US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6742

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006742 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, KISL, ASEC, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATORS DENOUNCE "THREAT" TO AL AQSA 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) Summary. Around 1000 Jordanians peacefully marched in 
Amman on August 19 to "defend" the Al Aqsa Mosque in 
Jerusalem. The demonstrators, who had received GOJ approval 
for the event, shouted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans 
in addition to condemning the U.S. presence in Iraq. A 
smaller protest took place the same day in Irbid. End Summary. 
 
2. (U) A peaceful demonstration "in defense of the Al Aqsa 
Mosque" took place in downtown Amman on Friday, August 19, 
following noon prayers. According to press reports, more than 
1,200 Jordanians took part in the march, though Jordanian 
Public Security Directorate (PSD) sources say the number was 
closer to 1,000. Organized by the Opposition Parties' Higher 
Coordination Committee (which is dominated by the Islamic 
Action Front), the protest began at the Al Husseini Mosque 
and ended at the Greater Amman Municipality building, lasting 
around one hour. The governor of Amman originally denied a 
permit request for the event for "technical reasons", but 
permission was eventually granted after organizers filed a 
second request. 
 
3. (U) The timing of the march coincided with the 36th 
anniversary of an attempt by Israeli extremists to burn down 
the Al Aqsa Mosque on August 21, 1969. The demonstrators 
carried banners and chanted slogans demanding that the mosque 
be protected from alleged plans by extremists to demolish it 
and build a Jewish temple on the site. Some of the banners 
read "No Normalization with Zionism", "Down With Israel and 
America", "No to Zionists' Embassies on Islamic Grounds", 
"Long Life for Palestinians and Iraqis", and "No to Americans 
in Iraq". 
 
4. (U) During the march, Fuad Dabour, Secretary General of 
the small Baath Arab Progressive Party, reportedly called for 
unified Arab efforts to counter "imminent threats" to 
Jerusalem and its holy sites. 
 
5. (U) Not to be left out, about 600 residents and supporters 
of the Islamic Action Front (IAF) in the northern city of 
Irbid held a peaceful rally on Friday night to mark the 
Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Two IAF leaders addressed the 
crowd during the event, calling the disengagement from Gaza a 
result of the "continued resistance of the Palestinian troops 
against the Zionist enemy". According to PSD sources, they 
also warned the Israelis not to take any action against the 
Al Aqsa Mosque. 
 
6. (SBU) There were no arrests or injuries at either 
demonstration, according to the PSD. GOJ authorities closely 
monitored the events and had provided post with advance 
notice of both marches. 
 
7. (C) COMMENT: The organizers of the marches wisely couched 
their events as demonstrations in defense of a revered 
Islamic holy site rather than a protest against Israel, 
making it difficult for the GOJ to deny their permit request. 
The Islamists and other oppositionists then predictably used 
the march to also attack two of their favorite targets: 
Jordanian relations with Israel, and the U.S. presence in 
Iraq. END COMMENT. 
HENZEL