INTERIOR MINISTER TAKES JORDAN'S ANTI-NORMALIZERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004629

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2014
TAGS: PGOV ASEC IS KPAL JO
SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTER TAKES JORDAN'S ANTI-NORMALIZERS
TO TASK

REF: AMMAN 4555

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

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Interior Minister Habashneh has strongly chastised
Jordan's professional associations for resurrecting the
previously banned "anti-normalization" committee that
advocates ending Jordan's peace treaty with Israel.
Habashneh also slammed the associations for attempting to
enlist Lebanese Hizballah's assistance in securing the
release of Jordanian prisoners from Israel. The reprimand
comes against a backdrop of high anti-Israel (and anti-U.S.)
sentiment in Jordan (ref). Repeated public demands by the
professional associations and Islamic opposition to cease
diplomatic relations with Israel have had little practical
impact, and popular demonstrations have had relatively small
turnouts. Apathy or a fear of retaliation from the security
services (or a mix of both) seems to be holding people back,
feelings that probably will intensify after Habashneh's
public tongue-lashing. The anti-normalizers' outreach to
Hizballah appears to have crossed a red line with the GOJ.
End Summary.

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INTERIOR MINISTER CHASTISES PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
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2. (U) In an unusual move, Interior Minister Samir
Habashneh called a meeting on May 26 with members of the
Professional Association Council (composed of the heads of
Jordan's 14 professional associations) to chastise "legal and
constitutional violations" related to the activities of the
Council's anti-normalization committee. The GOJ banned the
anti-normalization committee three years ago after it
published lists of individuals and businesses suspected of
having ties to Israel, but it has quietly resumed activities
in the past several months.


3. (U) Habashneh accused the committee of acting "as if it
was the sole trusted guardian of the interests of the country
and its citizens," according to local press reports. In a
reference to the controversial "black lists," Habashneh said
the group is not entitled to label people as patriots or
non-patriots at its convenience.


4. (U) He demanded that these institutions "post the
national flag on their headquarters and decorate the walls of
their offices with photos of the country's leader." His
strongly worded message followed a directive from Prime
Minister Faisal al-Fayez on June 1 to all official and public
institutions, civil society organizations, political parties,
professional and trade unions, and clubs to hang portraits of
King Abdullah and the late King Hussein in all offices.
(Note: Most GOJ buildings, businesses, schools, and NGOs in
Jordan already implement this practice.)


5. (C) Referring to the professional associations recent
efforts to enlist Lebanese Hizballah's assistance in
negotiating the release of Jordanian prisoners in Israeli
custody, Habashneh said the government is the "only party
concerned with this issue, and is exerting intensive efforts
to security their release." On May 31, FonMin Muasher
informed the Public Freedoms and Citizen's Rights Committee
in Parliament that an MFA delegation would soon travel to
Israel to deal with the prisoner issue.

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ANTI-NORMALIZERS BACK DOWN
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6. (U) In response to Habashneh's reprimand, the Council
members during the meeting promised that the
anti-normalization committee would no longer publish "black
lists," and that the Jordanian flag will always be hoisted
above their offices, according to press reports. They
assured the minister that their organizations were committed
to the stability and security of the country.

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ANTI-ISRAEL RHETORIC HAS LITTLE REAL IMPACT, SO FAR
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7. (U) The resurrection of the anti-normalization committee
and a campaign to collect one million signatures calling for
the abrogation of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty come against
the backdrop of growing public anger at Israel for its
heavy-handed tactics in the West Bank and Gaza (and at the
U.S. for not doing more to rein in Israel). The professional
associations and the Islamic Action Front have led the public
charge against Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and
spearheaded most rallies, but their efforts have had little
practical impact. Indeed, the rallies seem to be attracting
fewer participants and their public statements are starting
to sound like a broken record. Whereas protests after Sheikh
Yassin's assassination drew thousands, demonstrations against
the recent Rafah incursion drew small numbers of worshippers
to a sit-in protest on May 21. Approximately 1,000 marched
on May 15 marking 56th anniversary of the creation of the
state of Israel.

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COMMENT
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8. (C) Until now, the GOJ seemed content to monitor but not
interfere with the anti-normalizers' activity. However,
their outreach to Hizballah appears to have crossed a red
line with the GOJ, and probably was the main impetus for
Habashneh's public rebuke. The anti-normalizers' message
against Israel resonates with a significant portion of
Jordan's population, but Habashneh's warning on this issue
will help keep a lid on public anti-Israeli activism, at
least in the near term.

Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
GNEHM