UPDATE ON PALESTINIANS ON JORDAN-IRAQ BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001153

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/I AND PRM/ANE
AMMAN AND CAIRO FOR REFCOORDS KANESHIRO AND CHEYNE
GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2016
TAGS: PREF PREL KPAL XF IZ JO
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PALESTINIANS ON JORDAN-IRAQ BORDER

REF: A. APRIL 6 KANESHIRO-HILL EMAILS

B. BAGHDAD 979

C. AMMAN 2061

D. JERUSALEM 1145

E. AMMAN 2046

F. BAGHDAD 918 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M.
Satterfield for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paras 10
and 11.


2. (C) Summary: Following the March 18 exodus of 88
Palestinians from Baghdad, we have received news that at
least 33 more have fled to the makeshift camp on the
Iraqi side of the Jordanian border (23 individuals on
April 1, and a subsequent ten on April 2). Palestinian
representatives told PolFSN April 6 that the Palestinian
community received even more threatening letters over the
past week accusing the Palestinians of being Saddamists
and indicating that they must leave or face death.
PLO/DORA has advised Amman RefCoord that Mahmud Abbas
plans to issue a statement urging Palestinians to remain
in Baghdad. The office of UNSYG Kofi Annan has sent
UNHCR a letter requesting an update to its emergency
contingency plan for Palestinians in Iraq, a plan to
assist the Palestinians at the border, and requirements
to improve protection of Palestinians in Baghdad. We
understand UNHCR has already begun to address these
issues. UNHCR is also planning a second assessment visit
to the Palestinians at the border. We understand from
ref A that PA President Mahmud Abbas plans to issue a
statement urging Palestinians to remain in Baghdad. The
Abbas statement could prove to be the best short-term way
to help calm Palestinians in Baghdad. As previously
reported, legislative fixes to the Palestinians' status,
or even increased patrols by MNF-I, may not be sufficient
to infuse a sense of security within the Palestinian
community in Iraq. An updated UNHCR contingency plan
would be a welcome development. For our part, we
continue to follow-up with ISF, MOI, MOD, MoDM, and MNF-I
on ways to enhance protection and calm the Palestinian
community. End Summary.

Additional Arrivals at the Border; More May Follow
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3. (C) On April 2, the President of the Palestinian
Human Rights Organization in Iraq, Muhammed Abid Mutlak
Mowsiq, called PolFSN to inform her of additional
migration of Baghdad Palestinians to the Jordanian
border. He later informed her that 33 had left Baghdad
permanently in two trips April 1 and 2 and had joined
other Palestinians currently at the border.


4. (SBU) On April 6, Palestinian representatives
provided PolFSN with copies of letters they had sent to
international human rights organizations and communities,
including the UN, asking for their help and support. One
of the letters said the Palestinian refugees in Baghdad
have asked the UN, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and Iraqi
authorities for help, but that nothing had been done and
their situation is becoming worse day after day. The
letter said that only the Iraqi Red Crescent helped the
Palestinians at the border, but such help was not enough.
(Note: UNHCR told PolOff that its implementing partner
Islamic Relief was conducting a needs assessment and
would be assuming responsibility for providing assistance
to the refugees at the border under UNHCR auspices.)


5. (SBU) In a subsequent April 6 phone conversation, a
Palestinian community representative told PolFSN that
Palestinian residents in Baghdad had received additional
threatening letters commanding Palestinians to leave or
be "neutralized." The letter accused all Palestinians of
being Saddamists and Baathists.

Mahmud Abbas Plans Statement to Palestinians in Baghdad
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) We understand from ref A that PLO/DORA reports
that Mahmud Abbas is planning to issue a statement to the
Palestinians in Baghdad, apparently urging them to stay
in Iraq (ref A). Reportedly, PLO/DORA does not yet have
the text of the Abbas statement.

Annan Directs UNHCR to Update Plan for Iraqi Palestinians
-------------- --------------


7. (SBU) On April 6, UNHCR Amman advised Amman RefCoord
that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan instructed UNHCR on
April 4 to update urgently its strategy for Palestinian
refugees in Iraq in consultation with UNAMI and UNRWA
(ref A). The new plan will be designed by UNHCR Geneva
and address contingency plans for large scale movements,
ongoing assistance to Palestinians at the borders, and
requirements to improve protection in Baghdad. We
further understand that UNHCR held a brainstorming
session in Amman April 6 to send back "all options."
These range from improving capacity to stay in Iraq to
country-specific regional integration options, including
an offer apparently made by the Kurdish Regional
Government to absorb Palestinians into northern Iraq, as
well as a new approach the Egyptian Embassy apparently
made to UNHCR Iraq offering to accept Palestinians in
Iraq who hold Egyptian travel documents. UNHCR indicated
that UNRWA has weighed in by informing UNHCR that Syria
has definitely refused to allow entry of any more
Palestinians from Iraq. Reportedly the Palestinian
Charge d'Affaires in Baghdad has informed UNAMI that all
Palestinians in Iraq want to leave and that "the PA would
facilitate entry" to the West Bank/Gaza but that he
doubted the Israeli or Jordanian governments would
facilitate transit. As we have previously reported,
legislative fixes to the Palestinians' status or even
increased patrols by MNF-I may not be sufficient to
infuse a sense of security within the Palestinian
community here. An updated UNHCR contingency plan would
be a welcome development.

UNHCR Plans Assessment Mission to Palestinians at Border
-------------- --------------


8. (SBU) UNAMI advised Baghdad RefCoord April 6 that it
has submitted a request for MNF-I support for a second
UNHCR assessment mission to the Palestinians at the Iraq-
Jordan border. UNHCR confirmed to Amman RefCoord that
this mission was in the works ahead of the instruction to
UNHCR to update its strategy for Iraqi Palestinians (ref
A). UNHCR Amman/Iraq's timetable is flexible; they are
willing to wait the normal 10 days processing for this
support if it cannot be expedited. The mission will be a
two-person team -- a UNHCR Amman security officer and a
UNHCR Iraq protection officer. The Jordanian Interior
Ministry has already approved UNHCR's request to conduct
this second cross-border assessment mission of the
Palestinians on the Iraqi side of the border.

Comment and Action Requests
--------------


9. (C) Comment: The sense of fear among the Palestinian
community in Iraq remains critically high. The planned
statement by Abbas urging Palestinians in Iraq not to
move towards the borders would be helpful. Swift
development and implementation of a revised UNHCR
strategy for Palestinians in Iraq in the very near future
would also be a positive step to preventing a potential
crisis at one or another of the international borders.
Embassy notes that UNHCR would have no authority or
ability to provide physical security to Palestinian
neighborhoods -- this would fall to Iraqi security forces
or other security providers in Iraq. However, UNHCR does
have the authority to explore potential alternative
durable solutions outside Baghdad which might offer a
more secure environment for Palestinians, and we look
forward to hearing their thoughts. Embassy Baghdad
continues to follow-up with ISF, MOI, MOD, and MNF-I on
ways to enhance protection and calm the Palestinian
community. End Comment.


10. (SBU) Action request for PRM: Request that PRM ask
RMA Geneva to follow up with UNHCR Geneva for speedy
development of a revised strategy for Palestinians in
Iraq, including delineation of security requirements and
evaluation of potential alternative durable solutions
outside Baghdad.


11. (C) Action request for NEA/I: Request that
Department ask CG Jerusalem to make the following points
to Mahmoud Abbas about the situation of Palestinians in
Iraq:

-- Understand you plan to make a statement urging
Palestinians in Baghdad to remain in Iraq.

-- We are concerned that panic among the Palestinians in
Iraq could lead to a crisis at the Iraqi-Jordanian
border.

-- Urge you to issue the statement, and provide us with a
copy, as quickly as possible.

-- Embassy Baghdad is following up with MOI, MOD, MODM,
ISF, and UNHCR to see what can be done to improve
security for the Palestinians in Iraq.

-- Our Embassy in Baghdad will remain in touch with the
Palestinian community.

-- MNF-I is facilitating the travel of a second UNHCR
assessment mission to the Palestinians who have moved to
the Iraqi-Jordanian border.
KHALILZAD