GOJ EASES PALESTINIAN TRAVEL FROM WEST BANK INTO

UNCLAS AMMAN 006459

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAL JO
SUBJECT: GOJ EASES PALESTINIAN TRAVEL FROM WEST BANK INTO
JORDAN



1. (SBU) In May 2005 Jordanian Interior Minister Awni Yarfas
announced that the GOJ would no longer require Palestinians
arriving from "the territories of the Palestinian National
Authority" to present a Certificate of Non-Objection in order
to be granted entry into Jordan. The Jordanian Ministry of
Interior's Inspections Department imposed the requirement for
the certificate in 2000 shortly after the outbreak of the
intifidah. It appears that this measure was designed to
control the number of Palestinians entering Jordan, and that
the GOJ feared there would be a surge of West Bankers seeking
refuge here. Palestinians inside and outside of Jordan have
long lobbied for elimination of the Certificate of
Non-Objection requirement, but the GOJ resisted until the May
announcement.


2. (U) Rather than obtain a Certificate of Non-Objection, all
Palestinians crossing into Jordan from the West Bank are now
required to sign a document upon their entry in which they
pledge they will return to the Palestinian territories upon a
specified date of their own choosing. Local media report
that the Interior Minister has stated that the pledge will
not be enforced with any penal sanctions; rather the
government of Jordan will rely on the "good intentions" of
the Palestinian travelers. He also announced, however, that
"administrative measures" could be assessed against
Palestinians who stay past the date specified in their
pledges. (NOTE: Jordanian border authorities may still deny
entry to Palestinians who they believe may pose a security
threat. END NOTE.)


3. (U) GOJ statistics show that there has not been a
significant influx of Palestinians to Jordan since 2000.
Government figures prior to the May 2005 announcement
illustrate that for each of the last two years, roughly the
same number of Palestinians entered Jordan via the West Bank
as departed. The statistics for 2003 and 2004 follow:

2003
-282,010 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank
-281,218 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank

2004 (January 01 - November 30)
-383,421 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank
-388,689 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank


4. (U) In 2005, contrary to expectations, more Palestinians
departed the country than arrived. The statistics for 2005
follow:

2005 (January 01 - June 04)
-144,493 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West
Bank
-154,048 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank

(June 05 - June 30)
-56,059 Palestinians entered Jordan from the West Bank
-67,108 Palestinians exited Jordan for the West Bank


5. (SBU) Comment: Some contacts question the GOJ statistics
as they believe the government is trying to downplay the
number of Palestinians entering the country. Despite the
political sensitivities surrounding this issue, the change in
policy has so far received scant attention in the press and
generated little public debate.
HALE