INITIAL REACTION TO RETURN OF AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001137

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KPAL IS JO
SUBJECT: INITIAL REACTION TO RETURN OF AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL

REF: A. AMMAN 1099


B. AMMAN 1094

Classified By: CDA David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (U) Following the Israeli-Palestinian summit in Sharm
al-Sheikh, major Jordanian dailies on January 9 led with
generally upbeat headlines on the meeting and highlighted
King Abdullah's supporting role (ref a). Scant attention was
paid, however, to the announcement of the return of a
Jordanian ambassador to Israel. Leading editorial writers
briefly noted the diplomatic move in the context of summit
events but have so far offered little direct comment on the
issue.


2. (U) Critics of normalization with Israel did not let the
announcement pass unnoticed. Secretary-General of the
Islamic Action Front (IAF) Hamza Mansour publicly denounced
the return of Jordan's ambassador, saying that it ignored
"Israeli crimes" and constituted a "free gift" to Israel
without receiving anything in return. A self-described
spokesman for families of Jordanians imprisoned in Israel
stated that family members were "shocked" by the announcement
and that they condemned the GOJ's action (until the Sharm
al-Sheikh summit, the Jordanian government's public position
had been that the return of an ambassador was linked to the
return of some Jordanian prisoners held in Israel). The
coordinating committee of opposition political parties
criticized the decision as premature and unwarranted,
providing political gains for Israel without any benefit for
Palestinians or Jordanians. Jamil Abu Bakr of the Jordanian
Muslim Brotherhood was quoted by the Associated Press as
rejecting any ties with the Israeli government and claiming
that "Sharon's hands and teeth are dripping with the blood of
the Palestinian people."


3. (C) Several contacts told emboffs that they had expected
the GOJ announcement. Former member of Parliament and
Jordanian-Palestinian community leader Hamadeh Faraneh said
he believed that Jordan was "looking for an excuse" to comply
with Israeli requests for returning its ambassador and that
the summit provided "the perfect cover," particularly since
the Palestinians did not offer any objections. Ghazi Al
Saadi, Jordanian-Palestinian journalist and head of Al-Jalil
publishing house, downplayed the GOJ's decision, saying that
it was a political statement without any real impact since
communications between the GOJ and GOI had continued
uninterrupted over the last several years. Saadi said he had
earlier told an interviewer from an Israeli radio station
that he hoped Israel would respond and "show its good
intentions" by freeing Jordanian prisoners. Former
government minister and current president of Mu'tah
University, Dr. Suleiman Arabiyat, echoed the more positive
comments of some East Banker contacts in supporting the GOJ
announcement and expressing hope that it would strengthen
Jordanian influence in the peace process.
HALE