(S) CODEL KOLBE: SHARON DISSATISFIED WITH U.S.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 003246

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2015
TAGS: IS KPAL OREP PREL XF GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS ISRAEL RELATIONS GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: (S) CODEL KOLBE: SHARON DISSATISFIED WITH U.S.
SUPPORT FOR ABU MAZEN


Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) During a 75-minute meeting May 30 with Codel Kolbe,
attended also by the Ambassador, Prime Minister Sharon
described several reasons why he is not happy with current
developments. In familiar terms, Sharon said that his and
Israel's willingness to move forward in the peace process
after Gaza disengagement will be dependent on whether
Palestinians take steps against terrorism. So far, the
Palestinian track record is poor, Sharon said. He noted that
a rocket had landed at the entrance of the packing house in
his own farm the previous evening, and that Israel had
prevented at least two other attempted rocket launches from
Gaza. Sharon said Abu Mazen had made a "major mistake" in
signing an agreement with the terrorists.

2, (S) Sharon insisted that he will implement disengagement
despite the hard internal situation in Israel. He also said
that he is making efforts to fulfill Israeli commitments from
the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, citing the release of prisoners.
However, he said, he has not seen similar steps by
Palestinians to fulfill their commitments. Sharon continued
that, for Israel to enter the roadmap after disengagement,
there needs to be Palestinian reforms, dismantlement of
terrorist organizations and a beginning of "education for
peace." The major problem, Sharon said, is that the Arab
world does not recognize the birthright of the Jews to
establish an independent state in the birthplace of the
Jewish people. Even Arab states which have treaties with
Israel do not encourage peace between their people and
Israelis. Sharon said that Israel enjoys a kind of
"strategic cooperation" with Jordan, but this is between
Israeli and Jordanian leaders. In Egypt, Israel faces a
boycott by academics and the unions. In both Egypt and in
Jordan, incitement in schools and mosques continues. Sharon
said this proves that Israel needs to be careful in the peace
process. In the Middle East, declarations and even peace
agreements are usually meaningless; the commitment of other
parties can be judged only by their actions.


3. (S) Sharon said that he remains ready to make painful
compromises for a genuine and durable peace but he will make
no compromises regarding security, now or in the future. "I
stand with my back to the wall." Sharon said that continued
terrorism has an impact on the Israeli people. The short
period of quiet since January has been disrupted by the
resumption of Palestinian Qassam and rocket attacks. This
has caused the Israeli people to distrust Sharon, as
evidenced by reduced support for his policies in the polls.
Sharon said that his internal situation is exacerbated by
every act of terror. The polls show a drop in support from
70 to 54 percent.


4. (S) Equally important, Sharon said, his position has not
been helped by the results of Abu Mazen's visit to Washington
and the perception created that the President's April 14,
2004 letter to Sharon is no longer valid. Sharon cautioned
that the U.S. needs to be more careful regarding
announcements and promises it makes to Abu Mazen. People in
Israel now doubt Sharon when he refers to U.S. support for
Israel's holding on to the major settlement blocs as noted in
the Bush letter. "Every time someone says something, it has
an impact and increases doubts about the President's letter."
Sharon asked for a period of quiet so that he can conclude
the disengagement.


5. (S) Sharon noted that he is not "jealous" of Abu Mazen
and said he recognized it is not easy to be a Palestinian.
In this respect, he knows it was important for Abu Mazen to
visit Washington. However, U.S. statements not only have
increased doubts within Israel about Sharon's policies, but
they have also resulted in an impression among Palestinians
that the U.S. will not exert pressure on them to take steps
against terrorism. Sharon reiterated that a clear message
must be sent to the Arabs that Israel will not move in the
roadmap unless terrorism stops. "It is wrong to think that I
will move straight to the roadmap after disengagement unless
the Palestinians take steps against terrorism. The roadmap
does not work according to a timetable and there is no
bypass. Rather, it provides for a solution in stages which
need to be fully implemented in order to move to the next
stage." Sharon said Israel is a "tiny, small country" and
the only democracy between the Atlantic Ocean and India.
Israel will not take risks unless there is a full cessation
of terrorism.


6. (S) Sharon also offered two additional pieces of advice
to the U.S. First, he said, that nothing will happen if
external assistance to Palestinians is provided without
reforms. We have seen in the past that money provided to the
Palestinians has been wasted. Second, Sharon cautioned that
the Europeans may consider removing Hamas from the terrorism
list once Hamas contests the upcoming elections. He said he
realizes the U.S. understands the dangers posed by Hamas, but
he is not sure Europe has the same understanding.


7. (S) Asked about Iran, Sharon said that Israel is
cooperating closely with the U.S. and others but does not
want to be the "spearhead" of efforts to stop the Iranian
nuclear weapons program. The key, in his view, is when Iran
will reach a point of no return after which they will be able
to build nuclear weapons. Right now, international
monitoring of the Iranian nuclear program makes it harder for
them to work on the weapons program; the Iranians also have
technical problems they have not yet solved. Sharon said the
Iranians are very concerned that the nuclear issue will be
referred to the U.N. Security Council, and Sharon advocated
that that is exactly what should be done. If Iran is under
pressure, he said, it will increase the possibility of
internal change and the possibility of curbing the nuclear
weapons program. Sharon said it is vitally important that
the Europeans maintain responsibility for dealing with this
problem and that the Europeans should not believe that Israel
will take care of it.


8. (S) The following Codel members attended: Reps. Jim
Kolbe, Nita Lowey, David Price, Roger Wicker, Marion Berry,
Susan Davis, Gary Ackerman and Jeff Miller. The Codel did
not clear this cable before departure.

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