UAE TO REBUILD 400 HOUSES IN GAZA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001705 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, IO/UN, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2009 TAGS: PREL UN IS TC SUBJECT: UAE TO REBUILD 400 HOUSES IN GAZA Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Richard A. Albright, reasons 1. 5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) At President Shaykh Zayed's initiative, the UAE will rebuild more than 400 houses destroyed by Israeli forces in Rafah and Gaza. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shaykh Hamdan bin Zayed provided details of the project to the Ambassador on May 23, and said he regretted that Arab League action had consisted of statements rather than similar concrete actions in support of the Palestinians. ¶2. (C) Shaykh Hamdan said the Palestinian Authority has set aside land for the project close to where those who lost their homes had been living. He added that the houses would be built as fast as possible at a cost of between $30,000 and $40,000 per unit. The UAE Red Crescent Society (RCS),in coordination with UNRWA, will make arrangements for the rebuilding project. The UAE decided not to work through the PA's housing minister because they view him as corrupt, Shaykh Hamdan said. The UAE official news agency reported that Shaykh Hamdan, who is also RCS Chairman, had appealed to philanthropists inside and outside the UAE to contribute to a fundraising campaign for the Palestinians that was launched May 23. ¶3. (U) Palestinian leaders praised Shaykh Zayed's gesture. The project is "a reiteration of support of the UAE leadership and people for the Palestinians," Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei said May 23. He commended efforts of the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) to provide support for Palestinians. In Tunis, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath expressed hope that other countries would provide humanitarian relief as well as assist with rehabilitating the damaged infrastructure. In addition to rebuilding more than 400 houses, the UAE plans to rehabilitate health, educational, and religious facilities in Rafah and Zeitoun in Gaza, according to the UAE official news agency. WAHBA