MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SAYS HIZBALLAH IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001540 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WERNER/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 TAGS: IS KPKO LE MOPS PTER IO SUBJECT: MGLE01: UNIFIL COMMANDER SAYS HIZBALLAH IS BUILDING AND ISRAEL IS WATCHING Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The UNIFIL Force Commander, General Alain Pellegrini, confirmed to IO A/S Silverberg that UNIFIL has recently observed increased construction activities at Hizballah positions on the Lebanese side of the Blue Line. Noting that the new outposts were more sophisticated in their design and required more material resources, Pelligrini speculated that the LAF may be cooperating with Hizballah in construction of these outposts. Pellegrini also offered that the pending renewal of the UNIFIL mandate - set to expire in July - could provide the opportunity to leverage the Lebanese to greater cooperation with UNIFIL and the establishment of a joint planning cell. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On May 16, IO A/S Kristen Silverberg, DCM, and emboff visited the UNIFIL headquarters compound in Naqoura, South Lebanon, and toured sections of the Blue Line, stopping at the UNIFIL post opposite Rumeish. In an extended briefing with the UNIFIL Force Commander, General Alain Pellegrini, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar and other senior UNIFIL staff, the scope of UNIFIL's 2000-troop operations was outlined. Pellegrini characterized Blue Line activites on both sides as "unrealistic anxieties." He believed that tensions related to Shebaa Farms could heat up during the coming months. BUILT TO LAST: HIZBALLAH'S NEW DIGS -------------- ¶3. (C) In response to A/S Silverberg's questions about the Hizballah positions along the Blue Line, Pellegrini and Strugar were keen to share that there has been a notable increase in Hizballah's construction activities. UNIFIL personnel have observed that the new posts are more sophisticated in design. Pellegrini believes that the amount of planning and construction materials required in the construction of these new facilities far surpasses that of previous outposts. UNIFIL personnel deem these new building projects as having a particular "military sophistication" lacking in previous iterations. Pellegrini and Strugar speculated that these new facilities were perhaps in preparation for an eventual Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployment, and were thus being constructed in cooperation with the LAF. He added that he had raised this possibility with Lebanon's Foreign Minister the previous day, but did not receive a clear response. ¶4. (C) As for the Israeli side, Pellegrini noted that recent Israeli air violations of the Blue Line by both manned and unmanned aircraft appear to be focused on intelligence gathering. Pellegrini believed that the heightened Israeli anxiety is unwarranted, because Hizballah recognizes that at this time it cannot afford to be seen as fueling conflict on behalf of Syria or Iran. For their part, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have as recently as two days ago notified UNIFIL of their intention to move the technical fence in the area south of Rumeish closer to the Blue Line. Pellegrini explained that the movement of the fence would effectively cut off access to fields tended to by a 72 year-old Lebanese farmer. While there is currently a "gentlemen's agreement" to continue to allow the farmer access, the UNIFIL staff agreed that the Israelis would not hesitate to alter the deployment of the technical fence should they continue to feel increasingly threatened by possible infiltration and kidnapping operations by Hizballah. COOPERATION WITH LAF COULD BE WORSE -------------- ¶5. (C) Noting the pending expiry of UNIFIL's mandate in July, A/S Silverberg suggested that the upcoming renewal process could provide an opportunity to spur the GOL into increasing its activities in the South. Pellegrini and Strugar agreed, adding that LAF cooperation with UNIFIL has been limited and sporadic. Strugar noted that the Joint Security Force (JSF),"never takes the initiative" in working with UNIFIL until the lead-up to a mandate renewal. Currently, the LAF has four officers and six NCOs stationed at Naqoura as liaison with the UNIFIL command. Pellegrini offered that the UNIFIL mandate renewal process could be the means to establish a formalized joint planning cell with the BEIRUT 00001540 002 OF 002 LAF which could produce concrete plans. UNIFIL had submitted a proposal along these lines to the Lebanese Foreign Minister. Pellegrini cautioned that any such initiative should be seen as coming directly as a result of UNIFIL-GOL negotiation, passing through the UNSYG to the Security Council. ¶6. (U) This message has been cleared by A/S Silverberg. FELTMAN