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).


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Summary
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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.

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IDF Military Actions
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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).

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Sa'eb Erekat Points

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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.

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West Bank Kidnapping Update
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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.

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Tuesday Gaza City Explosion
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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.

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AMCITs in Gaza
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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