FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR AL QUDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002121 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IPA; JERUSALEM FOR CG WALLES E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2016 TAGS: EAID EFIN KPAL KWBG AE SUBJECT: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR AL QUDS UNIVERSITY IN JERUSALEM REF: STATE 80842 Classified By: DCM Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) DCM discussed the Al Quds University request for assistance with UAEG presidential court interpreter Zeki Nusseibeh (Al Quds President Sari Nusseibeh's brother) who said that a letter requesting U.S. Dollars five (5) million had been left by his brother for Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ) during a visit here six weeks ago. So far there has been no response. Mr. Nusseibeh said the UAE had provided help to Al Quds in the past and seemed well disposed to be again, but he understood that there were "so many demands" on UAE resources coming in all the time. He said that his position as court interpreter made it difficult for him to press the issue personally. ¶2. (C) During a May 21 conversation Ambassador raised the matter with MbZ's international affairs director Yousef al-Otaiba, reviewing ref TPs. Al-Otaiba said he would check on the status of the request and get back. SISON