UAE ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003475 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ARPI, EB/IFD/ODF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN PREL KPAL TC SUBJECT: UAE ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY REF: A. SECSTATE 146261 ¶B. ABU DHABI 3404 ¶C. ABU DHABI 1673 ¶D. ABU DHABI 2946 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 7. ¶2. (U) Summary. This cable is an initial report of some of the program aid that the UAE has provided to the Palestinians, including the $62 million Sheikh Zayed City, the planned $100 million Sheikh Khalifa City, and the $88 million in project aid that the Red Crescent provided the Palestinians from 2000-2003. Emboffs have asked MFA and Red Crescent for a breakdown of UAE assistance and will raise it with other UAE aid organizations over the next week. We will report on information received. End summary. ¶3. (U) A/DCM raised reftel talking points on August 9 with MFA Director for International Organization Yacub Al Hosani and requested information on the UAE's aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Al Hosani promised to contact all of the relevant UAEG departments and said he would try to put together a consolidated response. On the same day, econoff met with Saleh Mohammed Al Mulla, Deputy Secretary General for Foreign Affairs at the UAE Red Crescent to discuss this issue. Embassy will follow up over the next week with the UAEG and relevant aid organizations to develop as full a picture as possible. ¶4. (U) The UAE channels the majority of its aid directly to the Palestinians through one of three quasi-governmental charity organizations -- the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA - relief and project development funded by the UAEG and charitable donations),the Abu Dhabi Fund For Development (ADDF - project development funded by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi),and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Charitable Foundation and Humanitarian Trust (MBR Foundation - relief and project development funded by Dubai Government officials and charitable donations). The most recent example of a completed project is Sheikh Zayed City -- a $62 million residential complex north of Gaza that opened in May -- which was funded by the ADDF and will be administered by the RCA. As noted in ref B, the UAE recently announced plans work with UNWRA to construct a $100 million Sheikh Khalifa City in Gaza that will house 30,000-40,000 displaced Palestinians. ¶5. (U) Al Mulla described the Red Crescent's projects in the Palestinian Territories and provided documents outlining some of its programs. Al Mulla said that in 2004 the RCA rebuilt 600 homes in Rafah and worked with the UNWRA to construct 469 homes in the Jenin camp. Data for RCA programs in 2004 are still being compiled, but according to the Red Crescent's most recent annual report, it spent $15,553,000 on health, education, and social service projects in Gaza and the West Bank during 2003. ¶6. (U) From 2000 to 2003, the Red Crescent provided $88,017,000 in project aid to the Palestinians. A sampling of some of the most significant of these programs is listed below (note: the report did not specify the specific year within the 2000-2003 timeframe for each project): HOUSING PROJECTS: -- 800 homes reconstructed in Jenin (cost: $27,111,000) -- Construction of Sheikh Zayed Suburb in Jerusalem (cost: $2,732,000) -- 3,500 homes reconstructed in various Palestinian villages (cost: $2,732,000) HEALTHCARE PROJECTS: -- Construction of Al Nada Medical Center in Gaza (cost: $1,104,000) -- Contribution for construction of Rafah Hospital in Gaza (contribution: $1,005,000) -- Equipping Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah (contribution: $666,000) -- Funding salaries of employees in Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah (contribution: $396,000) -- Equipping Al Ahli Hospital in Hebron (contribution: $274,000) -- Constructing and equipping Sheikh Salama Bint Buti Ophthalmology Hospital in Nablus (cost: $1,307,000) -- Construction of a Handicapped Center in Gaza (cost: $1,105,000) -- Constriction of the Sheikha Fatima Rehabilitation Center in Hebron (cost: $100,500) -- Funding for operation of Sheikh Khalifa Handicapped Center in Nablus (cost: $502,000) SCHOOL PROJECTS: -- Construction of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Secondary School in Al Mazraa Al Sharikiah (cost: $416,700) ¶7. (U) Action request: Embassy recommends that Vice President Cheney raise this issue with UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan during their meeting on the 10th and that Secretary Rice raise it with him during her meeting on the 15th. Sheikh Hamdan briefed PDAS Cheney on the UAE's efforts on behalf of the Palestinians on June 26 (ref D). SISON