JERUSALEM PATRIARCH PLEAS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 004991 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM IS PHUM IS PHUM IS VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: JERUSALEM PATRIARCH PLEAS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION WITH ISRAEL TO END DESPERATE PLIGHT IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (D). ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST, PLEASE SEE LAST PARA. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE POPE, CATHOLIC PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM MICHEL SABBAH MADE AN URGENT PLEA TO AMBASSADOR OCTOBER 10 FOR U.S. HELP TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 04991 01 OF 03 141419Z AMELIORATE THE INCREASINGLY DESPERATE PLIGHT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, AND MOVE THE PARTIES TOWARD MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE. SABBAH HAD MET WITH THE POPE THE DAY BEFORE TO CONVEY HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN JERUSALEM AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. ACCORDING TO SABBAH, BOTH THE PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI PEOPLE INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED THAT THE CURRENT CYCLE OF VIOLENCE SERVED NO PURPOSE, BUT THEY NEEDED TO BE "SAVED" FROM THEIR CURRENT BLOODY IMPASSE BY OUTSIDE PRESSURE. ONLY U.S. INTERVENTION, HE INSISTED, COULD MOVE THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FROM ITS CURRENT POLICY OF REPRESSION. SABBAH, WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE "ALEXANDRIA GROUP" -- AN INTER-FAITH RELIGIOUS FORUM ENCOMPASSING CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, AND MUSLIM LEADERS -- ASSERTED THAT THIS GROUP HAD CONTACTS WITH HAMAS AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, AND COULD SECURE A CESSATION IN TERRORIST ATTACKS OF "MORE THAN A MONTH" IF ONLY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WOULD OFFER A "REAL PROMISE" OF EASING THE PALESTINIANS' SUFFERING. SABBAH CONDEMNED PALESTINIAN TERRORISM AND "HATE SPEECH", BUT SAID IT WAS A MANIFESTATION OF PALESTINIAN DESPERATION THAT WOULD STOP ONLY WHEN THE OCCUPATION AND "WAR" ENDED. SEEING NO SIGNS THAT THE SHARON GOVERNMENT WAS INTERESTED IN PEACE, SABBAH ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO CONVEY TO THE PRESIDENT HIS URGENT PLEA FOR INTERVENTION FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO SECURE SOME MEANINGFUL CONCESSION FROM THE GOI THAT WOULD GIVE THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP THE LEVERAGE IT NEEDED TO SECURE A CESSATION OF VIOLENCE FROM THE ARAB SIDE AND SET IN PLACE THE BEGINNINGS OF REAL PEACE TALKS LEADING TO AN END TO ISRAELI OCCUPATION. END SUMMARY. -------------- -- MOUNTING DESPERATION IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 04991 01 OF 03 141419Z -------------- -- ¶3. (C) AMBASSADOR RECEIVED A CALL FROM VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER EQUIVALENT ARCHBISHOP JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN OCTOBER 10, WHO CONVEYED THE POPE'S REQUEST THAT THE AMBASSADOR MEET THAT DAY WITH VISITING PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM MICHEL SABBAH, WHO WAS IN ROME TO SEE THE POPE ABOUT THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN THE HOLY LANDS. MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND STAFF, SABBAH AND THE VICAR OF JERUSALEM MADE AN URGENT, ALMOST DESPERATE PLEA FOR UNITED STATES INTERVENTION TO STOP THE VIOLENCE AND END THE UNTENABLE SITUATION FOR THE PALESTINIANS IN THE HOLY LANDS. HE SAID THAT THE CURFEW FORBADE THEIR MOVEMENT 24 HOURS PER DAY AND DEPRIVED THEM OF BASIC HUMAN NECESSITIES. HE FURTHER SAID THAT BOTH THE PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI PEOPLE NEEDED "PROTECTION" AND "SALVATION" IN THE FORM OF A U.S. OR UN MILITARY PRESENCE THAT WOULD PROVIDE SECURITY FOR ALL. SABBAH ASSERTED THAT THE ARAB WORLD WAS READY FOR PEACE, THE PALESTINIAN WORLD WAS READY, AND THE TIME WAS RIGHT FOR A MOVE TO PEACE. "THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS WAR TO GO ON," HE INSISTED. UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARED TO HIM THAT THE SHARON GOVERNMENT HAD "NO INTEREST IN PEACE." SABBAH SAID THAT EVENTUALLY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE (AND RETURN TO THE 1967 BOUNDARIES),AND THAT SINCE PEOPLE WERE DYING EVERY DAY, IT WAS POINTLESS NOT TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION NOW AND SAVE MANY LIVES. ¶4. (C) SABBAH SKETCHED A GRIM PICTURE OF PALESTINIAN DAILY LIFE UNDER SIEGE AND CURFEW, WITH SCHOOLS CLOSED, LIMITED MOVEMENT POSSIBLE ONLY FOR THREE HOURS THREE TIMES A WEEK, NO ECONOMIC LIFE, AND NO PROSPECTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS. HARSH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 04991 01 OF 03 141419Z ISRAELI REPRESSION, SABBAH NOTED, HAS NOT RESULTED IN GREATER SECURITY FOR THE ISRAELI PEOPLE. ON THE CONTRARY, "EVEN THE ISRAELIS" WERE SUFFERING, HE SAID. WITH PALESTINIANS LIVING UNDER SUCH DESPERATION, SABBAH SAID IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT SOME WOULD RESORT TO "IMMORAL ACTS" LIKE SUICIDE BOMBING. HE CONDEMNED TERRORIST ACTS AS "MORALLY WRONG AND STRATEGICALLY WRONG," BUT ADDED THAT MOST PALESTINIANS CLAIM "AS LONG AS THE ISRAELIS ARE IN OUR TERRITORY MAKING WAR ON US, WE WILL MAKE WAR ON THEM." HE LAMENTED THAT PALESTINIANS WERE CONDEMNED FOR SUICIDE BOMBINGS, WHILE ISRAEL WAS ABLE TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS AND DESTROY PROPERTY BY TRADITIONAL MILITARY MEANS THAT EARNED LESS APPROBATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. -------------- ONLY THE U.S. CAN SAVE US FROM OURSELVES -------------- ¶5. (C) WITH THE VIOLENCE AND OCCUPATION PRESSURES UNRELENTING, SABBAH FEARED THAT THE SHARON GOVERNMENT WAS DEAF TO ANY DIALOGUE, AND THEREFORE BELIEVED THAT ONLY THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTO2589 PAGE 01 VATICA 04991 02 OF 03 141420Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /003W -------------- F6E3EA 141420Z /38 O 141342Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 VATICAN 004991 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM IS PHUM IS PHUM IS VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: JERUSALEM PATRIARCH PLEAS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION WITH ISRAEL TO END DESPERATE PLIGHT IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES BUSH ADMINISTRATION COULD GET THROUGH. WHEN THE AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT THE GOI WAS NOT ALWAYS RESPONSIVE TO U.S. DEMANDS, SABBAH REPLIED: "IF YOU CAN'T MOVE SHARON, THEN ALL IS LOST FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE." HE NOTED THAT THE ISSUE IS HOW MUCH PRESSURE THE U.S. WAS WILLING TO BRING TO BEAR ON SHARON. IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH PRESSURE, HE FEARED THERE WOULD BE FIVE OR TEN MORE YEARS OF VIOLENCE UNTIL A NEW CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 04991 02 OF 03 141420Z ISRAELI GOVERNMENT BROUGHT IT TO AN END AND BEGAN A NEW DIALOGUE. IN THE MEANTIME THOUSANDS WOULD DIE. SABBAH REITERATED HIS REQUEST THAT WE CONVEY TO THE PRESIDENT HIS URGENT PLEA FOR AN INTERVENTION WITH SHARON TO CONVINCE HIM TO EASE THE SITUATION IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES AND JOIN IN STEPS TOWARD A LASTING CEASEFIRE. SABBAH NOTED THAT HE AND THE OTHER RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF JERUSALEM HAD PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND HOPED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR CONCERNS DIRECTLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AMBASSADOR PROMISED TO CONVEY SABBAH'S COMMENTS DIRECTLY TO WASHINGTON. ¶6. (C) AMBASSADOR ASKED SABBAH ABOUT THE STATUS OF HIS OWN EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A DIALOGUE WITH THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. SABBAH SAID HE HAS MET WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MELCHIOR, THE ONLY GOI OFFICIAL WHO REGULARLY SPOKE WITH HIM, BUT THAT MELCHIOR MAKES CLEAR THAT HE CANNOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND GENERALLY PROMISES ONLY TO CONVEY SABBAH'S CONCERNS. HE SAID HE HAS HAD A REQUEST IN TO MEET DIRECTLY WITH PM SHARON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT THE PM'S OFFICE HAS NOT RESPONDED. HE BELIEVED SHARON WAS NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE, AND WAS BENT ON EXPELLING ALL BUT A FEW THOUSAND PALESTINIANS FROM THE WEST BANK IN ORDER TO CREATE A GREATER ISRAEL. -------------- -------------- ALEXANDRIA GROUP: CEASEFIRE POSSIBLE WITH ISRAELI COMMITMENT -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) SABBAH TOLD US THAT THE "ALEXANDRIA GROUP" OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS FROM THE MUSLIN, JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 04991 02 OF 03 141420Z FAITHS CREATED LAST JANUARY MAINTAINS GOOD CONTACTS WITH HAMAS AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. SABBAH SAID HE HAD ASKED HAMAS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO STOP THE VIOLENCE AND THE REPLY WAS THAT AS LONG AS THE OCCUPATION CONTINUED, HAMAS WAS AT "WAR"; WHEN THE OCCUPATION CEASED, THE WAR WOULD BE OVER. HE SAID THAT AFTER THEY HAD SPOKEN WITH SHEIK YASSIM, HAMAS HAD REFRAINED FROM ATTACKS FOR OVER FOUR WEEKS. DURING THAT PERIOD, HE SAID, THE ISRAELI SIDE HAD CONTINUED ITS OCCUPATION AND ASSASSINATION POLICY, AND SO THE TERROR ATTACKS WERE RENEWED. ¶8. (C) PRESSED BY THE AMBASSADOR ABOUT CURRENT DIFFICULTIES IN ESTABLISHING AN IMPROVED SECURITY SITUATION WITHOUT PALESTINIAN SUICIDE ATTACKS, SABBAH INSISTED THAT THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP COULD USE ITS GOOD OFFICES TO OBTAIN A REAL CESSATION IN THE TERRORIST ATTACKS, FROM HAMAS, THE PA, AND POTENTIALLY EVEN HIZBOLLAH, FOR "A MONTH." BUT THEY COULD DO SO ONLY IF THEY HAD SOMETHING CONCRETE FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE TO TAKE TO THE TABLE. AT AMBASSADOR'S QUERY AS TO WHAT WOULD TYPE OF STEPS WOULD BE NEEDED FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE TO ACHIEVE SUCH A CESSATION OF ATTACKS, SABBAH CONCEDED THAT SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A REAL PLEDGE FROM THE GOI TO EASE THE CURFEWS FOR A WEEK COULD CREATE A FOUNDATION ON WHICH TO BUILD, FOLLOWED BY A RETURN TO "A MORE NORMAL LIFE." FOLLOWING UP ON SABBAH'S INDICATION THAT THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP WOULD BE MEETING UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY OCTOBER 24-25 AT LAMBETH HOUSE IN LONDON, AMBASSADOR URGED SABBAH TO DEVELOP HIS PROPOSAL WITHIN THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP. WHILE CAUTIONING THAT IT WOULD BE A DIFFICULT TASK TO SET THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS ON A POLITICAL PATH, HE EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 04991 02 OF 03 141420Z EXPLORE WAYS IN WHICH THE GROUP COULD PROMOTE A CESSATION OF VIOLENCE AND CREATE SOME SPACE FOR A RESTORATION OF DIALOGUE. -------------- PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP AND REFORM -------------- ¶9. (C) RESPONDING TO U.S. CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL REFORM AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, SABBAH DISMISSED THESE AS "SECONDARY CONCERNS." "EVEN WITH THE BEST ADMINISTRATION, FREE FROM CORRUPTION, VIOLENCE WILL STILL BE THERE IF NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT THE OCCUPATION," HE OBSERVED. ON THE LEADERSHIP ISSUE, SABBAH CAUTIONED THAT U.S. AND ISRAELI PRESSURE TO GET RID OF ARAFAT WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. "THE MORE YOU SAY THAT ARAFAT IS IRRELEVANT, THE MORE RELEVANT HE BECOMES." WHEREAS IF THE U.S. AND ISRAEL JUST IGNORED HIM AND LET THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF IT, "YOU WILL GET THE LEADERSHIP YOU WANT," HE ADDED. HE DESCRIBED ARAFAT AS "PRISONER," WHO COULD DO NOTHING, AND TO WHOM NO ONE LISTENS, BUT WHO GROWS IN POPULARITY THE MORE HE IS HUMILIATED. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0374 PAGE 01 VATICA 04991 03 OF 03 141420Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /003W -------------- F6E3F1 141420Z /38 O 141342Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 VATICAN 004991 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2012 TAGS: PREL PHUM IS PHUM IS PHUM IS VT VTPREL VTPREL SUBJECT: JERUSALEM PATRIARCH PLEAS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION WITH ISRAEL TO END DESPERATE PLIGHT IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) SABBAH'S MEETING WITH THE POPE AND THE POPE'S RECOMMENDATION FOR A MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR REFLECT THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 04991 03 OF 03 141420Z POPE'S INCREASING CONCERN FOR THE SITUATION IN THE HOLY LANDS AND CONSISTENT OPPOSITION TO HEAVY HANDED ISRAELI REPRESSIVE MEASURES. WHILE WE ARE CONFIDENT SABBAH MAINTAINS TIES TO BOTH HAMAS AND THE PA, AND MAY BE ABLE TO PLAY A USEFUL ROLE IN CONSTRAINING ATTACKS, WE LEAVE IT TO WASHINGTON, TEL AVIV AND JERUSALEM TO ASSESS WHETHER THESE TIES WOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO HELP ACHIEVE A CESSATION OF SUICIDE ATTACKS, AS HE MAINTAINS. GIVEN THE CURRENT IMPASSE, HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT INTER-FAITH RELIGIOUS EFFORTS SUCH AS THAT OF THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATION OF SOME DIALOGUE IN A SITUATION WHERE VERY LITTLE EXISTS. IN ANY EVENT, SABBAH'S DESPERATE PLEA FOR GREATER U.S. ENGAGEMENT -- A PLEA ECHOED IN EVERY MEETING WITH SENIOR HOLY SEE OFFICIALS -- REFLECTS A STRONGLY HELD VIEW HERE THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF GREATER U.S. PRESSURE ON SHARON, THERE IS NO HOPE FOR AN END TO THE TRAGIC CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. SABBAH, A PALESTINIAN NATIONALIST AND A CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN, UNDERSCORED TO THE AMBASSADOR HIS CONDEMNATION BOTH OF TERRORISM AND THE HATE SPEECH THAT EXISTS IN PALESTINIAN MEDIA AND SCHOOLS. HE SAID HE PREACHES TO HIS OWN FLOCK TO "LOVE THE ISRAELIS, EVEN THOSE WHO DRIVE TANKS OVER YOUR HOUSES." THIS WAS "HARD TO DO," HE ADDED, "BUT IT IS THE CHRISTIAN THING TO DO." ACTION REQUEST: EMBASSY IS PREPARED TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE HOLY SEE ON THIS TRACK IF THE DEPARTMENT BELIEVES IT WILL BE HELPFUL IN ENCOURAGING DIALOGUE AND REDUCING VIOLENCE. PLEASE ADVISE IF FOLLOWUP ACTION IS REQUIRED. POST WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN ANY READOUT OF THE LONDON MEETING OF THE ALEXANDRIA GROUP. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 04991 03 OF 03 141420Z CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA04991 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL