US embassy cable - 03AMMAN745

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000745 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: THOUSANDS OF JORDANIANS ATTEND PEACEFUL ANTI-WAR 
DEMONSTRATION 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM.  REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1.  (SBU)  On February 1, several thousand demonstrators 
participated in a short anti-war march through the Shmeisani 
district of Amman.  The demonstration, organized by the 
Opposition Parties Higher Coordination Committee, was 
approved by the government and proceeded amidst a large and 
visible police presence.  Press estimates of crowd size range 
from 3,000 to 10,000 (with embassy contacts reporting 3,000 
to be the more accurate estimate).  The demonstration was the 
largest since May 2002.  There were no reports of arrests or 
violence. 
 
2.  (SBU)  The demonstrators hoisted pictures of King 
Abdullah, Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein, chanted anti-war 
slogans and listened to anti-Israeli and anti-US speeches. 
Various media reports showed placards of Saddam Hussein 
hoisting an AK-47 or puffing on a large cigar, alongside 
signs which read "no to attacking Iraq."  Islamic Action 
Front Secretary General Hamzeh Mansour addressed the crowd, 
engaging in explicitly anti-American rhetoric: "Our message 
to the American administration and the Zionist enemy is that 
your war will not only be with Palestine and Iraq, but the 
entire (Arab) nation." 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT.  The march and rally were fully 
choreographed in advance between the GOJ and the rally 
sponsors.  While the rhetoric was sometimes heated (including 
calls for Iraq to strike Tel Aviv), the protest remained 
orderly and peaceful, and provided an opportunity for 
opponents of war to vent some steam.  While permitting some 
expressions of public dissatisfaction, the GOJ will likely 
continue to restrict permits for protests and carefully 
regulate those it does allow to go forward. 
GNEHM