MDA: ISRAEL "WON'T PAY FOR MDA" WITH FOURTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004474

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM, L AND NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS EG JO ICRC
SUBJECT: MDA: ISRAEL "WON'T PAY FOR MDA" WITH FOURTH
CONVENTION MONITORING

REF: A. GENEVA 1251

B. CAIRO 3842

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
.


1. (C) SUMMARY. Israel would rather abandon the possibility
of holding a diplomatic conference this fall than accept
Swiss Envoy Pfirter's proposal to overcome Egyptian/Arab
League opposition by recommending Fourth Convention follow-on
monitoring mechanisms when Switzerland presents its
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) report to the UNGA in
June, an Israeli official told visiting PRM PDAS Rich Greene.
Deputy Director General Roni Ya'ar believes the author of
Switzerland's Fourth Committee report is also resisting this
linkage based on the meetings the latter has held with the
Israeli Supreme Court President and the Palestinian FM over
the last two weeks. However, Ya'ar plans to reinforce GOI
opposition when he meets Ambassadors Staehelin and Pfirter in
Bern following the internal May 23 Swiss meeting on
conference next steps. In the meantime, Ya'ar assured us
that he would personally ensure Magen David Adom (MDA)'s
Chairman does not repeat his threats to retaliate against the
Swiss if they failed to convene the conference, and would
also start ramping up bilateral engagement with the Czech
Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Ya'ar was uncertain if the
PM's office had any "leverage" with Egypt on the emblem issue
and expressed appreciation for USG efforts to engage the GOE.
Separately, regionally-based IFRC and ICRC Standing
Commission officials told Greene that they remain concerned
that MDA is not making sufficient efforts to bring their
statutes into line with movement requirements. END SUMMARY.


ISRAEL REFUSES TO USE FOURTH CONVENTION REPORT
-------------- -


2. (C) Israel's MFA Deputy Director General for UN and
International Organization Affairs, Roni Ya'ar, presented his
government's early reaction to the strategy that Swiss Envoy
on the Emblem Didier Pfirter is proposing to overcome
Egyptian/Arab League opposition to the idea of convening a
diplomatic conference to establish a neutral third emblem for
the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement (ref A) with visiting PRM
PDAS Richard Greene in Jerusalem May 16. Ya'ar said Israel
opposed the idea of building Arab support for the conference
by appending recommendations such as monitoring mechanisms to
the IHL report that Switzerland is expected to present to the
UNGA in June. (NOTE: The UNGA invited Switzerland to
present this report at its 10th Emergency Session on the ICJ
ruling on the barrier. END NOTE.) Ya'ar noted that the
Swiss are pressing the idea of monitoring the Gaza Strip's
Rafah customs terminal, but stressed that GOI opposition to
such linkage is equally firm. Israel, Ya'ar continued, will
not "pay a price for MDA membership," adding that the GOI
will consider the conference "dead" the minute the Swiss
attempted to link it to an UNGA resolution that opposes
Israel's disengagement plan.


3. (C) However, Ya'ar thought the author of the Swiss Fourth
Committee report, Ambassador Staehelin, would resist such
linkage based on his May 8-14 visit to Jerusalem and
Ramallah. According to Ya'ar, Staehelin told Palestinian FM
Nasser al Kidwa that there was "no room" to hold a conference
on Fourth Committee issues. Ya'ar conceded that the Swiss
are "frustrated" that Israeli Supreme Court President Barak
refuses to talk about the barrier while the issue is still
before the court, but argued that the Swiss should be
encouraged that the Swiss report will reference Supreme Court
opinions, given that the GOI initially told Staehelin it
would "recognize international law" when Staehelin requested
that the GOI take action to recognize the ICJ ruling last
year.

ISRAELI NEXT STEPS, APPRECIATION FOR U.S. ENGAGEMENT
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Ya'ar indicated that he would reiterate Israel's
opposition to MDA membership/Fourth Committee report linkage
in Bern May 23-24, where he is scheduled to meet Ambassadors
Staehelin and Pfirter following the internal Swiss MFA
meeting on conference next steps. Ya'ar agreed that Egypt
remained key, noting that Israel had received conflicting
third-hand reports on the level of Arab opposition to the
conference, and was uncertain who within the GOE was "calling
the shots" on the emblem issue. Ya'ar expressed strong
appreciation for U.S. efforts to engage the Egyptians, noting
that Israel would ramp up its bilateral engagement with the
Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. He also assured Greene
that he would personally ensure that MDA Chair Noam Yifrach
worked to repair MDA's public image following the latter's
recent threat to block Swiss diplomatic facilities with MDA
ambulances.


IFRC, STANDING COMMISSION CONCERNED ABOUT MDA READINESS
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Separately, regionally-based IFRC and ICRC Standing
Commission officials told PDAS Greene in May 16-17 meetings
in Jerusalem and Amman that they remain concerned about MDA's
readiness. IFRC Representative in Israel Anna Segall
explained that MDA appears to have over-estimated its
internal capacity, noting that MDA officials continue to
claim they can bring its statutes into line with movement
requirements in "two weeks." Segall thought it was critical
to turn MDA's high-level commitment to ensure that its
statutes are in compliance ahead of the conference into
immediate on-the-ground action by MDA staff. She hoped to
kick-start the process by securing MDA's agreement to
participate in the IFRC's standard national self-assessment
tool, and then contract a local organization with expertise
in organizational change to maintain the momentum. Segall
noted that IFRC was in discussions with the American Red
Cross (ARC) about funding, but currently lacked the estimated
USD 15,000-20,000 in required funds. In addition, Segall
added that she also planned to approach MDA about its poor
"presentation skills," observing that even MDA-ARC relations
appeared strained.


6. (C) ICRC Standing Commission (SC)/Jordan Red Crescent
President Dr. Al Hadid told Greene that he hoped ARC would do
more to support renewed MDA-Palestinian Red Crescent Society
(PRCS) joint training/capacity building, adding that he would
also continue to maintain pressure on MDA to start its legal
review immediately. (NOTE: Al Khatib was retained as PRCS
President at the annual PRCS meeting held in Ramallah May
19-22. END NOTE.) Al Hadid noted that the SC remains
supportive of the idea of holding a diplomatic conference
this fall, and urged the U.S. not to be swayed by apparent
Arab intransigence, pointing to the fact that Egypt's Red
Crescent Society President remains committed.


7. (U) PDAS Greene cleared this message.


HALE