US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6459

UNCLAS AMMAN 006459 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, JO 
SUBJECT: GOJ EASES PALESTINIAN TRAVEL FROM WEST BANK INTO 
JORDAN 
 
 
1. (SBU) In May 2005 Jordanian Interior Minister Awni Yarfas 
announced that the GOJ would no longer require Palestinians 
arriving from "the territories of the Palestinian National 
Authority" to present a Certificate of Non-Objection in order 
to be granted entry into Jordan.  The Jordanian Ministry of 
Interior's Inspections Department imposed the requirement for 
the certificate in 2000 shortly after the outbreak of the 
intifidah.  It appears that this measure was designed to 
control the number of Palestinians entering Jordan, and that 
the GOJ feared there would be a surge of West Bankers seeking 
refuge here.  Palestinians inside and outside of Jordan have 
long lobbied for elimination of the Certificate of 
Non-Objection requirement, but the GOJ resisted until the May 
announcement. 
 
2. (U) Rather than obtain a Certificate of Non-Objection, all 
Palestinians crossing into Jordan from the West Bank are now 
required to sign a document upon their entry in which they 
pledge they will return to the Palestinian territories upon a 
specified date of their own choosing.  Local media report 
that the Interior Minister has stated that the pledge will 
not be enforced with any penal sanctions; rather the 
government of Jordan will rely on the "good intentions" of 
the Palestinian travelers.  He also announced, however, that 
"administrative measures" could be assessed against 
Palestinians who stay past the date specified in their 
pledges.  (NOTE: Jordanian border authorities may still deny 
entry to Palestinians who they believe may pose a security 
threat.  END NOTE.) 
 
3. (U) GOJ statistics show that there has not been a 
significant influx of Palestinians to Jordan since 2000. 
Government figures prior to the May 2005 announcement 
illustrate that for each of the last two years, roughly the 
same number of Palestinians entered Jordan via the West Bank 
as departed.  The statistics for 2003 and 2004 follow: 
 
    2003 
      -282,010 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank 
      -281,218 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank 
 
    2004 (January 01 - November 30) 
      -383,421 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank 
      -388,689 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank 
 
4. (U) In 2005, contrary to expectations, more Palestinians 
departed the country than arrived. The statistics for 2005 
follow: 
 
     2005 (January 01 - June 04) 
        -144,493 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West 
Bank 
        -154,048 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank 
 
      (June 05 - June 30) 
        -56,059 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank 
        -67,108 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank 
 
5. (SBU) Comment:  Some contacts question the GOJ statistics 
as they believe the government is trying to downplay the 
number of Palestinians entering the country.  Despite the 
political sensitivities surrounding this issue, the change in 
policy has so far received scant attention in the press and 
generated little public debate. 
HALE