MGLE01: SHIA POLITICIANS VIEW HIZBALLAH'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001297 SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WERNER/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016 TAGS: KISL LE PGOV PTER SUBJECT: MGLE01: SHIA POLITICIANS VIEW HIZBALLAH'S MINISTERS REF: A. 05 BEIRUT 2396 ¶B. 05 BEIRUT 2872 ¶C. 05 BEIRUT 3256 Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4(d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Former MP Salah Harake provided econoff with impressions of the two Hizballah-nominated ministers in the cabinet within the Shia community. Harake described Minister of Energy and Water Mohammad Fneish as a "good guy" who has run his ministry well. Fneish, "competent and rational," is ready to reform the costly electricity sector, according to Harake. Minster of Labor Trad Hamadeh, on the other hand, is a "joke" who pretends to know more than he does. Hamadeh does not have good access to Hizballah's senior leadership despite his pretenses, according to Harake. Hamadeh's cousin, independent Shia politician Ali Sabra Hamadeh, told econoff in a separate meeting that Trad Hamadeh was surprised at his nomination and is not a hard-core Hizballah supporter. End summary. FNEISH A "GOOD GUY" -------------- ¶2. (C) In a mid-April meeting with econoff, former MP Salah Harake gave his views on the reputations of Hizballah-nominated cabinet ministers within the Shia community. Harake, who held a Shia seat from Baabda-Aley in 1996-2000, said he had worked with current Minister of Energy and Water Mohammad Fneish on a number of issues. Harake described Fneish as a "good guy" who is competent and rational. Fneish's tenure as minister has been seen in the Shia community as "above standard," according to Harake. Fneish's reputation is helped because he is not wealthy, unlike most Lebanese ministers. ¶3. (C) Harake claimed that Fneish is in favor of reforming the electricity sector. When econoff expressed disbelief, Harake explained that even the Shia community understands that saving money on electricity could be the key to balancing the budget. Harake quoted oft-cited figures that the state-run Electricite du Liban (EDL) loses USD 800 million to USD 1 billion annually. If this leak could be plugged by reform, Harake reasoned, then perhaps taxes would not have to be raised. Therefore, Fneish has the support of the Shia community on electricity reform. Harake continued that Prime Minister Fouad Siniora should work with Fneish on electricity reform. Fneish is capable of making it happen because his status as a Hizballah member would defuse any possible Shia objections. Hizballah is already helping Fneish improve electricity fee collection in the mostly Shia southern suburbs of Beirut, an area notorious for payment delinquency. Harake said that fee collection in south Beirut is progressing slowly, but is moving forward thanks to Hizballah. HAMADEH A "JOKE" -------------- ¶4. (C) Regarding the other Hizballah-nominated minister, Labor Minister Trad Hamadeh, Harake described him as "a joke" in the Shia community. (Note: Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh was a joint Amal-Hizballah selection. End note.) Hamadeh, an ally but not member of Hizballah, is uncivilized, illogical, and unqualified, according to Harake. "He pretends to know more then others when the opposite is often true," explained Harake. He added that Hamadeh tries to portray himself as close to the senior leadership of Hizballah, but really does not have much access. Fneish, on the other hand, is very close to Hizballah's leadership and has full access to them. ¶5. (C) For more background on Hamadeh, econoff met his cousin Ali Sabra Hamadeh on April 26. Ali Hamadeh is from the other side of the political spectrum from Trad Hamadeh, having run unsuccessfully in the 2005 parliamentary elections as an independent opposed to Hizballah. Ali said that Trad had been surprised by his nomination to the cabinet. Trad, a professor by training, was attending a conference in Morocco when he found out. Ali described Trad as lower middle class, residing in a small apartment in the southern suburbs of Beirut. He said that Trad is an ally of Hizballah only because of his revolutionary roots as a Fatah paymaster in the 1970s. In his heart, Trad is not a hard-core supporter of Hizballah, insisted Ali who had met with Trad the previous week. In fact, Trad had told Ali that after he described PM Siniora as a moderate to the press, he had received numerous phone calls from Hizballah harshly rebuking him. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) Harake is a moderate, secular Shia politician who opposes Hizballah's agenda, but also interacts freely with Hizballah, Amal, and Iranians. His praise of Fneish is not surprising, considering that multiple other sources have told us that Fneish is generally highly regarded and respected (refs A-B). Ministry of Energy and Water Director General Fadi Comair was the lone exception (ref C). We have heard anecdotally that many observers were surprised when Hamadeh was nominated since he was widely seen as an intellectual lightweight. End comment. FELTMAN