more democratic elections law by the end of the year. 
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BUT IT'S A BMW! 
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7.  (U) In response to a recent decision by the Lower House 
of parliament to purchase 115 new BMWs for the official use 
of MPs, the IAF formally announced May 25 that its MPs would 
refuse to accept the cars on the grounds that their purchase 
is a waste of public funds.  IAF MP Ali Abul Sukkar (West 
Banker, Zarqa) told the press, "We constantly urge the 
government to adopt austerity measures, and it would be 
contradictory if we accept to use these cars."  The president 
of the IAF bloc in parliament, Azzam Huneidi (West Banker, 
Amman), urged other MPs to follow their example and called on 
Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali to reconsider the 
purchase. 
 
8.  (U) Defending the decision to buy the new automobiles, 
Assistant Deputy Speaker Mohammad Arsalan (East Banker, 
Zarqa) noted that no money for fuel would be provided and 
that the purchase cost would be met by slashing 450,000 
Jordanian dinars from the Lower House travel and telephone 
budget.  Deputy Speaker Mamdouh Abbadi (East Banker, Amman) 
told the press that around 80% of MPs live outside of Amman 
and needed to travel back and forth to their residence every 
day, noting that other state employees used government-issued 
cars -- "why would this be any different?" 
 
9.  (U) The IAF's ostentatious austerity is not just a pose. 
IAF MPs are widely viewed as less corrupt than the average 
Jordanian member of parliament.  MP Raed Qaqish (East Banker, 
Salt), a Christian who has engaged in bitter media and court 
battles with Islamists (reftel and previous), told poloff 
"for all their faults, the IAF members are the only honest 
men in parliament!" 
 
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COMMENT 
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10.  (C) The Islamists remain highly effective at keeping 
their agenda in the headlines.  Press stories on the alleged 
desecration of the Koran, for example, gave them an 
opportunity to stage a demonstration that the government 
could not ban.  They then used it to slam Israel and U.S., 
gaining further positive attention from a public that remains 
deeply opposed to U.S. policies in the region.  They have 
similarly adapted their public message to the current 
spotlight on reform, emphasizing points that resonate with 
the Jordanian public (anti-normalization) and some that don't 
(imposition of Shari'a law).  Seeking to be seen as the 
champions of the poor and down-trodden, the IAF hopes that 
its defense of fuel subsidies and its stand against BMWs for 
MPs will appeal to ordinary Jordanians, most of whom, though 
pious, are still suspicious of political Islam. 
HALE