TEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM FOR ASSISTANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002643 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2016 TAGS: KPAL PREL EAID IS AE SUBJECT: TEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIANS REF: STATE 100475 Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b & d). ¶1. (C) On June 25, Econchief and Econoff met with Ambassador Al-Zarouni to encourage the UAE to use the temporary international mechanism to provide assistance directly to the Palestinian people. Ambassador Al-Zarouni replied that Palestinians were suffering because they do not have money or food. He said he believed that it was "a mistake to suspend the salaries of Palestinian government workers, including government Ministers just because Hamas is in power." ¶2. (C) Al-Zarouni told Econoffs he is against Hamas. He argued, however, that the Palestinians voted for Hamas because the previous government was corrupt and unable to "get (the Palestinians) their rights." Al-Zarouni said that "The two state process is the best solution so that both sides can live in peace forever... Both sides are suffering and both sides are scared." He added that neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis would "disappear" so that they would need to accept each other and make peace. He believes Hamas should recognize and accept Israel and most importantly make peace with Israel. He added that, in the long-run, some sort of federation (or confederation) might serve the interests of both sides and speculated that Israel could join the Arab League. He also argued that immediate independence for Palestinians might not be necessary if they were to start with some sort of federation with Israel in the interim, clearly leading to independence in ten or twenty years. The important thing, he stressed, was that people needed hope in the future. Al-Zarouni ended the meeting by saying that both sides need help and that the U.S. should show the Palestinians the U.S. wants to help both sides. ¶3. (U) Note: According to the UAE press, PNA President Mahmoud Abbas called UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on June 25 to thank the UAE for its support of the Palestinian people. Sheikh Khalifa reiterated the UAE's support to the Palestinian people "to alleviate their suffering" until they gained the right to establish an independent state. End Note. SISON