Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV5905
2005-09-30 03:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

SHARON ADVISOR TOURGEMAN ON CONTACTS WITH THE PA

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005905 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL PTER IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS COUNTERTERRORISM GOI EXTERNAL GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: SHARON ADVISOR TOURGEMAN ON CONTACTS WITH THE PA
AND ARAB STATES; DEALING WITH HAMAS

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005905

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL PTER IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS COUNTERTERRORISM GOI EXTERNAL GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: SHARON ADVISOR TOURGEMAN ON CONTACTS WITH THE PA
AND ARAB STATES; DEALING WITH HAMAS

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1. 4 (B) and (D)
.


1. (C) Summary: During a meeting with the Ambassador on
September 27, Prime Minister Sharon's foreign policy adviser,
Shalom Tourgeman, stressed the importance of the political
process with the Palestinians. He said the GOI is preparing
a list of possible steps to assist PA President Mahmud Abbas,
but has delayed the planned Sharon-Abbas meeting due to
events in Gaza. Admitting that the GOI does not have an
answer to the problem of Hamas, Tourgeman cautioned that
"Hamas's participation in the elections means the end of the
roadmap." Tourgeman acknowledged that Sharon and FM Silvan
Shalom have different views on how to open ties with Arab
states, saying Sharon preferred a more open approach. He
complained that Jordanian pre-conditions are complicating
planning for King Abdullah's visit to Israel. Tourgeman
predicted an Israeli Cabinet reshuffle in November. He asked
the USG to receive the GOI's point man for the Strategic
Dialogue, Tzachi Hanegbi, at an appropriate level in
Washington. End summary.

-------------- --------------
GOI-PA Contacts Continue; Sharon-Abbas meeting on Hold
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Tourgeman claimed that in New York the President had
told Sharon that disengagement had given the Palestinians a
chance to succeed, an interpretation that the GOI shares.
Tourgeman stressed the importance of the political process
with the Palestinians, saying it was important to demonstrate
to Israelis that the process begun with disengagement is not
over. When asked by the Ambassador about plans for
high-level GOI-PA contacts, Tourgeman said that the GOI is
not currently meeting PA officials because of the recent
attacks in Gaza. Sharon adviser Dov Weissglas and PA
negotiator Sa'eb Erakat will probably see each other during
the first half of October. Tourgeman reassured the
Ambassador that telephone contact continues on a daily basis,

noting that he had spoken with Erakat twice that day.


3. (C) Tourgeman said the planned meeting between Sharon and
Abbas has been postponed because the Israelis realize that
Abbas needs "tangible results" from a summit. The GOI is
still considering its options, Tourgeman said, adding that
Israel will seek to fulfill "all" the Palestinian requests
for Gaza. While the GOI is preparing a list of possible
steps to assist Abbas, Tourgeman insisted that Abbas must
"help himself" by acting against terrorists. The Ambassador
stressed the importance of strengthening Abbas prior to the
PLC elections, suggesting that items from the Wolfensohn
agenda -- such as job creation and movement on Rafah -- would
help. Tourgeman admitted that the PA and GOI need to meet to
resolve issues such as Rafah, although he claimed Abbas is
using Rafah as an "excuse" for inaction on other issues.
Tourgeman insisted that Israel could not make concessions on
the release of prisoners, especially those with "blood on
their hands," an issue he said tops Abbas's priority list.
He also rejected any third-party role, predicting that the
Palestinians would use the third party to obscure its own
lack of action.

-------------- --------------
GOI Uncertain How to Deal with Hamas and the PLC Elections
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Tourgeman told the Ambassador that the GOI's main
issue at present is how to deal with Hamas, cautioning that
"Hamas's participation in the elections means the end of the
roadmap." In Tourgeman's view, Hamas will never disarm. Its
participation in the PLC elections would legitimize the
group, lead to an increase in funding for the group, and
result in increased contacts between European officials and
Hamas. He admitted that the GOI does not have an answer on
how to approach the problem. Sharon intends to speak with
Abbas and examine possible options, he said, including
postponing the vote. In the meantime, Tourgeman predicted
that the Israeli security services will continue to keep the
pressure on Hamas to force them to maintain the "calm." The
Ambassador stressed that the U.S. policy on Hamas remains
unchanged and noted the Quartet's statement mentioning
extremist groups on September 20.

-------------- ---
Sharon's Views on Relations with the Arab States
-------------- ---


5. (C) The Ambassador asked about efforts to improve ties
with Arab states. Tourgeman complained that the Arabs had
missed the opportunity provided by disengagement to improve
ties with Israel and support the PA. He admitted that Sharon
and FM Shalom have differing view on the issue. The MFA has
worked continuously on a number of minor -- and often secret
-- steps in an effort to slowly build contacts. According to
Tourgeman, Sharon is open to improved relations, but prefers
a more open approach and opposes quasi-clandestine Israeli
missions such as the one in Dubai. When the Tunisian
President quietly urged Sharon not to attend the World Summit
on the Information Society, Sharon's response was "if they
don't want me I won't go."


6. (C) Tourgeman confided that Sharon had asked Jordan's King
Abdullah to make a public visit to Israel following
disengagement, noting that such a trip would demonstrate to
the Israeli people that disengagement is not a dead end. The
Jordanians agreed, but with a number of conditions: 1) no
press; 2) no public events during the visit; and 3) progress
on the release of Jordanian prisoners responsible for the
injury or death of Israeli citizens from Israeli jails.
Tourgeman said he is frustrated that the Jordanians are
making the same demands during preparations for the visit
that the King announced while he was at the White House in
September. Tourgeman also complained of recent statements by
President Mubarak to the effect that Sharon is "an obstacle
to peace."
--------------
Keep the Pressure on Syria
--------------


7. (C) In response to a question by the Ambassador, Tourgeman
said he believes that the Mehlis report will implicate the
Syrians in Hariri's murder. Tourgeman acknowledged that the
GOI is concerned that Asad will attempt to shift the
spotlight from Syria by fomenting Hizballah attacks against
northern Israel, but reassured the Ambassador that the GOI
"got your message" and will exercise restraint. Tourgeman
urged the USG to increase pressure on Syria's unstable
regime, suggesting that two deliverables might be progress
towards demarcation of the Syrian-Lebanese border and the
closure of terrorist offices in Damascus. He expressed
concern, however, that terrorists expelled from Syria will
make their way to Gaza.


8. (C) The Ambassador inquired about prospects for peace with
Lebanon and Syria. Tourgeman stressed the preeminence of
negotiations on the Palestinian track and insisted "we cannot
domestically open another front." He said it would be
possible to discuss confidence-building measures and water
issues with Beirut, but he believes that such steps would
weaken the new Lebanese government at home. Turning to
Syria, he maintained that the outline of a final peace treaty
is well known, but questioned why the GOI would take any step
that might assist Asad in escaping his international
isolation.

-------------- --------------
Sharon's Victory in Likud/Hanegbi Heads Strategic Dialogue
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Addressing Sharon's defeat of Netanyahu's leadership
challenge in Likud on September 26, Tourgeman predicted a
Cabinet shake-up in November. He observed that Sharon took
the campaign "very personally" and will seek to reward his
supporters and make it more difficult for his opponents to
obtain backing for their policy or budget priorities. He
predicted that coalition whip Gideon Sa'ar, Health Minister
Dani Naveh, and Education Minister Limor Livnat will face
Sharon's wrath. At the same time, Sharon plans to appoint
Ehud Olmert as finance minister and promote Roni Bar'on or
Ze'ev Boim to the Trade Ministry. Tourgeman singled out FM
Silvan Shalom for praise. Although Shalom initially opposed
disengagement, he fully supported Sharon and had personally
swung 100 voters in Sharon's favor, resulting in Sharon's
victory.


10. (C) Tourgeman said that Minister without Portfolio Tzachi
Hanegbi will be rewarded for his support of Sharon by being
placed in charge of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Dialogue. In
addition, Hanegbi will assume an (unspecified) important
ministerial portfolio following the conclusion of the ongoing
judicial investigation into his hiring practices while
serving as Minister of Internal Security. Tourgeman said
that Hanegbi would soon travel to Washington and seek
appointments with U/S Burns and at the NSC. Tourgeman urged
the USG to receive him at an appropriate level and to set a
date for the Strategic Dialogue.

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