SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED IN PARALLEL AS EGYPT

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002028

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2016
TAGS: KPAL KWBG MOPS PREL IS
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYED IN PARALLEL AS EGYPT
TRIES TO CALM TENSIONS

REF: JERUSALEM 02007

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Security forces under President Abbas' (Abu
Mazen) control deployed throughout Gaza on May 17 and 18 in
response to the HAMAS-led government's deployment of a new
security force composed of militants from factions loyal to
HAMAS. Egyptian officials hosted a meeting between
high-level Fatah and HAMAS representatives on May 17 to
defuse the situation. The Interior Ministry withdrew its
forces from major intersections in Gaza City on May 18, but
HAMAS-affiliated militias and Abu Mazen,s forces were still
deployed in parallel in other parts of Gaza. Salam Fayyad
told the Consul General during a May 18 meeting that the
standoff is a serious test for Abu Mazen and that allowing
the status quo of parallel deployments to continue would be a
victory for HAMAS. END SUMMARY.

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Rival Security Forces Deployed,
No Clashes Yet
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2. (C) Civil Police, NSF and Presidential Guard forces fanned
out across Gaza on May 17 and 18 following orders from
President Abbas in response to the HAMAS-led government's
decision to deploy a new security force composed of
HAMAS-affiliated militias (reftel). These PASF elements were
reportedly supported in some areas by Fatah Tanzim.
Presidential Guard sources told Poloff that regular PASF
forces were deployed in many of the same areas as the
Interior Ministry's new security force. ConGen FSNI in Gaza
reported that despite tense verbal exchanges and aggressive
posturing by both sides, there had been no reports of
violence. Abu Mazen's office in Ramallah issued a statement
on May 17 demanding that the Interior Ministry immediately
withdraw its forces.


3. (C) General Intelligence sources confirmed to POL FSN that
HAMAS-affiliated Interior Ministry forces had withdrawn their
patrols from major intersections in Gaza City. However,
Interior Ministry forces continued their patrols in the
Jabaliya, Shati and Khan Yunis areas. PASF forces loyal to
Abu Mazen were deployed in parallel in many of these areas.

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Egypt Working to Defuse Tensions
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4. (C) The Egyptian General Intelligence (Mukhabarat) Chief
for Gaza Ahmad Aldo al-Khaleh hosted a meeting at his Gaza
City home on the evening of May 17 between senior HAMAS and
Fatah officials in an effort to defuse tensions between the
two sides. Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal led
the HAMAS delegation and former PSO officer Samir al-Mishrawi
led the Fatah delegation. During a May 18 telcon with USSC
staff, al-Khaleh reported that discussions were positive and
that both sides are "afraid of each other" and eager to avoid
further escalation. Al-Khaleh said the two sides agreed to
meet again and allow the PA Civil Police to mediate between
them at a local level. Al-Khaleh said that he planned to
meet separately with Interior Minister Said Siam on May 18.


5. (C) West Bank Fatah activist Hussein al-Sheikh (protect)
reported to POL FSN that Interior Minister Siam met
separately with the Fatah Secretary General in Gaza, Ahmad
Hillis, on May 17. Al-Sheikh said that Siam promised to
withdraw Interior Ministry militias from some parts of Gaza
City during the meeting. Additional meetings between Fatah
and HAMAS are planned for the evening of May 19.

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Fayyad: Standoff Is Serious
Challenge to Abu Mazen
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6. (C) During a May 18 meeting with the Consul General, PLC
member Salam Fayyad underscored that the Interior Ministry's
deployment of militias in Gaza was a serious political and
security challenge to Abu Mazen (reftel). Politically, the
HAMAS-led government had deployed its militias in open
defiance of Abu Mazen's authority. Fayyad described the move
as a bold attempt by HAMAS to gain control of Gaza. In terms
of security, Fayyad said clashes between the two forces could
lead to an all out confrontation. Fayyad said Abu Mazen
cannot afford to allow the status quo of deployment of
unofficial HAMAS forces to continue because doing so would be
a major victory for HAMAS.


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Fatah Militants Attack Highest-Ranking
HAMAS Official in the West Bank
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7. (C) In the West Bank town of Tulkarem, al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades militants attacked a building where Deputy Prime
Minister Nasir al-Shaer was meeting with the Fatah governor
of Tulkarem. His meeting was cut short when the militants
surrounded the building and began firing in the air and
chanting anti-HAMAS slogans. Reportedly, members of the
Civil Police escorted al-Shaer safely out of town. So far,
the HAMAS-Fatah violence has yet to spread to the West Bank,
where HAMAS has far fewer armed personnel.

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COMMENT
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8. (C) The parallel security deployments in Gaza underscore
the growing possibility that the political battle underway
between Fatah and HAMAS could turn bloody. While neither
side is eager for an armed confrontation, neither side is
willing to back down. For now, Egyptian efforts have helped
to avert clashes in Gaza. The National Dialogue, scheduled
for next week, offers an opportunity to channel the battle
back into the political realm, but a failure of the dialogue
could result in a renewed and possibly bloody confrontation
on the streets of Gaza.

WALLES