Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANJUL757
2006-12-18 13:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Banjul
Cable title:  

THE GAMBIA: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR'S CONSULTATIONS

Tags:  PREL PGOV KPAL GA IS XF XY EAID EAGR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7738
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0757/01 3521345
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181345Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7183
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0060
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000757 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL GA IS XF XY EAID EAGR
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR'S CONSULTATIONS

REF: A. BANJUL 487 ET AL


B. BANJUL 744 (ALL NOTAL)

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

SUMMARY
--------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000757

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL GA IS XF XY EAID EAGR
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR'S CONSULTATIONS

REF: A. BANJUL 487 ET AL


B. BANJUL 744 (ALL NOTAL)

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Dakar-based Israeli Ambassador Behar gave an upbeat
readout on his initial meeting with President Jammeh, who
described former Israeli Prime Minister Barak as "my
friend." In the meeting, Jammeh indicated particular interest
in Israeli technical aid in the agricultural sector, and
proved better informed than expected on the
Israeli/Palestinian dossier. However, Behar portrayed Vice
President Njie-Saidi as less forthcoming, as she displayed a
pro-Palestinian bias and was dismissive about the recent
Iranian-hosted international conference questioning the
occurrence of the Holocaust. Jammeh's anti-Israeli
statements during the Israeli/Hizballah fighting in
July/August and his expanding contacts with Iran weaken his
claim to be "evenhanded" on Mideast issues. END SUMMARY.

A FORTHCOMING PRESIDENT JAMMEH
--------------

2.(C) Dakar-based Israeli Ambassador Gideon Behar called on
Ambassador and provided readout on his December 12 meeting
with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to present credentials.
Behar was upbeat on the meeting, saying Jammeh had extended
a warm welcome and stressed a desire to develop the
currently-negligible bilateral ties. According to Behar,
Jammeh displayed some knowledge of Israeli politics and
referred to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak as "my
friend." (COMMENT: In an aside, Behar said Embassy records
indicated that there had been an exchange of letters between
Jammeh and Barak while he was Prime Minister and that,
judging from these letters, Barak had viewed Jammeh as a
potential partner in Israel's efforts to expand its West
African relationship. END COMMENT) Behar added that Jammeh
had expressed particular interest in Israeli technical
assistance in the agricultural sector.



3. (C) Behar stated that he found Jammeh better informed than
expected on the Israeli/Palestinian issue, saying Jammeh
portrayed himself as "even-handed" and acknowledged that the
radical, obstructionist stance of Hamas was blocking progress
on peace efforts. Behar recounted Jammeh's remark to him
that "Israel needs to do its part for peace, but so do the
Palestinians."

A DISMISSIVE WITH VICE PRESIDENT
--------------


4. (C) Behar stated that he subsequently met with Vice
President Isatou Njie-Saidy and found her to be less
forthcoming than Jammeh in discussion of Mideast issues.
Behar recounted that Njie-Saidy, displaying a clear
pro-Palestinian bias, had insisted on the need for Israeli
concessions to secure Palestinian cooperation on peace
efforts. At the same time, Behar went on, she was dismissive
of Israeli concerns over the rejectionist approach and resort
to violence by Hamas and other Palestinian radicals -- e.g.,
rocket attacks in northern Israel -- asserting that such
Palestinian radicalism was the "result of Israeli occupation."


5. (C) Behar said Njie-Saidy had been similarly dismissive in
response to his raising Iran and Tehran's recent hosting of
an international conference questioning the occurrence of the
Holocaust. The Vice-President, Behar continued, had
downplayed the significance of the event, saying "everyone
knows that the Holocaust took place, so why be concerned
about the conference?"

NEXT STEPS
--------------


6. (C) Behar said he would follow up on his visit here with a
recommendation to his capital for provision of technical
assistance to The Gambia in the agricultural realm, as
mentioned by Jammeh. Behar added that he and his staff would
visit The Gambia more frequently than in the past and look
for areas beyond agriculture where Israeli assistance might
be useful.

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Despite Jammeh's professed "evenhanded" stance, in
past months, GOTG pronouncements have contained a definite
anti-Israeli slant. As previously reported (ref a),during
the Israeli/Hizballah fighting in July/August, Jammeh issued

BANJUL 00000757 002 OF 002


statements that accused Israel of responsibility for the
fighting and for civilian casualties but omitted any mention
of Hizballah's role. The Gambia's expanding contacts with
Iran -- highlighted by Jammeh's recent visit to Tehran (ref
b) -- also casts doubt on the extent of Jammeh's
"evenhandedness"; the Vice-President's less forthcoming
posture is likely a more accurate reflection of Jammeh's
thinking. At the same time, Jammeh would doubtless welcome
Israeli technical assistance, especially given the GOTG's
heavy reliance on foreign donors for development projects.
END COMMENT
STAFFORD