Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV6797
2005-12-06 16:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

GOI-PA CONTACTS ON CONVOYS FROZEN

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 006797 

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GREENE/LOGERFO/WATERS;
NSC FOR ABRAMS/MUSTAFA; TREASURY FOR NUGENT AND ADKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2015
TAGS: ECON ELTN ETRD PREL KWBG IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: GOI-PA CONTACTS ON CONVOYS FROZEN


Classified By: Ambassador Richard H.Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 006797

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GREENE/LOGERFO/WATERS;
NSC FOR ABRAMS/MUSTAFA; TREASURY FOR NUGENT AND ADKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2015
TAGS: ECON ELTN ETRD PREL KWBG IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: GOI-PA CONTACTS ON CONVOYS FROZEN


Classified By: Ambassador Richard H.Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: In a December 5 meeting with the Ambassador,
Major General Yossef Mishlev, Coordinator of Government
Activities in the Territories (COGAT) advised that the GOI
has a plan for re-establishing bus convoys between the Gaza
Strip and the West Bank. The "pilot plan" proposes a single
convoy of five buses a day carrying up to 250 passengers from
Erez Crossing in Gaza to Turkumiya in the West Bank. Only
Palestinian ID card holders resident in Gaza would be allowed
to travel, possibly with additional restrictions on males
between 16 and 35 year old. West Bank residents initially
would not be granted access to the convoy. Mishlev asserted
that PA Minister of Civil Affairs Mohammed Dahlan had agreed
to most of the plan, but questions remained on such issues as
who would own and drive the buses and the number of
destinations in the West Bank. Mishlev said that his PA
interlocutors' preoccupation with upcoming elections was
hindering progress. During the meeting, Mishlev called
Dahlan who explained that he had officially resigned his
position and would no longer engage on convoy issues.
Mishlev pressed hard for a meeting, and Dahlan eventually
said he and PA Minister of Planning Ghassan Khatib would meet
with Mishlev on December 8. Mishlev expressed doubts that
Dahlan would show. Mishlev said he hoped the GOI's convoy
plan would be in place by the December 15 deadline set in the
November 15 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA),but only
if the PA engaged on remaining differences. Subsequent to
the meeting we learned that Mishlev has received instructions
to freeze contact with the PA on convoys as a result of the
Netanya bombing earlier in the day. End Summary.


2. (C) In response to Ambassador's question about the
December 15 deadline for the convoys to begin, COGAT Major
General Mishlev replied that, although confident the target

date could be met, he was concerned that senior officials in
both the GOI and the PA were becoming increasingly
preoccupied with elections. He said this had been evident in
his last discussion with his PA counterpart, Mohammed Dahlan,
on December 1. Mishlev said Dahlan had raised "obstacles,"
such as insisting that convoy buses be Palestinian-owned, and
GOI/PA positions on this and other issues appeared far apart.
Mishlev asserted "I need a counterpart" to move beyond the
GOI's existing plans for a December 15 bus convoy startup.


3. (C) According to Mishlev, the GOI "pilot program" for
convoys involves the following:

-- one convoy of five buses, Israeli owned/Israeli drivers
-- up to 250 passengers a day
-- one trip a day: Erez - Turkumiya
-- Gaza Palestinian ID holders only, possibly with
restrictions on males age 16 to 35.
-- West Bank residents initially will not be eligible
-- Maximum stay 10 days before return trip to Gaza
-- Israeli police to provide security
-- buses would depart at 10 a.m., after Palestinian laborers
had been processed through Erez



4. (C) In response to additional questions from the
Ambassador and other meeting participants on the status of
contacts with the PA on convoy issues, Mishlev called Dahlan.
In the ensuing conversation (conducted in Arabic),Dahlan
advised a visibly surprised Mishlev that, as he was no longer
a minister, he would no longer be the PA lead on convoy
issues, according to Mishlev. Dahlan reportedly told Mishlev
to discuss convoys with Ghassan Khatib. He also mentioned
Sa'eb Erakat as a possible interlocutor. Mishlev invited
Dahlan to meet on December 8, but Dahlan initially declined.
Mishlev later advised that even though Dahlan eventually
agreed to meet (along with Khatib),he doubted he would show.
"I'm chasing him," Mishlev exclaimed.


5. (C) The Ambassador suggested that Mishlev proceed with
planning to implement the existing plan while working out
areas of disagreement with the PA. It was imperative that
the GOI honor the December 15 date in the November 15
Agreement on Movement and Access for the beginning of bus
convoys. He volunteered to convey Mishlev's concerns to
ConGen Jerusalem and asked that Mishlev keep him informed of
any problems.


6. (C) Mishlev began the meeting by mentioning the bombing
that had occurred earlier that same day in Netanya, 29 miles
north of Tel Aviv. He said that the security situation was
not in parallel with the humanitarian steps the GOI proposed
to take to improve the lives of the Palestinians. In a
meeting on the evening of December 5, the GOI security
cabinet decided, among other steps, to freeze contacts with
the PA on the convoy issue.






********************************************* ********************
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