Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM1119
2006-03-17 17:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
JERICHO RAID: POLITIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR KEY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0025 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHJM #1119 0761706 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 171706Z MAR 06 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0985 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001119
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PAL PGOV ASEC IS
SUBJECT: JERICHO RAID: POLITIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR KEY
PALESTINIAN ACTORS
RE: JERUSALEM 1072
Classified By: Consul General ake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001119
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PAL PGOV ASEC IS
SUBJECT: JERICHO RAID: POLITIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR KEY
PALESTINIAN ACTORS
RE: JERUSALEM 1072
Classified By: Consul General ake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C)SUMMARY: The March 14 Israeli raid on the Jericho
prison has hurt President Abbas, (Abu Mazen) standng among
Palestinians and bolstered the perceptin that his
administration is vacillating and oftn incompetent.
Criticism from the HAMAS leadershp has been focused on the
U.S. and U.K., rather han Abu Mazen. Contacts in the PA
Security Force (PASF) describe the attack as deeply damaging
t their morale. END SUMMARY
Abu Mazen Weakened y IDF Raid
--------------
2. C) While Palestinian media coverage has been highl
critical of the U.S/U.K. decision to withdrawal he monitors,
by March 16 several Palestinian newpapers had published
translated portions of the arch 8 U.S./U.K. letter to Abu
Mazen. Many Paletinian interlocutors have focused on the
failureof Abu Mazen,s office to take action following
noification by the U.S./U.K. One contact from the PO
Negotiation Support Unit commented to Poloff dring a March
16 telcon, &Perhaps it was fortunat for Abu Mazen that he
had already left for Europe when all this happened, otherwise
he wouldn,t have had any excuse for doing nothing.8
3. (C) Ministry of Interior (MOI) contacts have cited
disorganization in Abu Mazen,s office as an underlying
problem, noting that they were not informed following the
delivery of the March 8 U.S./U.K. letter, a charge also made
privately by Interior Minister Nasir Yusif (reftel). In
addition to criticizing the U.S. and U.K. for the Jericho
attack, PFLP leader Ahmad Sa,adat wrote in a letter to
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida on March 16 that PA &procrastination8 in
addressing his detention was also to blame.
HAMAS
--------------
4. (C) Te HAMAS leadership responded to the Jericho crisis
with relatively moderate criticism of the U.S. and U.K., but
has so far refrained from any criticism of Abu Mazen or
attempts to contrast the movement,s &culture of
resistance8 with the humiliating image of surrendering PASF.
In a March 16 statement to the media, HAMAS PM-designate
Isma,il Hanniyah condemned the &U.S and U.K. collusion8 in
the IDF raid on the Jericho prison and denounced the Israeli
actions as a &serious escalation.8 Notably, he did not
comment on Abu Mazen,s role or the failure of the PASF to
resist the IDF as several other leaders have done. MOI
contacts have speculated that HAMAS intends to &lay low8
until the new government is formed.
PASF
--------------
5. (C) PASF contacts have focused on the IDF &humiliation8
of the security forces during the Jericho attack. (NOTE:
Images of surrendering National Security Forces (NSF)
officers in their underwear were broadcast in local and
international media. END NOTE) MOI staffer Ithar Abu
Gharbieh described the Jericho siege as deeply damaging to
PASF morale, speculating the incident would hurt Abu Mazen,s
standing among Palestinians and Nasir Yusif,s position among
rival security chiefs because of the perception that &They
have failed to protect our dignity.8 In regard to respect
for the PASF within Palestinian society, one Palestinian
observer quipped, &How are they going to hand out speeding
tickets when everyone knows the color of their underwear?8
6. (C) The IDF's arrest of militants under detention in a NSF
controlled facility may also undermine PASF influence over
militant factions. Abu Gharbieh told Poloff during a March
15 telcon that MOI officials have been focused on quelling
rumors that the PASF knew in advance of the attack on the
compound and had concentrated al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad detainees in Jericho so the IDF
could seize them in one place. Abu Gharbieh stated that
officials at the MOI expect efforts to control militants by
integrating them into the PASF will be more difficult.
Likewise, the PA now lacks a secure facility in the West Bank
for detaining criminals or militants.
WALLES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PAL PGOV ASEC IS
SUBJECT: JERICHO RAID: POLITIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR KEY
PALESTINIAN ACTORS
RE: JERUSALEM 1072
Classified By: Consul General ake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C)SUMMARY: The March 14 Israeli raid on the Jericho
prison has hurt President Abbas, (Abu Mazen) standng among
Palestinians and bolstered the perceptin that his
administration is vacillating and oftn incompetent.
Criticism from the HAMAS leadershp has been focused on the
U.S. and U.K., rather han Abu Mazen. Contacts in the PA
Security Force (PASF) describe the attack as deeply damaging
t their morale. END SUMMARY
Abu Mazen Weakened y IDF Raid
--------------
2. C) While Palestinian media coverage has been highl
critical of the U.S/U.K. decision to withdrawal he monitors,
by March 16 several Palestinian newpapers had published
translated portions of the arch 8 U.S./U.K. letter to Abu
Mazen. Many Paletinian interlocutors have focused on the
failureof Abu Mazen,s office to take action following
noification by the U.S./U.K. One contact from the PO
Negotiation Support Unit commented to Poloff dring a March
16 telcon, &Perhaps it was fortunat for Abu Mazen that he
had already left for Europe when all this happened, otherwise
he wouldn,t have had any excuse for doing nothing.8
3. (C) Ministry of Interior (MOI) contacts have cited
disorganization in Abu Mazen,s office as an underlying
problem, noting that they were not informed following the
delivery of the March 8 U.S./U.K. letter, a charge also made
privately by Interior Minister Nasir Yusif (reftel). In
addition to criticizing the U.S. and U.K. for the Jericho
attack, PFLP leader Ahmad Sa,adat wrote in a letter to
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida on March 16 that PA &procrastination8 in
addressing his detention was also to blame.
HAMAS
--------------
4. (C) Te HAMAS leadership responded to the Jericho crisis
with relatively moderate criticism of the U.S. and U.K., but
has so far refrained from any criticism of Abu Mazen or
attempts to contrast the movement,s &culture of
resistance8 with the humiliating image of surrendering PASF.
In a March 16 statement to the media, HAMAS PM-designate
Isma,il Hanniyah condemned the &U.S and U.K. collusion8 in
the IDF raid on the Jericho prison and denounced the Israeli
actions as a &serious escalation.8 Notably, he did not
comment on Abu Mazen,s role or the failure of the PASF to
resist the IDF as several other leaders have done. MOI
contacts have speculated that HAMAS intends to &lay low8
until the new government is formed.
PASF
--------------
5. (C) PASF contacts have focused on the IDF &humiliation8
of the security forces during the Jericho attack. (NOTE:
Images of surrendering National Security Forces (NSF)
officers in their underwear were broadcast in local and
international media. END NOTE) MOI staffer Ithar Abu
Gharbieh described the Jericho siege as deeply damaging to
PASF morale, speculating the incident would hurt Abu Mazen,s
standing among Palestinians and Nasir Yusif,s position among
rival security chiefs because of the perception that &They
have failed to protect our dignity.8 In regard to respect
for the PASF within Palestinian society, one Palestinian
observer quipped, &How are they going to hand out speeding
tickets when everyone knows the color of their underwear?8
6. (C) The IDF's arrest of militants under detention in a NSF
controlled facility may also undermine PASF influence over
militant factions. Abu Gharbieh told Poloff during a March
15 telcon that MOI officials have been focused on quelling
rumors that the PASF knew in advance of the attack on the
compound and had concentrated al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad detainees in Jericho so the IDF
could seize them in one place. Abu Gharbieh stated that
officials at the MOI expect efforts to control militants by
integrating them into the PASF will be more difficult.
Likewise, the PA now lacks a secure facility in the West Bank
for detaining criminals or militants.
WALLES