MULKI VISIT WARMS JORDANIAN-ISRAELI TIES; CALLS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001945

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL KISL PTER IS SY LE JO
SUBJECT: MULKI VISIT WARMS JORDANIAN-ISRAELI TIES; CALLS
AGAIN FOR SYRIA WITHDRAWAL

REF: A. AMMAN 909


B. AMMAN 1854

Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) During a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank
March 5-6, Jordanian Foreign Minister al-Mulki announced that
Jordan would "intensify its mediating role" between Israelis
and Palestinians. Mulki said the Palestinians agreed to
accept the dispatch of a Jordanian-trained Palestinian force
to bolster security in the West Bank. He told press that his
Israeli counterpart would visit Jordan in the coming weeks,
and that King Abdullah may consider visiting Israel.
Jordanian prisoners in Israel topped Mulki's agenda, and one
contact suggests a release could come as early as next week.
Mulki also reiterated during his trip Jordan's demand that
Syria withdraw from Lebanon. End Summary.

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JORDANIAN-ISRAELI TIES THAWING
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2. (U) Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani al-Mulki visited
Israel and the West Bank March 5-6 in the first visit to
Israel of a Jordanian foreign minister in nearly four years.
After meeting Abu Mazen in Ramallah, Mulki traveled to Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem for talks with Israeli leaders, including
Israeli PM Sharon, Deputy PM Peres, Defense Minister Mufaz,
and FM Shalom. Mulki told reporters after meeting Sharon
that Jordan would step up its efforts to mediate the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict and host meetings in the coming
weeks with Shalom and Palestinian officials. King Abdullah
also may consider visiting Israel, according to Mulki, but he
offered no timetable. "We have been saying for a long time
that we want peace for future generations. Today we say we
want peace for us first," he told reporters. "We have to
stop the terror right away, we have to make peace right
away," he said, adding that peace between Israel and the
Palestinians would quickly lead to peace for Israel with
other Arab states. "Everybody has to know that peace pays."
He said that during meetings with Israeli officials, he
planned to focus on how "to bring the peace treaty and the
agreements between Jordan and Israel back into action."

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IN RAMALLAH, TALKS CENTER ON SECURITY
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3. (U) After the meeting with Abu Mazen in Ramallah on
March 5, Mulki told reporters that their talks focused on
security cooperation. He said that the Palestinians welcomed
the dispatch of a 1,000-member Jordanian-trained security
force, known as the Badr Brigade (ref A),to secure areas in
the West Bank once Israel withdraws its troops. "It is a
Palestinian force and it is well trained," Mulki told a press
conference. "The Palestinian Authority would like it to come
back and we would like to facilitate that." (Note: Israeli
press reported that Sharon did not respond favorably to the
dispatch of the Badr Brigade to the West Bank, but that he
would permit PA security personnel to be trained in Jordan.
End Note.)

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PRISONER RELEASE IN THE WORKS?
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4. (C) Highlighting the thorn in the GOJ's side, Mulki
emphasized that the release of more than 20 Jordanian
prisoners from Israeli jails is a top priority. "There is no
bargaining over this issue," he told reporters. "You have to
understand they (the prisoners) are important to us and we
want to see them released next month or during this month,"
he added. "I don't think this issue should be responsible
for derailing our relations." No resolution was announced
publicly, but MP Abul Rahim Malhas (Amman-3rd District) told
poloff on March 7 that Mulki told him the previous evening:
"I will release the prisoners on March 14." Malhas said he
was taken aback by the Minister's use of the word "I," noting
that the Israelis (not Mulki) would release the prisoners.
According to Malhas, Mulki did not say how many prisoners
would be released, but it was clear that Mulki saw even a
partial prisoner release as a personal victory. Public
statements by the GOJ also suggested a release is imminent.
Spokesperson Asma Khader told reporters on March 7 that a
group of prisoners would be released "soon," and that the two
sides were talking about the arrangements.


5. (C) Prior to Mulki's trip, oppositionists were using the
prisoner issue to focus mounting pressure on the GOJ. The
Islamic Action Front hosted a press conference at its Amman
headquarters on March 1 to express solidarity with prisoners
in Israel who had started a hunger strike. Relatives called
on King Abdullah to intervene personally to secure their
release, and they criticized the current and former
governments for failing to act on this issue. The
spokesperson for the Families of the Prisoners Committee,
Saleh al-Ajlouni, highlighted alleged promises by former FM
Muasher not to return an ambassador to Israel until the
prisoners were released, and suggested that the families
would not squander Hizballah's offer to help secure their
release.

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STRONG WORDS FOR SYRIA
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6. (C) Mulki took the opportunity of his visit to repeat
his call on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. "Implementation
of the (UN Security Council) resolution (1559) should result
in a stronger Lebanon and a Lebanon that is undivided," he
declared on March 5. While applauding Jordan's support for
Lebanese sovereignty, some Jordanians criticized the manner
in which the message was delivered. Embassy contact and
businessman Wahib Shair, for example, criticized Mulki for
making the comment during a visit to Israel. He told poloff
that while a Syrian withdrawal may be in Jordan's interest,
saying so in that particular venue made it appear as if Mulki
was speaking on the Israelis' behalf. He also ridiculed
Mulki's demeanor during press appearances, saying the
perceived "chumminess" with the Israelis he displayed was
inappropriate given the current state in relations. Dr.
Husni Shiyyab, a professor at al-Isra University, expressed
disbelief to poloff at Mulki's approach, criticizing him for
calling for the implementation of 1559 while in Israel, but
not even mentioning resolutions 338 and 242, which call for
Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. Malhas, in
contrast, sought to defend Mulki, a personal friend, noting
that his casual, informal demeanor is a personal trait and
that no more should be read into it.

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COMMENT
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7. (C) Many Jordanians have come to view the
Jordanian-Israeli relationship through the prism of the
prisoner issue. The prisoners' families, backed by the
opposition, keep the issue alive; weekly newspapers regularly
display glossy photos of and features on the prisoners,
particularly the four accused of killing Israelis before the
peace treaty. The GOJ realizes that the average Jordanian
perceives little benefit in the Jordanian-Israeli
relationship, and the opposition effectively exploits this.
Charge will follow up this issue with Mulki and report septel.


8. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

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