GAZA DISENGAGEMENT: ATTORNEY GENERAL MAZUZ

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 004207 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 TAGS: PGOV KWBG EG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT GOI EXTERNAL GOI INTERNAL SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT: ATTORNEY GENERAL MAZUZ INDICATES KNESSET WILL NOT NEED TO APPROVE EGYPTIAN BORDER DEPLOYMENT REF: A. TEL AVIV 4118 ¶B. TEL AVIV 4194 Classified By: by Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d), ¶1. (C) Attorney General Menachem Mazuz told Ministry of Justice Liaison to the Knesset Paz Barnett July 5 to convey directly to Poloff who was waiting in the adjoining office that he is about to announce his decision that an agreement between Israel and Egypt allowing Egypt to place some 750 border police on the Gaza-Egypt border would only require Cabinet approval, and not the approval of the Knesset (ref A). Mazuz added that he already received a letter from Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Likud MK Yuval Steinitz's private attorney objecting to this decision and indicating Steinitz would seek legal action against it. Barnett said that this means Steinitz would appeal Mazuz's decision to the High Court. Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Sharon Dov Weissglas previously told the Ambassador July 4 that he believed that a Ha'aretz report that same day stating that Mazuz "is expected to advise that (the agreement) not be presented to the Knesset for its approval" is accurate, although Mazuz has not formally announced his decision (ref B). ¶2. (C) The Knesset held a discussion July 5 on allowing Egypt to place border police on the Gaza-Egyptian border in anticipation of Mazuz's decision and media reports that negotiations between the GOI and GOE on an agreement were nearing a conclusion. Likud MK Michael Eitan, Chairperson of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee agreed with Steinitz that any deployment agreement with Egypt was a material change to the 1973 Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treaty, thus requiring Knesset approval. Eitan reportedly is attempting to formulate a Knesset position on the anticipated agreement with Egypt. ********************************************* ******************** 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