JORDAN ISLAMISTS PROTEST GAZA EVENTS AND ARAB

UNCLAS AMMAN 003418 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAL KISL JO SUBJECT: JORDAN ISLAMISTS PROTEST GAZA EVENTS AND ARAB RESPONSE ¶1. (SBU) An estimated 2,000 protesters attended a December 30 demonstration organized by the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, half a mile from the U.S. Embassy on Cairo Street in the upper class commercial area of Abdoun. Speakers, including Muslim Brotherhood head Hamam Said and IAF parliamentary bloc leader Hamzah Mansour, expressed support for Gazans and denounced the U.S., Israel, Egypt, as well as all Arab leaders. Said told the crowd the Jordanian government had imposed limits on Islamists in Jordan, in part of a larger anti-Islamist conspiracy that had led to events in Gaza. He also called on Jordan's General Intelligence Department officials to say why they were restraining Islamist activities and why their attention wasn't focused on preventing Israeli actions in Gaza. ¶2. (SBU) Participants sought refuge from the rain and cold in tents erected for the event and responded to speakers' messages in what appeared to be rote refrains. Organizers solicited contributions from the crowd on behalf of Gaza victims, with women bringing forward small, symbolic amounts of gold from their dowries. At the end of the event, organizers announced they had collected almost JD 12,000 ($17,000). ¶3. (SBU) The head of Jordan's Bar Association, Saleh Arnouti, noted in his speech that the protest was held a "few meters away from the espionage and terror hideout at the American Embassy," according to political and economic section Locally Employed Staff (LES) attending the event. At one point, attendees began to rally for a march to the U.S. Embassy, but they were dissuaded by IAF organizers. There was a police presence outside the event. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The LES observers were struck by the speakers' inclusion of the King in their denunciation of all Arab leaders. From their perspective, speakers used the event not only to protest events in Gaza but also to launch criticisms against Jordanian policies that limit Islamist activities. Beecroft