FATAH LEADER ON HAMAS CELL IN JERUSALEM

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002756

NSC FOR LEVERETT
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2012
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL IS
SUBJECT: FATAH LEADER ON HAMAS CELL IN JERUSALEM

REF: A) TEL AVIV 4184 B) JERUSALEM 2729

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER MARY DRAPER, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A SENIOR FATAH OFFICIAL AND PLC MEMBER
CRITICIZED HAMAS FOR CONDUCTING OPERATIONS IN JERUSALEM,
SAYING THIS WAS PART OF A WIDER COMPETITION BETWEEN FATAH AND
HAMAS OVER WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE THE RESISTANCE. THE
DISCOVERY OF A HAMAS CELL IN EAST JERUSALEM WILL COMPLICATE
THE ONGOING CEASE-FIRE TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, IN HIS
VIEW. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) HATEM ABDEL QADER, A MEMBER OF THE PALESTINIAN
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR JERUSALEM AND FATAH'S HIGH COMMITTEE
FOR THE WEST BANK, TOLD POLCHIEF 8/22 THAT HAMAS OPERATIONS
INSIDE JERUSALEM VIOLATED AN UNDERSTANDING WITH FATAH NOT TO
CONDUCT SUCH ACTIVITIES IN JERUSALEM. RECENT REVELATIONS OF
A HAMAS CELL IN EAST JERUSALEM COULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE
PLIGHT OF THE 220,000 PALESTINIANS LIVING IN EAST JERUSALEM,
AND WOULD CERTAINLY COMPLICATE THE BROADER, ONGOING
CEASE-FIRE TALKS BETWEEN FATAH AND HAMAS, HE SAID. FATAH'S
POLICY ON JERUSALEM, ACCORDING TO ABDEL QADER, HAS BEEN TO
EMPLOY NON-VIOLENT MEANS TO PRESS THE GOI ON
JERSULEM-SPECIFIC ISSUES (I.E., HOME DEMOLITIONS, LAND AND ID
CONFISCATIONS, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE).


3. (C) ABDEL QADER SAID THAT THE PRESENCE OF A HAMAS CELL IN
JERUSALEM WAS A MANIFESTATION OF A LARGER ONGOING COMPETITION
BETWEEN FATAH AND HAMAS OVER RESISTANCE TACTICS. HAMAS WAS
IDEOLOGICAL AND MAXIMALIST, WHILE FATAH WAS PRAGMATIC AND
FOCUSED; THAT'S WHY FATAH WAS NOW PURSUING A CEASE-FIRE
(COMMENT: ALBEIT ONE LIMITED GEOGRAPHICALLY TO INSIDE GREEN
LINE ISRAEL -- SEE REFTELS). ON ARAFAT'S ORDERS, FATAH HAD
HAD TO THREATEN TO EXPEL PARTY MEMBERS FOR TAKING WEAPONS AND
MONEY FROM HAMAS AND PIJ -- RESOURCES THAT ORIGINATED FROM
TEHRAN, HE SAID. IN ADDITION, ABDEL QADER SAID HE WAS
PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN WHAT HE TERMED "THE BATTLE FOR THE
CHILDREN" -- A FATAH EFFORT TO COUNTER UNDUE HAMAS INFLUENCE
IN THE SCHOOLS THAT WAS RADICALIZING PALESTINIAN YOUTH BY
EXPOSING THEM TO DAILY PROPAGANDA ABOUT ALLEGED ISRAELI
ATROCITIES. "THE LAST THING WE WANT IS A RADICAL ISLAMIC
STATE LIKE IRAN," HE SAID.


4. (C) ABDEL QADER EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT FATAH WOULD
PREVAIL. FIRST, THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP ITSELF WAS NOW DIVIDED
OVER RESISTANCE TACTICS, A RIFT THAT FATAH WOULD ATTEMPT TO
EXPLOIT, HE SAID. SECOND, MOST PALESTINIANS WERE NOT
COMFORTABLE WITH HAMAS' SOCIO-POLITICAL PLATFORM (EVEN IF
MANY ADMIRED THE PARTY'S "STEADFASTNESS"). "LET US HAVE
ELECTIONS AND LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES -- YOU
WILL SEE, WE WILL WIN."


5. (C) COMMENT: EAST JERUSALEM'S PALESTINIANS HAVE
TRADITIONALLY BEEN HARDER TO RECRUIT FOR TERRORIST OPERATIONS
BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIVILEGED POSITION VIS-A-VIS WEST BANK
PALESTINIANS. NOT SUBJECT TO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, THEY ARE
ECONOMICALLY BETTER OFF, AND ARE ENTITLED TO ISRAELI SOCIAL
SERVICES THAT, WHILE SHORT OF WHAT ISRAELI CITIZENS ENJOY,
ARE SUPERIOR TO THOSE THE PA PROVIDES TO PALESTINIANS IN THE
WEST BANK AND GAZA. THAT SAID, THE DISCOVERY OF A HAMAS CELL
IN JERUSALEM IS A REMINDER THAT VIOLENT RESISTANCE STILL
RESONATES AMONG SOME HERE, AND A SIGN OF THE CONTINUING
DISUNITY AMONG PALESTINIAN POLITICAL FACTIONS ON ACCEPTABLE
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.


DRAPER