JORDANIAN STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST U.S.,

UNCLAS AMMAN 002426

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ASEC PGOV PTER KPAL IS IZ JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST U.S.,
ISRAEL, IRAQ



1. (SBU) Police contacts confirm that approximately 400
students at the University of Jordan in Amman held a
demonstration on March 22 to mark the one-year anniversary of
the death of HAMAS founder Sheikh Yasin. During the rally,
which was organized by members of the Islamic Action Front,
demonstrators burned the U.S. and Israeli flags. The rally
began at approximately 1230 and ended after one and a half
hours without incident.


2. (SBU) Arabic dailies al-Rai and al-Ghad reported that
this is the first demonstration at a Jordanian university in
six months. The students called on the Arab League to
respond to reports that Israel plans to establish new
settlements, and to an alleged plot by Israeli settlers to
"storm" the al-Aqsa Mosque. They criticized the burning of
the Jordanian flag in Iraq during recent demonstrations
there. They also called on university administrators to
"raise the ceiling" of freedom of expression and to open
dialogue with the students. According to al-Ghad, veiled
students wearing "military dress" led the march.


3. (SBU) Head of the university's Student Affairs
department Bajes al-Slaibi told reporters that the students
did not apply for a permit to organize the march, and that
the university will "deal with the participants according to
bylaws and instructions." However, an RSO contact informs us
that gatherings on university campuses are exempted from the
Public Assembly Law, which requires a permit before
organizing a public event. The source added that if the
demonstrators had tried to exit the university premises, they
would have been stopped by police.


4. (U) Minimize considered.
HENZEL