Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV5779
2005-09-22 09:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

FM SHALOM MEETING WITH CODEL DAVIS

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005779 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL EAID KWBG PREF IS IR LE EG GAZA DISENGAGEMENT GOI INTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: FM SHALOM MEETING WITH CODEL DAVIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005779

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL EAID KWBG PREF IS IR LE EG GAZA DISENGAGEMENT GOI INTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: FM SHALOM MEETING WITH CODEL DAVIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE TREAT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom briefed
CODEL Davis August 31 on the Government of Israel's
Disengagement Plan, and anticipated costs associated with
moving military forces and with developing the Negev and the
Galilee. Asked about post-Disengagement scenarios and PM
Sharon's domestic political prospects, Shalom said that
Israel is committed to moving forward with the Palestinians
and needs to determine whether the Gaza model is working.
Shalom said that Sharon stands a "good chance" of weathering
the political storm within the Likud Party. End Summary.

--------------
KATRINA, COUNTER-TERRORISM
--------------


2. (U) On August 31, CODEL Davis met with Israeli FM Silvan
Shalom. Shalom expressed his full sympathy to the United
States and to CODEL Davis in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Shalom praised the U.S. lead in fighting terrorism, and said
Al-Qaeda is determined to fight democracy, the rule of law
and those who are close to the West or to Israel. "Terrorism
is not just in Israel now," Shalom remarked, adding that the
international community appears to be "more determined" in
combating it.

--------------
REGIONAL TRENDS, CONCERN ABOUT IRAN
--------------


3. (SBU) Shalom commented on positive regional trends,
highlighting Palestinian elections, elections in Iraq, Egypt
and Kuwait, and the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. On a
negative note, Shalom assessed that Iran is "trying to buy
time" and "is close to having the knowledge (required) to
build a bomb." He said it would be a nightmare if Iran has a
bomb, not just for Israel, but for others like the EU as
well. "We need to be determined and tougher than now,"
Shalom continued, "and help the EU and the (U.S.)
Administration take a real move or a decision to move the
issue to the Security Council." He expressed interest in
resuming a strategic dialogue on Iran.

--------------

DISENGAGEMENT AND THE PA
--------------


4. (SBU) Shalom said that many Israelis did not support
disengagement, and acknowledged that he had not supported the
idea initially in the absence of negotiations with the
Palestinians. Shalom maintained that Israel "is committed to
move forward with the Palestinians. We need to determine if
the Gaza model is working or not. Will Gaza be Switzerland
or a place for launching rockets at Israeli towns?" If more
terrorism occurs, Shalom said, it will be a very long time
before a new Israeli prime minister is able to take any
further steps. On the West Bank, Shalom described the
situation as "totally different" from that of Gaza: "the
Jewish people have more links to the West Bank than to Gaza."
He compared Gaza to southern Lebanon as two places where "we
do not have to be."


5. (U) Shalom insisted that President Abbas must make a
strategic decision to dismantle terrorist groups. If Abbas
seizes this opportunity, he will find a real partner (in
Israel),according to Shalom, who argued that "no Authority
can allow gangs (or) terrorist groups to hold and use
weapons." Shalom reasoned that these groups "can hurt us,
but they cannot undermine our existence. However, they can
hurt or eliminate him (Abbas)." Shalom said the U.S. will
always have a big role to play, and that it is important for
Israel to be able show support from the U.S. after
disengagement. He noted Israel's plan to move military bases
from Gaza and to develop the Galilee and Negev, and mentioned
Israel's request for two billion USD towards the cost of
these plans, of which 1.3 billion would be for development.


6. (U) Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) asked FM Shalom who will
control Gaza after disengagement: the PA or Hamas or the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)? Representative Al Wynn
(D-MD) inquired about worst-case scenarios
post-disengagement. Shalom responded that Israel intends to
fully withdraw from Gaza and to continue working with the PA
on security and economic issues such as customs. In reply to
the Chairman's specific question about Hamas and PIJ, said
Israel will not "put decisions in the hands of (these)
extremists" who want to undermine President Abbas by
provoking Israeli retaliation. Shalom clarified that Israel
does not want to reenter Gaza, but warned that Israel would
respond to fire from Gaza.

--------------
EGYPT AND LEBANON
--------------


7. (SBU) Egypt has a stake in preventing terrorism from
"leaking" into Egypt from Gaza. Shalom praised Egypt's role
in working with the Palestinians, and commented that
bilateral relations are "much better." He nonetheless
criticized Egyptian stances in international fora and Egypt's
failure to encourage other Arabs to engage with Israel.


8. (SBU) In response to a question posed by Representative
Darrell Issa (R-CA) about whether Palestinians in Lebanon
might return to Gaza, Shalom recalled Israel's long-standing
opposition to a "right of return" for Palestinians to Israel
and remarked that "most of those (refugees) in Lebanon were
not born in Palestine (or modern day Israel)." Shalom said a
more important priority, from Israel's point of view, is for
the PA to resettle those Palestinians currently living in
refugee camps in Gaza, and to put an end to the symbol (of a
"right of return" to Israel) that Gaza refugee camps
represent. He did not elaborate explicitly where the Gazan
refugees should be resettled or moved, but intimated that
they would stay in the Gaza Strip.

--------------
DOMESTIC ISRAELI POLITICS
--------------


9. (SBU) Shalom said that PM Sharon is under attack and "may
pay a price." Shalom claimed Likud's membership has fallen
from 330,000 to 154,000 since the last election, but he did
not say he attributes this decrease to Sharon's policies.
Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) congratulated PM
Sharon's achievement with disengagement, and inquired about
Sharon's struggle within the Likud Party and his chances for
political success in Israel. Citing his own political
support for Sharon in recent campaigns, Shalom responded
simply "Sharon has a good chance."


10. (U) CODEL Davis did not have an opportunity to clear this
message before departing post.

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