US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1215

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/24/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, JO 
SUBJECT: DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, SAME CONCLUSION:  THE USG 
MUST PUSH NOW TO SOLVE THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM.  REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY.  On February 24th PolOff met together with 
former senator Hosni Ayesh, a Palestinian-Jordanian, and 
former parliamentarian Dr. Ahmad Ennab, an East-Banker.  The 
two men differed in their background, reasoning and style of 
discourse.  Both however, arrived at the same conclusion: 
The US should not expect support from the Arab world on 
anything, including a war against Saddam Hussein, until it 
moves forward to help achieve peace in the 
Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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AYESH:  GIVE US JUSTICE IN PALESTINE 
AND I'LL MARCH WITH YOU INTO BAGHDAD 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. (C)  Despite PolOff's attempts to discuss the newly-formed 
Center for Human Rights, Ayesh immediately veered into a 
twenty-minute invective on USG policy failures.  PolOff (and 
Dr. Ennab) were helpless to steer the discourse.  Much of 
Ayesh's commentary was polemic and ad hominem; why, he asked, 
are Americans not concerned that USG policy is now directed 
by former "Netanyahu hawks"; why are Arabs unsafe in America 
now with "thousands" rounded up; why not target the human 
rights record of Saudi Arabia before Iraq...  As the smoke 
cleared, Ayesh said he would gladly join an American army 
marching into Baghdad if America adopted a "fair" policy on 
the Israel/Palestinian crisis.  This, he exclaimed, is the 
view of most Palestinians. 
 
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ENNAB:  YOU WALKED ON THE MOON BUT 
NOW YOU CANNOT EVEN WALK ON THE EARTH 
------------------------------------ 
 
3.  (C)  Dr. Ennab delivered his arguments with composure and 
in a somewhat detached fashion.  America is the greatest 
power on Earth for many reasons, he said.  "You walked on the 
moon," he said softly.  But these days, "you cannot even walk 
on Earth without angering the rest of the world."  As Ayesh 
left the room to take a telephone call, Dr. Ennab told 
PolOff, "Personally I'm for the war.  We need the change and 
it would be probably be good for Jordan.  But, you'll never 
win the Arab street on anything, not even on support against 
a guy like Saddam, until you work out the Palestinian 
problem."  Palestinians care about their brethren while other 
Arabs care about refugee inflows resulting from Israeli 
polices, he said.  He noted that while Saddam is not popular, 
the Iraqi regime has effectively managed to convey support 
for Palestinians while portraying itself as a "victim" of the 
very same western "humiliation" that has beset the 
Palestinians.  The result here is a shift in focus away from 
Saddam's crimes and toward the motives of the USG. 
 
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COMMENT 
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4.(C)  Ayesh and Dr. Ennab, long-time friends, faithfully 
articulated their "East Banker" and "Palestinian" 
perspectives.  Despite different starting points, ultimately 
the two arrive at a conclusion which is held nearly 
universally here:  the US must move forward on the 
Israeli/Palestinian crisis before it will be able to quell 
growing anti-American sentiment, much less win acceptance of 
the need for military action in Iraq. 
 
5. (C) BIO NOTES.  Hosni Ayesh is a former senator originally 
from Nablus.  Prior to his appointment to the senate he was a 
teacher (in Nablus), lecturer and author of many articles and 
a book on democracy in the Arab world.  On February 18, he 
was selected to be on the Council of Trustees for the newly 
formed National Center for Human Rights.  Ayesh occasionally 
appears on Al-Jazeera and contributes to Al-Rai newspaper. 
He pushed his points aggressively with PolOff.  Dr. Ennab is 
an East-Banker and former parliamentarian from Ajlun.  He is 
now a retired dermatologist, and is a long-time embassy 
contact.  Dr. Ennab was composed, willing to listen, and more 
at ease when discussing the controversial topics of Iraq and 
the Israel/Palestinian conflict. 
GNEHM