Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AMMAN6724
2006-08-31 09:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
PETITIONERS CALL FOR "REVIEW" OF JORDAN-ISRAEL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #6724 2430931 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 310931Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3689 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006724
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS LE JO
SUBJECT: PETITIONERS CALL FOR "REVIEW" OF JORDAN-ISRAEL
PEACE TREATY
REF: A) AMMAN 6519 B) AMMAN 6335 C) AMMAN 5879
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006724
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS LE JO
SUBJECT: PETITIONERS CALL FOR "REVIEW" OF JORDAN-ISRAEL
PEACE TREATY
REF: A) AMMAN 6519 B) AMMAN 6335 C) AMMAN 5879
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Summary: Citing Israeli and U.S. policies toward
the Palestinians and Lebanon, one-hundred Jordanian political
and tribal figures petitioned King Abdullah to "reconsider"
Jordan's peace treaty with Israel. End Summary.
2. (U) Ahmed Obeidat ) Prime Minister from 1984 to 1985 and
chief of the General Intelligence Directorate from 1974 to
1982 -- was the most prominent signatory. Despite his
resume, Obeidat has never been enthusiastic about Jordan's
close ties to the U.S. or Israel. Most of the other
petitioners were East Bank stalwarts like Obeidat, and
include four other former ministers. About a quarter of the
signatories are oppositionists traditionally hostile to
Jordan-Israel ties, including several senior officials of the
Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Action Front. Fourteen
current members of parliament (seven from the Front) also
signed.
3. (U) Excerpts from the petition and the list of
signatories appeared August 28 in "Al-Arab Al-Yawm," a
populist, widely-read, anti-U.S. daily. The petition states
that unilateral peace agreements with Israel have lost their
justification in light of "Israeli policies against a
comprehensive solution" and should be "reconsidered," while
Jordan should distance itself from American policies.
4. (C) Comment: GOJ commitment to the treaty is unshaken,
but in the wake of the Lebanon conflict popular feeling
against Israel is running high on the street (ref A) and in
some liberal circles (ref B). For the Muslim Brotherhood and
IAF this kind of petition is business as usual (ref C),but
the current atmosphere emboldens other foes of Jordan's
regional strategy to speak out. As former Deputy Prime
Minister Marwan Muasher put it to Ambassador, recent regional
developments have "put moderates in the basement." The GOJ
will respond by keeping the profile of its close cooperation
with Israel even lower than usual. End Comment.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
HALE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS LE JO
SUBJECT: PETITIONERS CALL FOR "REVIEW" OF JORDAN-ISRAEL
PEACE TREATY
REF: A) AMMAN 6519 B) AMMAN 6335 C) AMMAN 5879
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Summary: Citing Israeli and U.S. policies toward
the Palestinians and Lebanon, one-hundred Jordanian political
and tribal figures petitioned King Abdullah to "reconsider"
Jordan's peace treaty with Israel. End Summary.
2. (U) Ahmed Obeidat ) Prime Minister from 1984 to 1985 and
chief of the General Intelligence Directorate from 1974 to
1982 -- was the most prominent signatory. Despite his
resume, Obeidat has never been enthusiastic about Jordan's
close ties to the U.S. or Israel. Most of the other
petitioners were East Bank stalwarts like Obeidat, and
include four other former ministers. About a quarter of the
signatories are oppositionists traditionally hostile to
Jordan-Israel ties, including several senior officials of the
Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Action Front. Fourteen
current members of parliament (seven from the Front) also
signed.
3. (U) Excerpts from the petition and the list of
signatories appeared August 28 in "Al-Arab Al-Yawm," a
populist, widely-read, anti-U.S. daily. The petition states
that unilateral peace agreements with Israel have lost their
justification in light of "Israeli policies against a
comprehensive solution" and should be "reconsidered," while
Jordan should distance itself from American policies.
4. (C) Comment: GOJ commitment to the treaty is unshaken,
but in the wake of the Lebanon conflict popular feeling
against Israel is running high on the street (ref A) and in
some liberal circles (ref B). For the Muslim Brotherhood and
IAF this kind of petition is business as usual (ref C),but
the current atmosphere emboldens other foes of Jordan's
regional strategy to speak out. As former Deputy Prime
Minister Marwan Muasher put it to Ambassador, recent regional
developments have "put moderates in the basement." The GOJ
will respond by keeping the profile of its close cooperation
with Israel even lower than usual. End Comment.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
HALE