ONGOING FATAH-HAMAS DISCUSSIONS ON PRISONERS'

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002442

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2016
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PREL PGOV IS
SUBJECT: ONGOING FATAH-HAMAS DISCUSSIONS ON PRISONERS'
INITIATIVE


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: President Abbas (Abu Mazen) reportedly agreed
to continue discussions with the PA government on the
prisoners' initiative during a June 13 meeting with PM
Isma'il Haniyyah in Gaza. Fatah officials report that HAMAS
is insisting on modifying the prisoners' document to include
language on restructuring the PLO, and conditioning their
acceptance of previous PLO commitments and the 2002 Arab
League initiative. PLO Executive Committee member Yasser
Abed Rabbo called for an "independent government" led by a
prime minister not affiliated with any faction. PLC Speaker
Aziz Dweik responded with a public statement accusing the
U.S. of interfering in internal Palestinian affairs and
working to prevent an agreement between the factions. END
SUMMARY.

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Ongoing Fatah-HAMAS
Discussions in Gaza
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2. (C) Media sources reported that Abu Mazen agreed to
continue discussions regarding the prisoners' initiative for
another week during a June 13 meeting with members of the
National and Islamic Factions. According to Fatah sources,
Abu Mazen reiterated to PM Haniyyah during the June 13
meeting that reaching an agreement on the prisoners' document
would obviate the need for a referendum.


3. (C) Gaza-based PA presidential staffer Nadir al-Khatib
told POL FSN during a June 13 telcon that HAMAS has agreed
with "95 percent of the prisoners' document," but an
agreement has been held up by HAMAS' refusal to compromise on
two key issues. Al-Khatib reported that HAMAS is pushing to
introduce language into the text that conditions their
recognition of the PLO as the sole representative of the
Palestinian people on restructuring of the organization to
include HAMAS and PIJ. According to Al-Khatib, PM Haniyyah
is also demanding that clauses regarding acceptance of
previous PLO commitments and the 2002 Arab League initiative
be conditioned on "Israeli acceptance." Al-Khatib discounted
the likelihood of an agreement in these areas, noting
intransigent statements on these issues emanating from HAMAS
leaders in Beirut and Damascus.

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Abed Rabbo Proposes
Unity Government
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4. (SBU) PLO-EC member Yasser Abed Rabbo proposed June 13 in
a press conference that an "independent government" be
formed, led by a prime minister that is not affiliated with
any political faction. Abed Rabbo cited clause 6 of the
prisoners' initiative, which calls for a national unity
government, as the basis for this move. Negotiations and
foreign policy would remain the domain of the PLO and the
president, Abed Rabbo said.


5. (SBU) In response, PLC Speaker Aziz Dweik told al-Jazeera
television that the U.S. is "interfering in internal
Palestinian affairs" and working to prevent the two factions
from reaching an agreement. Dweik continued that some
Palestinians are working with the U.S. and Israel to topple
the PA government and complained that the government has not
been given a chance to implement its program.

WALLES