Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CAIRO7012
2006-11-29 16:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

ANOTHER HAMAS MINISTER HAND-CARRIES CASH TO GAZA

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER EFIN MEPN KPAL EG IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEGA #7012 3331602
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE5715 3331554
O 291602Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 007012 

SIPDIS

NOTE BY CIB: "DO NOT/NOT PROCESS, GIVE TO EAO FOR GUIDANCE"

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EFIN MEPN KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: ANOTHER HAMAS MINISTER HAND-CARRIES CASH TO GAZA
VIA RAFAH CROSSING

REF: A. CAIRO 6936

B. CAIRO 6910

C. CAIRO 6879

D. CAIRO 6839

CLASSIFIED BY MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
AFFAIRS WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 007012

SIPDIS

NOTE BY CIB: "DO NOT/NOT PROCESS, GIVE TO EAO FOR GUIDANCE"

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EFIN MEPN KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: ANOTHER HAMAS MINISTER HAND-CARRIES CASH TO GAZA
VIA RAFAH CROSSING

REF: A. CAIRO 6936

B. CAIRO 6910

C. CAIRO 6879

D. CAIRO 6839

CLASSIFIED BY MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
AFFAIRS WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) EGYPTIAN SOURCES HAVE CONFIRMED PRESS REPORTING THAT
PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR HAND-CARRIED
TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH ACROSS THE EGYPT-GAZA BORDER
AT RAFAH ON NOVEMBER 28. AL-ZAHAR, WHO LEFT CAIRO FOR TEHRAN
ON NOVEMBER 12 SHORTLY AFTER ARAB MINISTERS ANNOUNCED PLANS
TO "BREAK THE SIEGE" AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS (REF D),
REPORTEDLY DECLARED THE FUNDS TO EGYPTIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS
UPON ARRIVAL IN EGYPT, AND WAS PERMITTED TO CARRY THE CASH
THROUGH RAFAH TO GAZA. DESPITE EARLIER ASSURANCES TO THE
EMBASSY BY SENIOR GOE OFFICIALS (REFS B AND C) THAT ALL SUCH
FUNDS WOULD BE DEPOSITED INTO A LOCAL BANK ACCOUNT (WHERE
PRESUMABLY ANTI-TERROR FINANCE REGULATIONS WOULD PRECLUDE
ONWARD TRANSFER TO THE HAMAS-LED PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY),THIS
PROCEDURE WAS CLEARLY NOT APPLIED TO AL-ZAHAR.


2. (C) CONTACTS AT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND EGYPTIAN
CUSTOMS CONFIRMED TO EMBOFF ON NOVEMBER 29 THAT THERE ARE
PROCEDURES IN PLACE AT EGYPT'S RAFAH TERMINAL REQUIRING
TRAVELERS TO DEPOSIT LARGE SUMS OF CASH INTO A BANK ACCOUNT
AND WIRE TRANSFER IT TO THEIR BANK ACCOUNT RATHER THAN CARRY
IT ACROSS THE BORDER. CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TOLD EMBOFF THAT IN
MOST CASES, AMOUNTS OVER APPROXIMATELY $1000 WERE
CONFISCATED, DEPENDING ON WHO WAS CARRYING THE MONEY AND FOR
WHAT PURPOSE. SINCE THE PROCEDURE WAS IMPLEMENTED "A MONTH
AGO," THEY SAID, SEVERAL TRAVELERS WITH LARGE SUMS OF CASH
HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FROM CROSSING THE BORDER WITH THEIR
MONEY. RECENTLY REPORTED INCIDENTS, INCLUDING THE NOVEMBER
28 CASH TRANSFER BY THE PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND AN
EARLIER CASH TRANSFER BY TWO HAMAS PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL MEMBERS (REF A),WERE "EXCEPTIONS" TO THIS PROCEDURE,
AND WERE APPROVED TO CARRY THE CASH BY THE EGYPTIAN GENERAL
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, ACCORDING TO AN EMBASSY CONTACT AT THE
MINISTRY OF FINANCE.


3. (C) GENERAL NAGY OF THE MOD'S LIAISON AGENCY WITH
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (LAWIO),AND RESPONSIBLE FOR
SINAI BORDER LIAISON WITH THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES, TOLD
EMBOFF ON NOVEMBER 29 THAT PRESS REPORTS OF THE CASH TRANSFER
BY PALESTINIAN FM ZAHAR VIA RAFAH OF USD $20 MILLION WERE
"ACCURATE," BUT DID NOT ELABORATE FURTHER.
RICCIARDONE