ISLAMIC RADICALS ATTACK EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 004246


NEA FOR BURNS/SATTERFIELD
NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC RADICALS ATTACK EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
AT AL-AQSA

CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL DAVID D. PEARCE PER 1.5(D).


1. (U) EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AHMAD MAHER CAME UNDER
ATTACK BY ISLAMIC ACTIVISTS WHILE VISITING AND PRAYING AT THE
HARAM ASH-SHARIF ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 22. A VIDEO
SHOWS MAHER BEING MOBBED BY ANGRY WORSHIPPERS AND APPARENTLY
CHOKED BRIEFLY BY A CLOTH AROUND HIS NECK. WORSHIPPERS
REPORTEDLY THREW SHOES AT HIM, AN ARAB SIGN OF DISRESPECT, AS
HIS ENTOURAGE RUSHED HIM OUT OF THE MOSQUE. HE IS REPORTED
TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AFTER SUFFERING SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
SALAH ZUHEIKEH, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA) WAQF DEPUTY
MINISTER, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE ISLAMIC HIZB AT-TAHRIR
(LIBERATION PARTY) WAS BEHIND THE ASSAULT. THE PARTY
OBJECTED TO MAHER'S PRESENCE BECAUSE OF THE ALLEGEDLY
"UN-ISLAMIC" NATURE OF THE EGYPTIAN REGIME AND THE EGYPTIAN
GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO NEGOTIATE PEACE WITH ISRAEL. PA
PRIME MINISTER ABU ALA'A AND NEGOTIATIONS AFFAIRS MINISTER
SA'EB EREKAT CONDEMNED THE ATTACK, AND THE WAQF COUNCIL IS
PREPARING A SIMILAR CONDEMNATION.


2. (C) ZUKEIKEH TOLD POLOFF THAT THIS ATTACK WAS NOT THE
FIRST TIME THAT HIZB AT-TAHRIR FANATICS HAVE CAUSED A
DISTURBANCE ON THE HARAM ASH-SHARIF. WHEN JORDAN FINANCED
THE RENOVATION OF THE DOME OF THE ROCK TEN YEARS AGO, WAQF
WORKERS ATTEMPTING TO PUT UP A SIGN IN HONOR OF KING HUSSEIN
CAME UNDER ATTACK FROM HIZB AT-TAHRIR MEMBERS. AS IN THIS
INCIDENT, THE VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK WERE ONLY LIGHTLY
INJURED.


3. (U) COMMENT: HIZB AT-TAHRIR ESPOUSES A RADICAL PHILOSOPHY
WHILE PROMOTING SURPRISINGLY MODERATE MEANS. THE PARTY CALLS
FOR THE RETURN OF THE MUSLIM CALIPHATE, THE ABOLITION OF ALL
CURRENT "INFIDEL" ARAB REGIMES, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF
ISRAEL. NEVERTHELESS, THE PARTY REJECTS THE USE OF VIOLENCE
IN THE PURSUIT OF THESE GOALS. THE PARTY CLAIMS THAT THE
PROPHET MUHAMMAD DID NOT RESORT TO JIHAD AND VIOLENCE IN THE
EARLY DAYS OF ISLAM UNTIL HE HAD FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF AN
ISLAMIC NATION. ONLY THEN DID HE BEGIN THE JIHAD AND
CONQUESTS THAT SPREAD ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST. IN
KEEPING WITH THAT TRADITION, THE PARTY ESCHEWS VIOLENCE UNTIL
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROPER ISLAMIC STATE. ZUHEIKEH TOLD
POLOFF THAT, IN RECENT YEARS, RIVAL FACTIONS OF THE PARTY
HAVE EMERGED PUSHING A HARDER LINE THAT CALLS FOR A MORE
FORCEFUL APPROACH TO SPREADING THE PARTY'S MESSAGE. WHILE
THESE MEMBERS STOP SHORT OF TERRORISM, THEY DO BELIEVE IN
USING FORCE OCCASIONALLY LIKE THE GROUP'S FOLLOWERS DISPLAYED
ON THE HARAM ASH-SHARIF TODAY.


PEARCE