MDA: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL ASKS FOR MORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004597

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG
SUBJECT: MDA: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL ASKS FOR MORE
FAVORABLE ISRAELI ACTION AND CLARIFICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC
SCOPE OF MDA ACTIVITIES

REF: A. CAIRO 4379


B. CAIRO 4262 (NOTAL)

C. AMMAN 4474 (NOTAL)

D. STATE 97599 (NOTAL)

E. CAIRO 3842

F. CAIRO 3752

G. CAIRO 3178 (NOTAL)

H. CAIRO 2875 (NOTAL)

I. CAIRO 2515 (NOTAL)

J. CAIRO 2481

K. CAIRO 1798 (NOTAL)

Classified by Charge Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) In a June 19 meeting with Arab League Secretary
General Amre Moussa, the Charge encouraged the Arab League to
work for acceptance of the Magen David Adom (MDA) society
into the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement.
Moussa replied it was difficult to consider such a topic
"while settlements are being built" unless Israel were to
"give something" to improve the regional atmosphere. He
asked rhetorically "what is the hurry?"


2. (C) The Charge stressed the humanitarian nature of the
MDA issue and noted that the time was right for cooperation.
Moussa responded that the MDA was a humanitarian issue "as
seen by the Israelis," but not by the Palestinians. He
emphasized that the MDA's focus was internal to the state of
Israel and raised sensitivities if it "moved beyond Israel"
into the "occupied Palestinian territories." ("Within
Israel" meant, in Moussa's view, "within the borders defined
by UNSCR 242.") Moussa asserted that, with clarification of
the MDA's geographic scope, "we could move quickly" and were
"ready to cooperate."


3. (C) The lack of clarification of the MDA's scope of
operations dissuaded Arab states from cooperation, continued
Moussa. "The point of contention is the occupied
territories," he added, stressing again that if Israel
clearly confined the MDA "inside Israel, and it had nothing
to do with the occupied territories," the Arab League might
be in a better position to help.


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GRAY