MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002680 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2016 TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE 28 NOON SITREP Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Israeli ground and air forces initiated operations in Gaza late on June 27 and early on June 28. Israeli ground forces now occupy land in the southern Gaza strip, including the disused Gaza airport. Israeli aircraft damaged three bridges in central Gaza, and Palestinian contacts report little movement between Gaza's major areas. An IAF attack on the Gaza City power plant has left much of the Strip without power and is causing concern among Palestinian interlocutors about the impact of the damage. There is no additional information on kidnapped IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit; meanwhile, PA and Israeli security sources now believe that Israel settler Eliyahu Asheri may have been kidnapped by a PRC cell operating in the West Bank. The PRC will reportedly release information on the settler sometime on June 28; meanwhile, there are rumors of impending IDF operations in Ramallah, where Asheri is believed to be held. A large explosion on Tuesday evening in Gaza, initially reported as an Israeli airstrike by some American media sources, now appears to have been a "work accident" in connection with Hamas preparations to place large explosive devices in anticipation of further Israeli ground actions. The Consular Section has been in touch with the few American Citizens remaining in Gaza; they report no immediate problems, and Post is working with Embassy Tel Aviv to facilitate the departure of those who may wish to leave the area. -------------- IDF Military Actions -------------- ¶2. (C) Press and local accounts say that IDF forces began a sizable incursion into the southern Gaza strip at approximately 0200 local time on June 28, codenamed Operation "Summer Rain." Reports indicate that significant numbers of Israeli infantry and armored forces have deployed at least one kilometer into the strip, are present in open areas east of the border town of Rafah, and have taken over the unused international airport at Dahaniyeh. Initial analysis is that the IDF is holding the ground to create pressure for the release of missing IDF corporal Gilad Shalit. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is quoted in "Ha'aretz" as saying "Our aim is not to mete out punishment, but rather to apply pressure so that the abducted soldier will be freed. We want to create a new equation - freeing the abducted soldier in return for lessening the pressure on the Palestinians." Press reports speculate that this operation is the first of several moves, and have predicted later IDF actions as well. ¶3. (C) Prior to the ground operation, the IAF targeted Palestinian infrastructure. IAF F-16s reportedly attacked three bridges in central Gaza, in part to hamper any movement of Shalit. The bridges include a bridge between Nuseirat Camp and Mohgraha, the Wada Gaza bridge, and one on the coastal road. Palestinian contacts and press reports indicate that there is now little movement between the three main areas of Gaza. ¶4. (C) IAF helicopters reportedly fired rockets at the electrical power station north of Nuseirat Camp, causing severe damage and a power cut throughout Gaza. According to Rafik Maliha, Project Manager for the Gaza Power Generating Company (GPGC),the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) is not able to distribute any electricity. Most of the residential areas, including the core of Gaza City and Khan Yunis, have no electricity. He said the IDF destroyed six step-up transformers located within the power plant. Without these transformers, the GPP is unable to distribute electricity. In the best-case scenario, he estimated that the transformers could be replaced within two months. If GPP,s suppliers have no available spares, it will take considerably longer to replace the destroyed transformers. He said that no one was hurt during the attack. PLC member Salam Fayyad, in a conversation with the Consul General, drew a distinction between a strike on the power plant vs. a strike on the transformers: the latter are easier to repair (Note. The plant was built with OPIC political risk insurance. Post is examining if the transformers are covered by this program. End note). -------------- Sa'eb Erekat Points -------------- ¶5. (C) In a conversation with Consul General, PLO Chief Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat called to complain about the IDF attacks on the power station and bridges in Gaza and urge the GOI not to target public infrastructure. Erekat said damage to the power station will cause long-term disruptions in the life of the people in Gaza. He asked: "who will build us a new power plant now?" On the situation of the kidnapped soldier, Erekat had little new to report. He said Abu Mazen had heard from the Egyptians that Hamas Damascus Political Bureau Chief Khalid Mishal would talk to the military wing of Hamas, but the President has no information about whether calls took place or not. -------------- West Bank Kidnapping Update -------------- ¶6. (C) Israeli and Palestinian press accounts report that an Israeli settler - Eliyahu Asheri, missing since the evening of June 25 - now appears to have been abducted within the West Bank. Palestinian accounts quote PRC spokesmen as saying they will display a video tape of the settler and personal effects at some point on June 28. PRC spokesmen have threatened to kill the settler "on camera" if the Israeli military does not move out of Gaza. PA General Intelligence contacts told political specialist they believe the settler is likely held in the Ramallah area, and are in contact with Israeli security services - both are operating under the assumption that Asheri is in the Ramallah area, and there could be IDF military operations in the vicinity. ¶7. (C) IDF forces operating in villages east of Ramallah on June 27 reportedly found a body. The remains are as yet unidentified, and it is unclear whether they are connected to the kidnapping. -------------- Tuesday Gaza City Explosion -------------- ¶8. (C) A large explosion at 1750 local on June 27, initially reported by Fox and CNN as an Israeli air strike near the residence of President Mahmoud Abbas, has been identified as a "work accident" - the premature explosion of a large explosive device being transported by Hamas member Hamza Muharib, who was killed in the incident. PA security sources say that Hamas and other militant groups have been planting devices and shaped charges throughout the northern and eastern parts of the Gaza Strip in anticipation of Israeli ground operations. -------------- AMCITs in Gaza -------------- ¶9. (C) The Consular Section has reached out to American citizens and dual nationals living in Gaza. Some would like to leave and have requested assistance. In some cases, these AMCITs entered via the Rafah crossing, now closed by the ongoing military operations. Post is working with Embassy Tel Aviv to facilitate movement of any who want to leave via other Gaza crossing points, which would be a significant Israeli exception to their current policy of maintaining that those who enter the Strip from Rafah must also depart via Rafah. There appear to be no Americans staying at hotels in the area, and the AMCIT staff of the American School reportedly all left the area after the beginning of summer vacation on June 5. WALLES