MIXED PALESTINIAN REACTIONS TO TEL AVIV BOMBING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001590

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG KPAL KDEM IS
SUBJECT: MIXED PALESTINIAN REACTIONS TO TEL AVIV BOMBING


Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. Disparate Palestinian reaction to the
April 17 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv has shed further light
on divisions between the Hamas leadership and President
Abbas. While Abbas and the senior Fatah leadership have
condemned the attack, Hamas officials -- either affiliated
with the PA government or with the movement's leadership in
Gaza or Damascus -- provided justifications for the bombing
through their statements to the media. While Hamas PM
Isma'il Haniyyah has not given an official response, a senior
Hamas official in Damascus labeled the bombing a "legitimate
response" to Israeli actions. Fatah grassroots leaders
expect Hamas, bound by its past rhetoric in support of
resistance and ideology, to avoid any official condemnation.
End summary.

While Abbas, Fatah
Condemn Attack...
--------------


2. (C) Palestinian reaction to the April 17 suicide
bombing in Tel Aviv reflected sharply contradictory views.
President Abbas issued a statement on behalf of the PA
"absolutely condemning the operation, which we consider a
despicable operation that harms the Palestinian people."
Abbas also called on the Hamas-led PA government and the
security forces to prevent such actions in the future, adding
that the PA would not cease in pursuing the perpetrators of
such attacks. (Note: Abbas told the Consul General and
Senator Lieberman April 18 that he had issued three separate
statements April 17 condemning the Tel Aviv bombing. End
note.) PLO Chief Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat also issued a
statement condemning the suicide bombing. He called on
Palestinian factions to abide by the "tahdiyyah" (calm).


3. (SBU) Separately, the Fatah Central Committee (FCC)
issued a statement April 17 which condemned the bombing and
rejected all attacks targeting civilians inside Israel. The
FCC statement, which also denied any Fatah involvement in the
attack, asserted that the bombing contravened Palestinian
national interests as it would provide the Government of
Israel (GOI) justification to continue its military actions
against Palestinians.

...Hamas Offers Justifications
--------------


4. (SBU) Hamas spokesmen, representing the PA government
as well as the movement's leadership in Gaza, avoided
condemnation of the bombing. Instead, Hamas PA government
spokesman Ghazi Hamad described the attack as a legitimate
response to Israeli actions. A Hamas spokesperson for the PA
Ministry of Interior offered similar sentiments to the media.
Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesperson not affiliated with the
PA government, said April 17 that Hamas considered the attack
a "normal" response to Israel's ongoing occupation. Abu
Zuhri placed full responsibility for the attack on the GOI
while criticizing the international community for failing to
exercise pressure on Israel. In a similar vein,
Damascus-based Hamas leader Musa Abu Marzuq justified the
attacks, calling them a legitimate response to Israel's
escalation against Palestinians. Abu Marzuq noted that while
Hamas would continue to respect the "tahdiyyah," it was the
responsibility of any PA government to protect its citizens.
(Note: Hamas PM Isma'il Haniyyah has not responded publicly
to the bombing or released an official statement on the
attack. End note.)

Fatah Grassroots Expect
More Violence Ahead
--------------


5. (C) Fatah grassroots leaders predicted more violence
but little change in Hamas' position. During an April 18
telecon with POL FSN specialist, West Bank Fatah Tanzim
leader Husayn al-Shaykh predicted that, absent the
establishment of a political dialogue, violence would likely
continue and escalate. Israel's response to the bombing
would also factor in to how militant groups respond.
Al-Shaykh expected no shift in the Hamas' official position
toward armed resistance.


6. (C) Echoing al-Shaykh's comments, Fatah grassroots
leader Ahmad Ebwaini that he expected violence to continue.
Ebwaini thought that the Hamas government is in a bind due to
its ideological stance toward armed resistance. Under such
circumstances, it is unlikely that Hamas could offer any form
of condemnation to the bombing.
WALLES