Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM1144
2006-03-21 14:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ON UPCOMING LIFE UNDER

Tags:  PREL PGOV KPAL KWBG UNGA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #1144 0801426
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211426Z MAR 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1016
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1271
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001144 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA;
IO FOR IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/21/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL KWBG UNGA
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ON UPCOMING LIFE UNDER
HAMAS


Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b)
and (d).


C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001144

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA;
IO FOR IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/21/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL KWBG UNGA
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ON UPCOMING LIFE UNDER
HAMAS


Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b)
and (d).



1. (U) Action request - please see paragraph 7.


2. (C) A March 20 discussion between Pol Chief and PA
Assistant Foreign Minister for Refugees and Palestinian
Expatriates Ma'in Shraym revealed deep concern regarding the
impending takeover by Hamas of the PA, and of the rumored
selection of Hamas hardliner Mahmoud Zahar as the new Foreign
Minister. Shraym said he was seeking to meet Zahar to get a
sense of Hamas plans for the Ministry, commenting that he
would have to travel to Gaza to do so, as Zahar is expected
to have to run the Foreign Ministry from Gaza due to Israeli
travel restrictions.


3. (C) Shraym did not believe that Hamas has anyone with the
requisite experience to run a ministry of foreign affairs,
but still expected a new leadership team to take charge.
"Thank God we enacted the Diplomatic Service Law" Shraym
commented, noting that the recently passed legislation both
regularized diplomatic appointments as well as put new
ambassadors in charge of most Palestinian missions for the
next four years. While he expected Hamas to make some
changes, he thought that most PA diplomatic service personnel
would remain at their posts.


4. (C) Shraym thought it was too early to tell how Hamas
would run the ministry but commented that Hamas, as a
religious organization, "had a timeline that reaches from
here to eternity." He took them at their word regarding the
ability to engage in long-term truces, while sticking to
their ultimate aim of treating all of Palestine as a "waqf" -
meaning that, as Islamic land held in trust, no territorial
compromises could be envisaged. That said, he thought the
responsibilities of government would have a moderating
influence on the movement.


5. (C) Shraym warned that Zahar would push to act as Foreign
Minister as quickly as possible, and said that Hamas was
pushing to have Zahar or other Hamas representation at the
Arab Summit in Khartoum. He said that current Foreign
Minister Nasser al-Kidwa was not inclined to attend the
Khartoum Summit, as he did not want to be seen as a "lame
duck" Foreign Minister. Shraym also warned that Zahar would
likely seek to attend the UNGA in New York in September.


6. (C) Shraym observed ruefully that he and the outgoing
Foreign Minister had "done their job too well" in
professionalizing the Palestinian diplomatic service - he now
has no overseas ambassadorship to head to on short notice.
He did not think that western-educated, secular, dual
nationals like himself (Shraym holds Jordanian and U.S.
citizenship) would have a place in the new foreign ministry,
over and above the policy challenges he thought might lie
ahead. (Note: Shraym asked for consideration for any
international position that might come open, particularly
within UNWRA. He had been approached to help with economic
affairs in an expanded Office of the President but, frankly,
did not hold out much hope in the ability of President
Mahmoud Abbas to make effective use of such an office. End
note.)


7. (C) Comment/action request: As Hamas establishes a
government that does not meet Quartet requirements, we need
to determine if our policy of no-contact applies to
Palestinian missions abroad. In the past, these missions
operated under PLO auspices, but in the past year Foreign
Minister al-Kidwa has taken steps to control them from within
the PA. Washington agencies will need to determine under
what circumstances, if at all, we can relate to these
missions and provide appropriate guidance to U.S. diplomatic
posts.

WALLES