PALESTINIAN ASSISTANCE DEMARCHE REQUEST: USG VIEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002276 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016 TAGS: KPAL EAID PREL AE SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN ASSISTANCE DEMARCHE REQUEST: USG VIEWS FOLLOWING MAY 24 BRUSSELS EXPERTS MEETING REF: SECSTATE 86455 Classified By: DCM Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On June 3 DCM delivered demarche points on Palestinian Assistance to MFA America Desk Director Ambassador Ali Al Zarouni and took advantage of the occasion to present the full scope of U.S. humanitarian aid to the Palestinians ($245M, 57% increase, $10M in emergency medical assistance, $1.7B since 1993). Al Zarouni indicated that he was glad to hear this and was especially grateful to receive a copy of the information in Arabic as published in op-ed format in UAE semi-official Arabic daily Al Ittihad on May 31. ¶2. (C) DCM again outlined the three principles of peace (nonviolence, recognition, acceptance of previous agreements) that Hamas must accept before foreign assistance would again be forthcoming. Al Zarouni acknowledged the problem, but said that all Emiratis are worried about the Palestinians and are afraid that their continued privation and suffering will encourage and strengthen extremist groups that are "even worse than Hamas," mentioning as an example Islamic Jihad. SISON