THE GAMBIA: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR'S CONSULTATIONS

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