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