YASSIN ASSASSINATION SPARKS CONDEMNATION, RALLIES

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002170

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2014
TAGS: ASEC PREL KPAL JO KTER
SUBJECT: YASSIN ASSASSINATION SPARKS CONDEMNATION, RALLIES
AND LIMITED VIOLENCE IN CAMPS

REF: AMMAN 2156

Classified By: DCM David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b),(d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (S) Both King Abdullah and Prime Minister al-Fayez
publicly condemned the Israeli assassination of Hamas founder
Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, warning that the killing would lead to
an escalation of violence and instability in the region. A
visibly upset Foreign Minister Muasher complained to the
Ambassador that the Israelis had chosen to kill Yassin only
three days after the King's meeting with Israeli Prime
Minister Sharon. Approximately 800 persons each demonstrated
against the assassination at the University of Jordan and the
Professional Associations headquarters, while a protest later
in the day at the King Hussein mosque garnered roughly 2,500
Jordanians. A violent demonstration at the Baqa refugee camp
led to the closing of schools and government offices in the
camp, as well as the deployment of additional police. Public
security forces have been instructed to allow demonstrators
to let off steam, but to keep any violence from getting out
of hand. Embassy contacts outside the government have
unanimously denounced the assassination and warned of its
negative effects on the peace process, the upcoming Arab
League summit, and attitudes towards the U.S. in the region.
End Summary.

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GOVERNMENT CONDEMNATION
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2. (U) In a written statement released by the palace March
22, King Abdullah condemned the Israeli killing of Yassin,
saying "We are disappointed and pained by the new development
despite the relentless efforts that we have exerted with all
parties, including the Israeli government, to prevent
continuation of the policy of military escalation." The King
called on the Israeli government to return immediately to the
negotiation table with the Palestinians, while he urged the
international community to make all efforts to put the peace
process back on track. In a similar press statement, Prime
Minister Faisal al-Fayez called Yassin's assassination a
"crime ... committed against the Palestinian people" and "a
flagrant violation of all charters and norms." He further
warned that the killing would lead to more bloodshed and
undermine opportunities to achieve peace in the region.


3. (C) During a March 22 meeting with the Ambassador and
visiting Ambassador Dick Jones from CPA, Foreign Minister
Marwan Muasher was visibly upset as he briefly talked about
the assassination. He noted with bitterness that the
Israelis had chosen to kill Yassin only three days after the
King had met with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon in Israel
(reported septel),implying that this would embarrass the
King both in Jordan and the Arab world and fan more public
opposition to the government's policy of engagement with
Israel. "Jordan looks terrible this morning," said Muasher.
This act, he stated, would silence his efforts to ensure
moderate treatment of Israeli-Palestinian issues at the Arab
League Tunis Summit.
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HOSTILE PUBLIC REACTION
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4. (C) The Jordanian Public Security Directorate (PSD) and
mobile Embassy security units reported a non-violent
demonstration of roughly 800 students, academics and others
at the University of Jordan strongly condemning Israel for
its killing of Yassin. A similar rally of around 800 persons
organized by labor activists and opposition political parties
took place at the Professional Associations headquarters in
Amman. Roughly 2,500 people, some carrying HAMAS flags,
gathered later in the day at the King Hussein mosque in
downtown Amman for a march towards City Hall to voice their
outrage against the assassination. As a precautionary
measure, the Israeli embassy did not open March 22 and sent
all but three diplomats and security officers home to Israel.
That embassy will evaluate the situation over the next week.
(See ref for U.S. Embassy/EAC responses.)


5. (S) The most serious protest against Yassin's death
erupted at the Baqa refugee camp with reports of burning
tires and the smashing of vehicles. As a result of the
unrest, schools and government offices in the camp were
closed and the PSD sent in additional police to the camp.
The government also temporarily closed roads to Jerash, Irbid
and the Syrian border. Security officials indicated that
while public security forces will prevent any violence from
getting out of hand, they have been instructed to allow
demonstrators in the country to let off steam.


6. (S) According to the Jordanian military, military units
with back-up security responsibility for refugee camps have
been placed on alert, though none has been deployed. King
Abdullah was scheduled to attend a meeting at 13:00 at the
military general headquarters to discuss the security
situation.

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PRIVATE DESPAIR
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7. (C) Embassy sources outside the government contacted
March 22 all expressed sharp condemnation of Israel's action
and predicted that it could have serious negative
consequences in the region. One noted academic and media
columnist feared that it would provoke a hard-line stance in
the upcoming Arab League summit and increase hostility
towards Americans, as well as further damage any prospects
for Arab-Israeli peace negotiations. A former member of
Parliament who represented the Wehdat refugee camp in Jordan
called the assassination an "ugly crime" and said the
resulting mood inside the camp was "very tense."

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COMMENT
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8. (C) While there is little love lost for HAMAS in the GOJ,
nearly all Jordanians agree that the assassination of Sheikh
Yassin was unnecessary and escalatory. It is likely that we
will see more protests in the coming days, particularly after
communal prayers on Friday.

Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or through the
Department of State's SIPRNET site.
GNEHM