ICJ ADVISORY OPINION ON ISRAELI SECURITY BARRIER:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001729 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2014 TAGS: PREL YM DEMARCHE SUBJECT: ICJ ADVISORY OPINION ON ISRAELI SECURITY BARRIER: DEMARCHE & COUNTERDEMARCHE REF: A. SECSTATE 152014 ¶B. SECSTATE 150763 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.5 (b and d) ¶1. (c) At the opening of a 7/18 meeting, Dr. Ahmed Alwan Mulhi, Deputy Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) preempted subject demarche by launching a tirade against the U.S. position on Israel and "ineffective" U.S. efforts to persuade Israel to cease construction of the security barrier. Before Pol/Econ Chief was able to broach the subject of the ICJ advisory opinion, Mulhi stated that the USG should "challenge" the GOI and convince Israel to accept existing UN resolutions. Mulhi came prepared with copies of all of the UN resolutions on Israel-Palestine and recited a list of them going back years to make his point. He sharply criticized the Bush administration for not taking action to stop the "massacres" in Palestine. ¶2. (c) Noting that President Bush endorses a vision of two states, Pol/Econ Chief refocused the meeting on the ICJ advisory opinion (ref a),especially U.S. concerns with the referral of the matter to the ICJ, the effect of such a referral to a negotiated settlement and the legal reasoning of the Court's opinion. Mulhi was very familiar with the issue and in response to our urging for a vote against the resolution or an abstention, stated unequivocally that "the U.S., Israel and maybe one or two banana republics" would cast the lone votes against the resolution when it comes to a vote on Monday or Tuesday." He went on to say that the U.S. should be more reasonable and balanced in its approach, and less supportive of Sharon. When Pol/Econ Chief noted that the opinion does not address Palestinian security responsibilities, Mulhi said that the UN is the proper venue for discussing the subject and if it were put to a vote in the security council there would be 14 votes in support of the ICJ's ruling. ¶3. (c) Comment: While it is not unusual to get some criticism of U.S. policy toward Israel, usually along the lines of the U.S. applying a "double standard," the vehemence of Mulhi's argument was surprising. The basic tenor at the end of the meeting was that we need to agree to disagree. Needless to say, Yemen is very likely to support the UN resolution endorsing the advisory opinion. End comment. HULL