Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM2769
2006-06-30 14:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE

Tags:  PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #2769 1811446
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 301446Z JUN 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3168
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002769 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OPS CENTER - PLEASE PASS TO SECRETARY'S PARTY
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2016
TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE
30 1800 SITREP

REF: JERUSALEM 2694

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).

-------
Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002769

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OPS CENTER - PLEASE PASS TO SECRETARY'S PARTY
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2016
TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE
30 1800 SITREP

REF: JERUSALEM 2694

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) Political developments led the news Friday afternoon:
the GOI announced the revocation of Jerusalem residency
permits for four detained Hamas officials and Prime Minister
Hanniyyah delivered a sermon in which he sketched out the
Hamas plan for continued governance, including a proposal for
those Hamas ministers not currently under arrest to take
responsibility for multiple ministries. Hanniyyah also
called for cancellation of the referendum on the Prisoner's
Document. Demonstrations occurred after Friday prayers in all
sizable towns in Gaza and the West Bank. There were no
developments regarding the kidnapping case of IDF corporal
Gilad Shalit, and there are rumors that another IDF soldier
has been kidnapped, but no additional details.

--------------
Military Developments
--------------


2. (U) IDF forces continue operating in the West Bank; during
the afternoon of June 30, IDF forces exchanged fire with two
al-Aqsa Brigades' militants in the old city of Nablus. There
continue to be reports of IDF airstrikes in northern Gaza.

--------------
Political Developments
--------------


3. (C) The GOI announced the revocation of Jerusalem
residency permits for four Hamas legislators; the four
(Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Khalid Abu Arafa and PLC
members Mohammed Abu Tir, Ahmed Abu Atoun, and Mahmoud Totah)
were among those arrested in raids conducted on June 29.


4. (C) Prime Minister Ismael Hanniyyah gave a sermon after
noon prayers on June 30 in which he announced that his
government would continue functioning and that those
ministers not currently in prison will be overseeing the
function of two or more ministries. There are four remaining
ministers in the West Bank who have not been arrested:
Minister of Women's Affairs Miriam Saleh (Hamas); Minister of
Justice Ahmad al-Khaldi (independent); Minister of Tourism
Joudeh Murqus (independent); and Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Education Naser al-Din Shaer (Hamas; reportedly
wanted by the GOI). Those ministers remaining in Gaza will
also likely be assigned additional portfolios; an
announcement is expected within the next several days.


5. (U) Hanniyyah's sermon also called for a cancellation of
the Referendum on the Prisoners' Document, declared it is
time to rebuild the PLO; and said it is time to start talks
on the formation of a national unity government. Hanniyyah
went on to express conditions regarding these next moves, in
line with the Hamas reservations to the Document expressed
earlier in the week (details in reftel). Hanniyyah commented
that Hamas had made tactical adjustments in its position in
the context of the Prisoners' Document, but it had not
changed any of its strategic positions.


6. (U) Demonstrations occurred in all sizable West Bank and
Gaza cities following Friday prayers, with thousands of
protesters demonstrating in most locations. Some of the
demonstrations included the presence of gunmen; protests have
begun to conflate US support for Israel with the ongoing
crisis.

--------------
Kidnapping Update
--------------


6. (U) There are no new developments regarding missing IDF
corporal Gilad Shalit. There is breaking news speculating
that another IDF soldier has been kidnapped in the West Bank,
but few other details. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades made
the claim; the IDF says it has no missing soldiers.

WALLES