GAZA CONTACT SEES IMPROVED SECURITY, DIMINISHED

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 004974

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2010
TAGS: KWBG PGOV IS EG GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GAZA CONTACT SEES IMPROVED SECURITY, DIMINISHED
HAMAS


Classified By: DCM Gene A. Cretz for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

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FATAH DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT HAMAS IN DECLINE
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1. (C) Longtime Gaza contact and PA Interior Ministry civil
servant Abdul Samia Efrangi told DCM and POL/C August 10 that
Nasser Yusif's consolidation of security services and
improvements on the street have Gazans feeling better about
security and diminishing their view of Hamas, even though
Fatah remains dysfunctional. Efrangi claimed that the one
negative element is the Preventive Security Organization
(PSO),which he claimed is trying to "cause troubles" between
Hamas and Fatah, including by criticizing both Nasser Yusif
and Efrangi's brother Abdullah, a senior Fatah official
charged with rebuilding the movement in the Gaza Strip.
Fatah and Hamas can reach an accord on their roles and
governance, he said, if the PSO would stop interfering. The
PSO wants to be "the master of the game," he said, and "to
keep everything in their hands," including control of
monopolies and other graft," and "complains all the time
about Nasser Yusif.

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EGYPT: POSITIVE ROLE
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2. (C) Efrangi said the Egyptians are playing an entirely
positive role in Gaza, with training and their "good
influence" with Hamas. Hamas, he predicted, will attempt to
move into some abandoned Israeli settlements "to show they
are there," and he termed probable Israeli destruction of
settlement buildings "good," in that it would deny Hamas the
opportunity to profit from the situation. Hamas, he said,
has been losing support since its last attacks on Israeli
settlements. Gazans, he said, are asking why anyone should
be firing on settlers, who are evacuating the Strip. Hamas's
whole reason for existing is being lost with the settlers'
departure, he added.

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YUSIF UP, DAHLAN DOWN
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3. (C) Efrangi, previously a supporter of Mohammed Dahlan,
said Dahlan's power in the Strip, which he characterized as
never as great as reputed, has declined as people see the
enormity of his corruption. Among other visible acts that
are stirring public resentment, he claimed, Dahlan is
securing control of some 10,000 dunams of Gaza land through
other people, including his brother, Jamil. Nasir Yusif, on
the other hand, who has been a subject of ridicule, is
getting improved marks for his efforts to reform the security
services. While chaos characterizes the situation on the
street, a police force is steadily showing a presence and
offering some encouragement to Gazans.


4. (C) Asked about the recent abductions of foreigners,
Efrangi claimed that supporters of Farouk Qaddoumi are
responsible for at least some abductions, and that their aim
is to harm the Palestinian Authority. Noting that Qaddoumi's
efforts are a last-ditch effort, Efrangi described Qaddoumi
as someone who "goes on the Haj after everyone else has come
home."

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FINALIZING THE QATARI DEAL
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5. (C) Efrangi said he is in the process of trying to
arrange a donation from the Qatari government to the PA, for
the Interior Ministry, of some 350 vehicles, including what
he portrayed as the equivalent of two-and-a-half-ton trucks
and some smaller personnel-carrying vehicles. He was
optimistic that the Qataris would give final approval soon,
but asked for USG assistance to give the Qataris "a push" to
provide the assistance. He said he was visiting Tel Aviv to
determine whether some of the vehicles to be funded could be
procured locally.

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