ARAB BANK MOVES TO REDUCE RISK IN THE EVENT OF A

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001790

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016
TAGS: EFIN ECON KWBG KPAL KTFN JO
SUBJECT: ARAB BANK MOVES TO REDUCE RISK IN THE EVENT OF A
HAMAS-LED PA; AWAITS USG GUIDANCE

REF: A. AMMAN 1405


B. AMMAN 1599

Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Arab Bank, Jordan's largest bank and the
largest provider of banking services in the West Bank and
Gaza, has been steadily lowering the amount of credit it
offers the Palestinian Authority (PA) since the Hamas
parliamentary victory. In anticipation of a worst-case
scenario with banks being required to sever ties with a
Hamas-led PA, Arab Bank is continuing its credit draw down,
eliminating all lines of credit to the PA in the next two
weeks. The bank is awaiting a response to its request for
USG guidance regarding planned financial sanctions (ref A)
against the PA. Arab Bank,s scenario plans only for
sanctions on accounts held directly by the PA - not on those
held by municipalities or utilities (ref B). END SUMMARY.


2. (C) In a March 5 meeting with the Ambassador, Arab Bank
CEO Abdel-Hamid Shoman summarized the steps Arab Bank is
taking to reduce its exposure in the Palestinian territories
in the event that a Hamas-led PA leads to international
sanctions against banking services. Shoman said Arab Bank
has been "progressively" lowering the overdraft privileges it
offers the PA. This line of credit is most commonly used to
pay salaries for PA employees at the end of each month, and
is collateralized by government-owned stock shares and cash.
While the collateral is still available, Arab Bank has told
the PA that it must reduce the credit the Bank offers to
reduce its risk in "the event that Hamas takes over."


3. (C) Shoman said the line of credit has been reduced to 50
million USD, and a majority of that amount has been shifted
to loans. To date, two loans have been "booked": one in
London, and one in Arab Bank's branch in Ramallah for which
the PA is already on an installment payment schedule.
According to Shoman, Arab Bank plans to continue its draw
down, closing all open lines of credit "in the next two
weeks."


4. (C) Shoman reiterated Central Bank of Jordan Governor
Touqan's comments that the amount of capital at risk is not
the Arab Bank's major concern. Rather, Shoman cited his
desire to "avoid a humanitarian crisis," as well as the
perception by the man in the street that Arab Bank is the
enemy, if the bank has to stop operations completely. Shoman
said Arab Bank provides banking services for over 60% of
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and emphasized the
sensitive position in which it finds itself. According to
Shoman, eliminating all lines of credit at once is not an
option; that is why the bank "is taking a staggered and
orderly approach" to eliminating credit facilities to the PA
at this early stage.


5. (C) When asked if he was also considering the accounts
held by Palestinian municipalities or public utilities to
which the PA is a customer, Shoman said he was not and asked
whether he should. The Ambassador replied that he would
share guidance with Shoman as soon as it emerges.


6. (U) Read all of Amman's Classified cable traffic at
http://cables.state.sgov.gov/ncddos/cable/cou ntry/JOR/
home.html.
HALE