GAZA GROUND INVASION FANS JORDANIAN PUBLIC ANGER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000015 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2018 TAGS: KPAL PHUM PREL JO SUBJECT: GAZA GROUND INVASION FANS JORDANIAN PUBLIC ANGER AMMAN 00000015 001.10 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In the face of rising public Jordanian anger over events in Gaza, PM Nader Al-Dahabi addressed Parliament January 4 to say that the government reserves the right to evaluate all of its relations with any side, particularly Israel. Thousands of Jordanians protested over the weekend, and more demonstrations are scheduled in upcoming days, according to press reports. Despite the outcry, the streets of the capital remain calm. End Summary. Official Steps -------------- ¶2. (C) PM Nader Al-Dahabi addressed Parliament January 4 to say that the government reserves the right to evaluate all of its relations with any side, particularly Israel, with a view to serving Jordan's national interests and the Palestinian cause, according to press reports. The speech came less than an hour after a phone call to the Ambassador by Chief of the Royal Court Nasser Lozi, to flag Dahabi's address and a rare security-related meeting by the National Planning Council, which is chaired by the King and includes participation by the PM, the head of the General Intelligence Department, and the Chief of the Royal Court. Public Demonstrations -------------- ¶3. (U) Numerous rallies were held over the New Year's holiday to protest Israeli actions in Gaza. Tens of thousands of people arrived on buses from across the country to attend a January 2 rally organized by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) at the International Stadium in Al Hussein Sports City in Amman, with press reports claiming an attendance of 60,000 people. MB leader Hammam Said criticized "Arab regimes" that "collaborated with Israel in its fight against Gaza" and called for more rockets to be fired into Israel. Zaki Bani Irsheid, Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front (IAF),said the turnout indicated that Jordanians "support Hamas in its struggle" and that "these people came here to say no to peace and yes to resistance." Also on January 2, about 1,000 activists marched from Al Kalouti Mosque in Amman to the nearby Israeli Embassy, burned an Israeli flag and demanded an end to the 1994 Wadi Araba peace treaty with Israel. The protesters were pushed back by anti-riot units that fired tear-gas and what appeared to be rubber bullets after the demonstrators started throwing rocks at the police. On January 3, an estimated 200 activists began a sit-in at Parliament, burning an Israeli flag and carrying signs urging unity among Palestinian factions. The demonstrators delivered a letter to Parliament officials calling on authorities to sever diplomatic relations with Israel. ¶4. (U) The sit-ins at Parliament and near the Israeli Embassy continued January 4 and another march to Parliament was scheduled to take place the afternoon of January 4. Marches were also planned at the Baqa refugee camp, the southern city of Karak, and the Amman suburb of Fuheis. Anecdotes of Anger -------------- ¶5. (C) An American spouse who takes daily Arabic classes at the Al-Qasid Institute in Amman said the staff and the other students were enraged by Israel,s ground invasion ) even more so than in response to the outbreak of hostilities last week. A substitute teacher would not stop talking about it, venting not only at Israel but the U.S. and wondering how the U.S. and the rest of the international community could stand by without doing anything. Another of her teachers was just visibly depressed. Several people at the institute mentioned how at least with the ground offensive, Hamas would have the capability to strike back directly. Some students were also overheard expressing vitriol, including blaming &the Jews.8 Jordanian Aid -------------- ¶6. (U) An aid convoy sponsored by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization crossed the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge on January 4 carrying medicine worth $500,000 and 135 tons of various supplies to Gaza. The Assistant Secretary General of the organization, Rajab Zubeideh, stated convoys would continue and be disbursed in coordination with UNRWA. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: Despite the public and private outcry, the streets of the capital remain generally calm, with protests localized. AMMAN 00000015 002.3 OF 002 Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ Beecroft