VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHAM #5879/01 2151356
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 031356Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2880
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0033
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005879
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016
TAGS: PREL KISL IS LE JO
SUBJECT: TFLE01: KING COVERS DOMESTIC FLANK WITH PUBLIC
WARNING OF WAR'S CONSEQUENCES
REF: AMMAN 5775 AND PREVIOUS
1. ( U ) With public sympathy for Hizballah getting
stronger, King Abdullah warned publicly that ending
occupation8 and establishing a Palestinian state are
together the only long-term solution to the current conflict.
The King,s statement, which led all local media August 3,
said U.S. should acknowledge that war (in Lebanon) will
not bring anything but more woes, violence and extremism,8
and that the conflict has weakened moderate voices in the
region. If Hizballah were destroyed and no peaceful solution
found to the Palestinian issue, Hizballahs would
emerge.
2. ( U ) The King,s statement comes against a backdrop of
sympathy for Lebanon (and increasingly, admiration for
Hizballah,s ) that prevails in all sectors of
Jordanian society (reftels.) In the words of the pro-western
Planning Minister, the situation in Lebanon even turning
moderates into extremists.8 Demonstrations remain orderly,
are staged far from U.S. facilities, and number in the low
thousands. However, their tempo has picked up in the past
week; what started as Friday gathering are now almost daily
events.
---------------------------------------------
FM Visits Beirut, Prepares for AL Ministerial
---------------------------------------------
3. ( U ) Echoing King Abdullah,s points, Jordanian Foreign
Minister Abdelillah al-Khatib said in Beirut August 3,
believe that this situation in Lebanon could be repeated if a
peace settlement that gives Arabs their full rights and gives
the Palestinian people the right to set up their independent
state is not reached.8 FM al-Khatib arrived in Lebanon on a
Jordanian military flight carrying humanitarian assistance.
4. ( C ) Back in Jordan, Khatib told Ambassador August 3
that if an Arab League ministerial takes place in Beirut the
GOJ will coordinate most of the logistics out of Amman. AL
SecGen Amre Mousa visited Amman August 3 to advance the
ministerial. Khatib told Ambassador that his trip to Beirut
was not coordinated with his Egyptian counterpart, but when
they realized they were in Beirut at the same time, decided
it would be constructive to meet Lebanese officials together.
--------------------------------
Oppositionists Slam Peace Treaty
--------------------------------
5. ( SBU ) A coalition of professional associations,
opposition parties and independent politicians called for
Jordan to abrogate its 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
Islamic Action Front Deputy Hamzah Mansour authored the
appeal to PM Bakhit, which also called for cutting diplomatic
ties with Israel. Comment: Even in quieter times, most of
these voices are critical of Israel-Jordan ties. In the
current environment, however, their points will resonate with
more Jordanians. End Comment.
------------------------------------
Prince Hamzah to Lead OIC Delegation
------------------------------------
6. ( C ) King Abdullah is sending his half-brother Prince
Hamzah Bin Al Hussein to lead the Jordanian delegation to the
meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference being held
in Malaysia. Because Hamzah holds no official position and
has no independent track record, his selection suggests King
Abdullah assigns a low priority to the Conference but did not
want to slight the Malaysian hosts, with whom he has good
personal relations.
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Comment
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7. ( C ) In private the King,s statements ) and actions )
remain supportive of U.S efforts to deal with the crisis.
However, in the face of overwhelming public sympathy for
Lebanon, and growing admiration of Hizballah, the King is
trying to put some public distance between himself and the
U.S. End Comment.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
Hale