AVIAN INFLUENZA: GOI ASSISTING PA; GROUPS FEAR

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 006238 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/IHA, NEA/IPA AND NEA/RA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO EAGR PREL ECON KWBG IS ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: GOI ASSISTING PA; GROUPS FEAR OVERREACTION TO FLU THREAT REF: A. JERUSALEM 4870 (NOTAL) ¶B. TEL AVIV 6170 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Israeli officials are in daily contact with their counterparts from the Palestinian Authority and have been testing birds on behalf of the PA. GOI veterinary officials have provided their Palestinian counterparts with antigens to detect avian influenza. GOI and PA veterinary officials already meet periodically, and Israel has asked Jordan to include the PA in coordination meetings initiated by Jordan. There have not yet been any H5N1 cases detected in Israel. Birdwatchers, poultry farmers and the Cancer Society have expressed concerns about possible overreaction to the threat of bird flu. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) GOI Head Veterinarian Moshe Chaimovitz told ESTH Officer October 27 that the Israeli Veterinary Service (VS) is in daily contact with its Palestinian counterparts. Chaimovitz said he had learned that the PA needed antigens to detect avian influenza from press reports. He immediately phoned his PA counterpart, sent a supply of antigens, and provided information on European antigen suppliers used by the GOI. The GOI VS has tested a number of birds from the PA for avian influenza; all tested negative. Noting that GOI and PA VS officials meet periodically, Chaimovitz said he had requested that the PA VS be included in the series of coordination meetings initiated recently by Jordan. ¶3. (U) The GOI VS has tested hundreds of birds in recent weeks, but so far has not discovered the H5N1 virus in Israel. Birdwatchers, poultry farmers, and the Cancer Society have expressed concerns about possible overreaction to the threat of bird flu. Dr. Yossi Leshem, an ornithologist at Tel Aviv University and director of the International Center for the Study of Migratory Birds at Latrun, has been telling the public that they can enjoy bird watching as usual this season, but should avoid contact with sick or dead birds. Leshem told the Israeli daily "Haaretz" October 21 that some 50,000 birds are banded in Israel each year. He asked that government ministries provide resources for testing and monitoring the banded birds to help create continuous tracking of wild bird populations along the Syrian-African Rift. ¶4. (U) Chicken farmers have decried the "hype" about avian flu. Large growers interviewed by "Haaretz" noted that their poultry runs were closed and there was limited risk of contact with diseased wild birds. Consumption of chicken meat reportedly held steady over the recent Jewish holidays. Meanwhile, a Cancer Society representative questioned government plans to buy additional supplies of Tamiflu, noting that the number of Israelis dying each year of colon and breast cancers exceeded the number of people who might die in a serious flu outbreak. ********************************************* ******************** 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. ********************************************* ******************** JONES