GOJ ALLOWS WEEKEND PROTESTS; QUIETER THAN EXPECTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005690 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2012 TAGS: PREL PREF ASEC KPAL JO SUBJECT: GOJ ALLOWS WEEKEND PROTESTS; QUIETER THAN EXPECTED Classified By: AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) -------------- FIRST RALLY IN MONTHS ATTRACTS SMALL TURNOUT -------------- ¶1. (C) The GOJ allowed--officially or unofficially--several rallies to be held this weekend, September 27-28, to mark the second anniversary of the beginning of the Intifada. These were the first protests the GOJ has allowed since April, when demonstrators threatened to march to the Israeli Embassy. The largest was a march sponsored by the professional associations and opposition parties that took place on September 28 and drew a crowd of roughly 500 protesters. The IAF mouthpiece Al-Sabeel reported that there were new GOJ restrictions enforced during the weekend's protests, including a ban on allowing foreign-based speakers to call in at rallies (probably an attempt to head off calls from Damascus-based HAMAS leaders). There were also several protests on September 27, mostly in the refugee camps. Attendance was surprisingly small at all the Intifada-related events. Although a few U.S. and Israeli flags were burned, security services reported no violence or clashes at any of the demonstrations. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶2. (C) The limited turnout for these demonstrations was due to Intifada fatigue, careful management by the authorities, fear of the GOJ's response, and a widespread sense of resignation--a feeling that public expression of political disaffection have very little effect on regional issues. Our contacts make it very clear that there has been no diminishment of frustration and anger felt by the great majority of Jordanians as the Israel-Palestinian confrontation has continued to deteriorate with little perceived intervention from the outside. GNEHM