Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN2618
2009-12-06 05:17:00
SECRET
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JORDAN ACKNOWLEDGES ISRAELI

Tags:  KPAL KWBG PREL IS JO 
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VZCZCXRO8735
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #2618 3400517
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 060517Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6407
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1957
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 5720
S E C R E T AMMAN 002618 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2019
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PREL IS JO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JORDAN ACKNOWLEDGES ISRAELI
SETTLEMENT MORATORIUM BUT FOCUSES ON JERUSALEM

REF: SECSTATE 122731

Classified By: CDA Lawrence Mandel for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

S E C R E T AMMAN 002618

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2019
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PREL IS JO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: JORDAN ACKNOWLEDGES ISRAELI
SETTLEMENT MORATORIUM BUT FOCUSES ON JERUSALEM

REF: SECSTATE 122731

Classified By: CDA Lawrence Mandel for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel points to Samer Naber, the
Director of the MFA Americas Office. Naber acknowledged our
points, and further privately agreed that the proposed
settlement freeze that had been intended to build momentum
for bilateral negotiations had instead become an obstacle to
the resumption of talks. Naber also stated several concerns
about the suggested moratorium. He expressed unease that Arab
acceptance of a unilateral Israeli action that excluded
Jerusalem from its purview could be taken as a precedent for
excluding Jerusalem from final status talks as well. He asked
if the USG could guarantee that it would not accept such an
Israeli maneuver in the future. POLOFF reiterated that US
policy toward Jerusalem was not affected by this GOI
proposal. Naber also recognized that King Abdullah II had
publicly discussed the conditions under which negotiations
could resume even in the absence of the desired full
settlement halt.


2. (C) Naber then took the opportunity to discuss the
importance of Jerusalem's holy sites to the negotiation
process. He commented that unilateral Israeli actions
affecting the Al Aqsa mosque and other religious sites were
likely to provoke violence. He specifically cited the recent
disturbances on the Haram, fears of Israeli tunneling under
the site, and "provocative" official and unofficial Israeli
visits to the Mount, especially those that had not been
previously coordinated with the Waqf. He stated that FM Judah
had discussed this issue extensively with him in previous
meetings and had told Naber and others that a USG statement
acknowledging the importance of protecting these sites could
be a valuable step and would be highly appreciated by the
GOJ. Naber stated that a broad statement that simply called
on the parties to honor their commitments under previous
agreements and international humanitarian law would perhaps
be sufficient.


3. (C) COMMENT: Naber's comments highlighted again the
central role of Jerusalem in GOJ deliberations on peace
process issues, as well as GOJ's particular sensitivity about
Jordan's custodial role over religious sites in the Old City.
The manner in which Naber raised the issue of the protection
of Jerusalem's holy sites in this context seemed to imply at
least a soft linkage between reftel proposals and a USG
acknowledgment of the importance of protecting these sites.
END COMMENT
Mandel