JORDAN-ISRAEL RELATIONS IN NEED OF TENDING

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000386

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2014
TAGS: PREL IS JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN-ISRAEL RELATIONS IN NEED OF TENDING


Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (S) Recent separate conversations with the Jordanian MFA
and the Israeli Embassy indicate that both sides are letting
an accumulation of irritants affect the tone of the overall
relationship. We reminded both of the strategic partnership
that is the base of Jordan-Israel relations, and reemphasized
the importance the USG places on maintenance of good ties.
We also suggested that, given the lack of progress in the
peace process and Jordanian neuralgia over the separation
barrier, a little tending of the garden might be needed. END
SUMMARY.

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THE ISRAELIS: A LIST OF COMPLAINTS
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2. (S) Israel DCM Dany Nevo (protect) expressed to the DCM
and PolCouns January 14 his concern that Jordan has
subordinated its relations with Israel to the release of four
Jordanians convicted in Israel of killing an Israeli soldier.
A Jordanian MFA team that visited Israel last week to
coordinate the projected January 28 visit of FonMin Silvan
Shalom to Jordan, Nevo claimed, had insisted on the release
of the four and rejected a group of 18 other detainees held
on criminal, visa, and security grounds. Nevo said this
attitude was symptomatic of a recent downturn in Jordan's
interaction with Israel, including rejection of Israeli
participation in a regional fencing competition (later
resolved, see para 6 below),refusal of requests for senior
level exchanges (he specifically mentioned the Planning
Minister and Director General of Customs),and Jordanian
parliamentary calls for abrogation of the Jordan-Israel peace
treaty. "Jordan asks us for prisoners, or for changes in the
QIZ regulations, but wants to give nothing in return. They
take us for granted."


3. (S) Nevo also expressed some frustration with his own
MFA's attitudes toward the relationship, commenting that
there is currently "no high-level constituency" in the MFA
willing to address the slide in relations with Jordan. Nevo
concluded by describing the importance of Israel's relations
with Jordan, and suggested that the U.S. remind Jordan of the
importance. The DCM agreed that Jordan-Israel relations,
while currently strained, were strategically important to
both sides. Neither side should lose sight of the benefits
of those relations. For Jordan, that meant tending the
relationship despite domestic opposition to relations with
Israel based on the lack of progress in the peace process and
popular perception of Israeli policies in the West Bank and
Gaza. Israel should understand that this situation posed
some problems for the GOJ. Meanwhile, we would continue to
emphasize to Jordanian officials the importance we attach to
the Israeli-Jordanian relationship.

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THE JORDANIANS: THEY'RE COMPARING US TO MAURITANIA!
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4. (S) Ali al-Ayed, Director of FonMin Marwan Muasher's
private office, relayed similar, mirror concerns about Israel
to PolCouns in a subsequent conversation January 14. Ayed
said he had traveled to Israel January 12-13 to prepare for
Shalom's Amman visit, and had met with Shalom and other
senior Israeli MFA officials. Ayed complained that the MFA
presented him with a list of "PR demands" for Shalom's visit
that contained nothing of PR value to the GOJ. He posited
that Israel might be delaying the release of the four
Jordanian prisoners "until after they seal a deal on other
releases with Hizballah," and complained about recent Likud
party statements suggesting Jordan as an alternate homeland
for Palestinians. Saying that Israel "takes Jordan for
granted," he described a conversation in which a senior
Israeli MFA official had expressed to him "no concern" about
Israel's relations with the Arab world because it enjoyed
quiet contacts with "Morocco, Mauritania, and even Libya."
If Israel puts its relations with Mauritania and Jordan on
the same level, Ayed said, Israel is ignoring the concrete
benefits it gets from cooperation with Jordan.


5. (S) PolCouns reminded Ayed of the strategic importance
of Jordan's relations with Israel, both for Jordan and for
the broader region. Jordan should not let irritants
overshadow the importance of the relationship. Ayed agreed,
noting that Jordan hopes to use the Shalom visit and the
expected Israeli release of 18 Jordanian detainees to put a
more positive spin on ties.

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ON FENCING AND THE FENCE
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6. (C) One small bilateral irritant was resolved January

14. Nevo complained that the GOJ would not permit the
Israeli fencing team to participate in a regional Olympic
qualifying tournament in Aqaba January 15-16. PolCouns
subsequently raised the issue with Ayed, who said that the
Jordan Fencing Federation had refused to register the
Israelis because they were faced with boycott threats from
six Arab fencing teams if the Israelis participated. Ayed
called back later on January 14 to report that GOJ
intervention with the fencing federation had reversed the
decision. However, "they can't always expect help on fencing
when they keep building the fence," he quipped lamely.

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COMMENT
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7. (S) Over a period of months, the Ambassador has shared
his "personal" concern with a number of senior Jordanian
officials that both Israel and Jordan were permitting a
variety of irritants to build up, creating a potentially
negative environment in the relationship. We have watched
this trend develop with considerable concern.


8. (S) Recently, both sides have shown heightened
sensitivity to an accumulation of irritants in the
relationship -- on Jordanian curriculum reform (ref),
prisoner releases, and irresponsible statements from each
side's political extremes. We believe that both Jordan and
Israel could do more to tend these issues in their relations
and avoid unnecessary irritants, and will look for
opportunities to emphasize the strategic importance of
Jordan-Israel ties with GOJ officials.

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GNEHM