HAMAS EMPHASIZING UNITY AND MODERATION; FATAH AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000458

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016
TAGS: ASEC IS KDEM KPAL KWBG PBTS PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: HAMAS EMPHASIZING UNITY AND MODERATION; FATAH AND
PASF FEARFUL

REF: JERUSALEM 00386


1. (C) SUMMARY: Hamas leaders inside the West Bank and Gaza
continue to emphasize unity and moderation in their public
statements, while the ConGen has received reports that senior
PASF and Fatah officials are growing increasingly fearful of
the impending transfer of governmental authority. Hamas
leaders Ismail Hanniyah and Khaled Yahya Musa made public
statements suggesting that Hamas is seeking to form a unity
or technocratic government. North Gaza PLC member elect Ataf
Odwan told the media that Hamas would consider any attempt to
transfer control of the PA security forces (PASF) to the
exclusive authority of President Abbas a violation of the
Basic Law, but indicated that Hamas would not seek to replace
all the security chiefs with Hamas loyalists.
Hamas-affiliated PLC member Hasan Khriesheh said the new
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) would meet sometime
next week to begin forming the new government. END SUMMARY.

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Hamas Considering Unty or
Technocratic Government?
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2. (SBU) Public statements from senior Hamas leaders in the
West Bank and Gaza indicate Hamas is seeking to form a unity
or technocratic government. Touching on his post-election
themes of "political partnership" and pluralism, Hamas leader
Ismail Hanniyah told the Jerusalem Post on January 31 that
his main goal in forming a government would be preserving
"national unity" and that he hoped to form a government
incorporating as many factions as possible, including Fatah.
Jenin-based PLC member-elect Khaled Yahya Musa told al-Quds
newspaper on January 29 that Hamas was considering forming a
government "most of whose members are from outside the PLC."
Musa emphasized that Hamas was seeking a strong government
whose members can assume responsibility for the "complex
conditions" confronting the PA and carry out a comprehensive
program of reforms. Musa added that Hamas will discuss the
composition of new cabinet with President Abbas and the Fatah
leadership.

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Control of PASF
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3. (SBU) Hamas PLC member-elect Atef Odwan told the media on
January 31 that Hamas would not give up control of the PASF.
Citing reports that President Abbas intends to transfer all
the security services to his direct control, Odwan said Hamas
would consider this action a violation of the Basic Law
(reftel). Odwan said the Hamas-led PLC would focus on
clarifying the roles and functions of the PASF but that this
did not necessarily entail replacing all of the security
chiefs with Hamas loyalists. "The security apparatuses as
mandated by law should concentrate on safeguarding the
security of the Palestinian people against any internal or
external harm, but unfortunately those security security
apparatuses were misused in the past and lost their compass,"
said Odwan. Similarly, Ismail Hanniyah was quoted in a
February 1 Haaretz article saying, "We don't think Abbas will
reverse his previous position, which was that the security
services should be subject to the government and the interior
minister. If he does reverse himself, we will remind him of
his previous stance when he was prime minister."


4. (C) Separately, Poloff met with mid-level Interior
Ministry official Ithar Abu Gharbieh who described a chaotic
scene at PASF offices with distraught security personnel
rushing to destroy or conceal documents detailing
coordination with the GOI or intelligence collection
activities against Hamas officials. Abu Gharbieh said many
PASF officials were intensely concerned about the possibility
of violent reprisals or other forms of retaliation once Hamas
assumes control of the PA. Abu Gharbieh recounted rumors of
Fatah officials moving assets outside the country and PASF
officials taking extra precautions for their safety.

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New PLC Session Imminent
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5. (C) Former Deputy Speaker and independent PLC
member-elect, Hassan Kriesheh told reporters from al-Ayyam
newspaper on February 1 that he expected the new PLC to meet
sometime next week. During the upcoming special session, the
current speaker of the PLC Rawhi Fattuh and his deputies will
announce the resignation of the outgoing PLC members. The
new PLC members will be sworn-in and elect a new speaker and

two deputies. (NOTE: Kriesheh is a front-runner for PLC
Speaker because of his incumbent status, experience and
alliance with Hamas. Earlier predictions of a March 7
swearing-in date came from Fatah contacts anticipating a more
leisurely schedule, which Hamas is accelerating. A new PLC
is necessary for the formation of a new government. END NOTE)

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COMMENT
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6. (C) Comments from the internal Hamas leadership )-
especially those such as Hanniyah and Odwan who were elected
to the PLC )- continue to emphasize moderation and unity.
Hardliners among the internal leadership, such Mahmud
al-Zahar, have focused their comments on the party's
continued adherence to the resistance and unwillingness to
recognize Israel. The outside leadership has shown a range
of views in their public comments, but hardliners such as
Khaled Mish'al have been the most vocal.

WALLES