WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama sent a secret letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last month stressing the two countries' shared interest in fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, a media report on Thursday said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the letter in mid-October said cooperation between the United States and Iran on combating the militant group was tied to a deal being reached between Iran and other nations on its nuclear program.
The newspaper cited people briefed on the letter. It said Obama administration officials declined to discuss the letter with the Journal....
It doesn't exist except in the imagination of the readers of the Wall Street Journal. There is this however...
AMMAN — Jordan on Wednesday (click here) filed a complaint with the UN Security Council concerning Israeli acts against holy sites in Jerusalem.
The complaint came in the form of a letter dated November 5, 2014 to Gary Quinlan, UNSC president signed by Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s permanent representative at the international body, who called for circulating the letter among members “for their immediate and valuable consideration”.
Following is the full text of the letter as provided by the Foreign Ministry:
Nope, no firestorm about Iran and the President, but, there is a letter from the King of Jordan directing the UN's attention to aggression by Israel. The reporting in the Wall Street Journal about the Arab nations hating the USA over Iran can certainly act to deflect negative American opinion of Israel and helps escalate hatred of Iran in the USA and the 'idea' the President is a closet Muslim.
It is the responsibility of the Jordanian King to protect the Mosque. None of these incidents are going over well.
These incidents do not occur out of the blue and for no reason, they are part of a far larger picture in the Middle East. It is that larger problem the King of Jordan is addressing to seek assistance in preserving the Mosque intact and to prevent further aggression on both sides of the tragedy.
...The situation created by the activities of the Israeli occupying forces today comes after a series of intensive violations over the last few weeks and only days after the emergency session that the Security Council held on the situation in East Jerusalem. The session reflected a unified message against Israeli actions purporting to change the status quo in the Haram Al Sharif, and the need for Israel to de-escalate the situation and respect the sanctity of the Haram Al Sharif and its obligation under international law, including international humanitarian law and its peace treaty with Jordan.
Injured people lay on the sidewalk after a Palestinian drove a minivan into a crowd in Jerusalem, one of two automobile episodes that left one dead and three hurt. Alex Kolomoisky/Associated Press
November 5, 2014
By Israel Kershner
...Citing the condolence letter, (click here) Mr. Netanyahu said that Wednesday’s attack was “a direct result of the incitement of Abu Mazen and his partners in Hamas,” referring to Mr. Abbas by his nickname and to the unity government he recently formed with the backing of Hamas.
Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian political columnist, said in an interview that Jordan’s decision to recall its ambassador was meant “to send a clear message not only to the Israeli government but to the Israeli public and right-wing extremist groups that for the Jordanian government and the king himself, Al Aksa is the red line.”
Efraim Halevy, a former chief of the Mossad, who, as the deputy chief, was a secret envoy of Israeli leaders to the father of the current Jordanian king, said “the pressure in Jordan concerning Al Aksa must be rising.”
“Everything is symbolic in this part of the world,” he said, “and this is a very sensitive moment in the history of the Middle East.”...
According to the Wall Street Journal, the letter in mid-October said cooperation between the United States and Iran on combating the militant group was tied to a deal being reached between Iran and other nations on its nuclear program.
The newspaper cited people briefed on the letter. It said Obama administration officials declined to discuss the letter with the Journal....
It doesn't exist except in the imagination of the readers of the Wall Street Journal. There is this however...
AMMAN — Jordan on Wednesday (click here) filed a complaint with the UN Security Council concerning Israeli acts against holy sites in Jerusalem.
The complaint came in the form of a letter dated November 5, 2014 to Gary Quinlan, UNSC president signed by Ambassador Dina Kawar, Jordan’s permanent representative at the international body, who called for circulating the letter among members “for their immediate and valuable consideration”.
Following is the full text of the letter as provided by the Foreign Ministry:
Excellency,
I want to bring to your attention the extremely dangerous developments in the Haram Al Sharif compound that occurred this morning. The Israeli special forces and police stormed the compound occupying Al Aqsa Mosque and firing tear gas, stun and smoke grenades, and rubber bullets inside the mosque.
This blatant and unlawful use of force against one of the holiest sites on Earth for Muslims has resulted in fires breaking out, damage to mosaic works on ceiling and to the structure of the building, burning of the carpets and rugs, and damage to other facilities. The Israeli forces further detained the employees of the Jordanian awqaf department (the national authority that is responsible under international law to administer and maintain the holy sites), in a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and Article 9 of the 1994 Treaty of Peace between Jordan and Israel. They further took control of the gates of the Haram Al Sharif compound, prohibited Muslim worshippers from entering and escorted Israeli religious and political extremists inside the compound, which inflamed the situation and desecrated the Haram Al Sharif....Nope, no firestorm about Iran and the President, but, there is a letter from the King of Jordan directing the UN's attention to aggression by Israel. The reporting in the Wall Street Journal about the Arab nations hating the USA over Iran can certainly act to deflect negative American opinion of Israel and helps escalate hatred of Iran in the USA and the 'idea' the President is a closet Muslim.
It is the responsibility of the Jordanian King to protect the Mosque. None of these incidents are going over well.
These incidents do not occur out of the blue and for no reason, they are part of a far larger picture in the Middle East. It is that larger problem the King of Jordan is addressing to seek assistance in preserving the Mosque intact and to prevent further aggression on both sides of the tragedy.
...The situation created by the activities of the Israeli occupying forces today comes after a series of intensive violations over the last few weeks and only days after the emergency session that the Security Council held on the situation in East Jerusalem. The session reflected a unified message against Israeli actions purporting to change the status quo in the Haram Al Sharif, and the need for Israel to de-escalate the situation and respect the sanctity of the Haram Al Sharif and its obligation under international law, including international humanitarian law and its peace treaty with Jordan.
Given the custodianship assumed by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan calls on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and hold Israel accountable for its attack on the Haram Al Sharif. The council should look into the steps to be taken to stop Israel’s violations against the Haram Al Sharif which, if allowed to proceed, will lead to another crisis threatening international peace and security in the Middle East.
Jordan considers such serious and outrageous actions by Israel an unprecedented escalation and has recalled its ambassador to Israel for consultations this morning....
It is the King's opinion the tensions have been escalated by Israel. This incident only proves the potential of violence in the Middle East is ever present.
Injured people lay on the sidewalk after a Palestinian drove a minivan into a crowd in Jerusalem, one of two automobile episodes that left one dead and three hurt. Alex Kolomoisky/Associated PressNovember 5, 2014
By Israel Kershner
...Citing the condolence letter, (click here) Mr. Netanyahu said that Wednesday’s attack was “a direct result of the incitement of Abu Mazen and his partners in Hamas,” referring to Mr. Abbas by his nickname and to the unity government he recently formed with the backing of Hamas.
Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian political columnist, said in an interview that Jordan’s decision to recall its ambassador was meant “to send a clear message not only to the Israeli government but to the Israeli public and right-wing extremist groups that for the Jordanian government and the king himself, Al Aksa is the red line.”
Efraim Halevy, a former chief of the Mossad, who, as the deputy chief, was a secret envoy of Israeli leaders to the father of the current Jordanian king, said “the pressure in Jordan concerning Al Aksa must be rising.”
“Everything is symbolic in this part of the world,” he said, “and this is a very sensitive moment in the history of the Middle East.”...
