PALESTINIAN REACTIONS TO ISRAELI ELECTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001287

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2016
TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG KDEM IS
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN REACTIONS TO ISRAELI ELECTIONS


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

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Summary
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1. (C) President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) welcomed acting
PM Olmert's comments after the election supporting
negotiations, and a number of Fatah interlocutors stressed
Abu Mazen's genuine willingness to negotiate. Fatah members
all stressed that any progress in negotiations depended upon
Israel's willingness to compromise. Hamas spokesmen were
dismissive of the results, and rejected a unilateral approach
by Israel. Incoming Hamas PM Ismael Hanniyyah took issue with
unilateral separation, restated Hamas political goals, and
warned that an Israeli refusal to meet these goals would
result in "the continuation of the whirlpool of confusion and
failures within this region."

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Abu Mazen and the PLO
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2. (C) President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen),returning from
the Arab Summit in Khartoum to GAZA to swear in the new
cabinet late on March 29, told reporters that the PA is ready
to enter into immediate negotiations with the Israeli
government to implement the Roadmap. PLO negotiations chief
Sa'eb Erekat separately told reporters that the PA respects
the democratic choice of the Israeli people and expressed his
hope that the new Israeli government would refrain from
imposing unilateral measures.

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PLC and Fatah Members
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3. (C) Fatah PLC member Issa Qaraqi argued to pol specialist
that it was in Israel's best interest to resume negotiations
with the PLO as soon as possible, and that Abu Mazen is ready
to start those discussions. Qaraqi expressed concern that
Kadima would find it easier to take unilateral measures than
to engage in bilateral discussions, but warned that such a
move would mean that there would be no peace process. Qaraqi
disputed the ability of Hamas to make decisions regarding the
peace process, arguing instead that - legally and politically
- it was the PLO, and not the Hamas-controlled PA that
engages in negotiations with Israel.


4. (C) Former PLC member and Fatah High Committee member
Hatem Abdel Qader told pol specialist that the implications
of Kadima's victory are promising only if Kadima changes its
policies. He expressed skepticism that Kadima would be able
to engage in serious negotiations with Abu Mazen. He thought
that the key to peace making lay in Israel's hands, and that
Hamas would play a relatively small role in the process. He
said that Abu Mazen is serious in offering to negotiate with
Israel and that, despite Israeli settlement activities and
the complications ensuing from the Hamas victory, a peaceful
resolution to the conflict was still possible. He echoed
Qaraqi's points that it is the PLO - and not the PA - that
runs negotiations with the Israelis. Abdel Qader advocated
that the U.S. play a constructive role by pushing both the
GOI and the PLO into an agreement to end the occupation, but
said everything depended on Kadima's seriousness about ending
the conflict.


5. (C) Fatah West Bank Reference Committee member Hussein
al-Sheikh told pol specialist that he did not expect Kadima's
policies to differ significantly from the previous
government. He expected the GOI to focus on annexing
settlements and building more around Jerusalem and that,
under these circumstances, it would not be possible to reach
a peace agreement. Al-Sheikh said that Israel had to decide
whether it wanted real peace with the Palestinians or simply
"more shaky cease-fires," and advocated that the U.S. put
"tremendous pressure" on the GOI to return to the peace
process. He agreed with Qaraqi and Abdel Qader's position
regarding the lead PLO role in dealing with the Israelis and
said there was no practical need for Hamas to be involved in
the negotiations.

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Assistant Foreign Minister
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6. (C) Assistant Foreign Minister for International
Organizational Affairs Marwan al-Jilani told PolChief that
Olmert's comments about reaching out to Abu Mazen were a
"positive statement" and would place pressure on Hamas to act
responsibly. He expected Abu Mazen to continue to seek
negotiations and engagement with the new Israeli government
and also stressed the PLO's role in any sort of
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Jilani repeated concerns
he had expressed previously about the acceptance by Hamas of
prior obligations such as the Roadmap, and that he would
evaluate changes in the MFA by incoming FM Mahmoud Zahar
before making a decision about continuing as Assistant
Foreign Minister.

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Hamas
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7. (C) Hamas West Bank spokesman Adnan Asfour dismissed the
election results in comments to the press, saying that
Israeli elections are of no concern to the Palestinian
people, especially when all competing parties are unanimous
in their hostility against Palestinians. Hamas GAZA
spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the media that the election
results were a vote on unilateral disengagement from the West
Bank, and went on to say that Hamas rejected this prospect as
one of the "most serious Zionist schemes" because it
abrogated Palestinian statehood and the right of return and
imposed solutions. He said that Hamas would continue to
resist those in Kadima calling for a partial WITHDRAWAL or
continued settlement building.


8. (C) Incoming PM Ismael Hanniyyah, asked on "al-Jazeera"
for his election reaction, did not answer directly but rather
focused on the prospect of unilateral disengagement,
completion of the separation barrier, annexation of
settlements and Jerusalem, and control of the Jordan Valley,
and said that such an approach would "certainly not be
acceptable to the Palestinian people or the Palestinian
government." He pushed for a solution that established a
sovereign and independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as
its capital, released prisoners in "occupation prisons," and
acknowledged the right of return; otherwise he predicted "the
continuation of the whirlpool of confusion and failures
within this region."

WALLES