GAZANS, FOR VARYING REASONS, FAVOR PA CABINET OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001085

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2015
TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG GZ IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GAZANS, FOR VARYING REASONS, FAVOR PA CABINET OF
"TECHNOCRATS"

REF: JERUSALEM 0695

Classified By: Pol/C Norm Olsen for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Prominent Gazans expressed, for varying
reasons, a strong preference for a cabinet of technocrats in
conversations with Poloff February 22-23. Minister of
Justice candidate and prominent Gaza attorney Sharhabeel
al-Za'eem said that Gazans view new faces in the ministries
as a concrete sign of positive change under Abu Mazen; even
the discussion is generating excitement among a population in
the strip hitherto extremely skeptical of the prospects for
any meaningful change. Marwan Kanafani, head of the PLC
Political Committee, said that he, too, is adamant that the
cabinet be one of technocrats, although he did not cite
technical competence as his reason per se. Kanafani appeared
to be more concerned about the inclusion of some PLC members
over others, prompting his position of "all technocrats or
none" in the cabinet. End Summary.


2. (C) Questioned about the ongoing crisis in formulating a
Palestinian government, prominent Gazans, for varying
reasons, expressed a strong preference for "new faces" in the
selection of ministerial candidates. Gaza lawyer Sharhabeel
al-Za'eem, himself a so-far unsuccessful "technocrat"
candidate for Minister of Justice, told Poloff February 21
that he is not campaigning for the position. "Either they
want technical competence, or they don't," he said.
Al-Za'eem said his name had been on the proposed cabinet
list, only to be removed at the last minute in the early
morning hours February 21. Regarding the slate of ministers
presented to the PLC February 21, al-Za'eem accused PM Abu
Ala'a of failing to think creatively, or even "to think at
all" in crafting the list, which al Za'eem said contained too
many names of individuals who have held a series of positions
in the PA since its establishment in 1994. Al-Za'eem said
that the "revolt" in the PLC that has blocked adoption of the
cabinet thus far is led by new generation Fatah members,
whose resentment of long-entrenched Fatah politicians has
reached a climax. Palestinians, said al-Za'eem, are fed up
with seeing the same old faces.


3. (C) His personal, less-than-clear situation
notwithstanding, al-Za'eem did not express frustration with
the ongoing, messy political process. On the contrary, he
fairly gushed with enthusiasm at the public discussion and
political energy of the process, adding that this feeling is
shared by increasing numbers in Gaza. Until now, he said,
Gazans have been reticent in expressing any hopes, high or
otherwise, for the future, preferring to adopt a "wait and
see" attitude borne of repeated disappointments. Speculating
on what may have tipped the balance, al-Za'eem said that the
hope of seeing some fresh faces in the government seems to
have at last sparked people's interest. That, said
al-Za'eem, is the main factor convincing people that Abu
Mazen does, indeed, stand for change. Abu Ala'a, he said, is
increasingly being viewed as a block to progress.

--------------
Same Answer, Different Reasoning
--------------


4. (C) Marwan Kanafani, Head of the PLC Political Committee,
told Poloff February 23 that he, too, favors a cabinet of
technocrats, although he did not cite a desire for
technically competent ministers as his reason per se.
Kanafani said he opposes any cabinet that includes PLC
members or other non-technocrats: "How can we support the
inclusion of some PLC members and not others?" Specifically,
Kanafani said he strongly opposed the inclusion of either
Sa'eb Erekat or Nabil Sha'ath, as both are members of the
PLC. Kanafani predicted that a proposed cabinet that
included them would fail again, although he doubted whether
Abu Ala'a himself would be replaced for failing to form a
government.

--------------
Looking to a Future in the PLC?
--------------


5. (C) Al-Za'eem, who said he is untroubled as to whether he
enters the government or not, confided that he intends to run
in the PLC elections in July regardless. Saying he will run
as an independent, al-Za'eem described the process of
registration as quite simple, requiring only that a potential
candidate present a petition with 500 signatures to the
electoral committee. He added that "many people" are
thinking of running, and called the heightened interest yet
more evidence that people may be starting to believe that
things are changing for the better under Abu Mazen.


********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
KURTZER