PALESTINIAN SECURITY/NETHERLANDS: DUTCH DONATION

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001925 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS PREL KWBG IS NL PKPAL SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN SECURITY/NETHERLANDS: DUTCH DONATION FOR COMMUNICATIONS REF: STATE 121751 THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) Acting POLCOUNS and Poloff discussed reftel demarche with the MFA on June 30 and July 7. Astrid Zonneveld (MFA Action Officer for security policy) told A/POLCOUNS that the GoNL would provide up to 500,000 euro to support the Ward Mission, drawing on the Security Policy Bureau's discretionary funds that are not part of Dutch ODA. Zonneveld said her office was working on approval for disbursement now and would earmark its funding for communications. Administrative procedures will take about a week. The Dutch mission in Ramala is coordinating its donation with the working group. ¶2. (SBU) Separately, Angelique Eijpe (MFA, Middle East desk officer),told Poloff that the Dutch still need to coordinate internally the several requests for assistance coming in from several sides. Meanwhile, they are "watching how things develop, nervous about how the fluidity of the situation could affect the effectiveness of new contributions," she said. In this context, Eijpe said the Dutch will continue a program of "threat training." On materiel requests, she said she would check with Ramala, but admitted the Dutch remain cautious about Israeli border controls that have made it difficult to supply the Palestinians in the past. Focusing specifically on the last line of reftel demarche, she asked if the USG could give greater assurances about GOI intentions knew to expedite equipment through ports. Finally, even with GOI and USG assurances, she said the GoNL would find it feels it is more difficult to give equipment because of political sensitivities involved. Poloff pressed Eijpe to consider a more robust Dutch approach, while acknowledging that the fluid situation and multiple requests require coordination and reflection despite the compressed time line this summer for the Gaza withdrawal. BLAKEMAN