Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM5030
2006-12-22 13:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

EU-BAM CHAIRS THIRD COORDINATION AND EVALUATION

Tags:  PREL PGOV PBTS PTER ETRD KWBG IS EG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #5030 3561329
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 221329Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 005030 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER; PLEASE
PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PTER ETRD KWBG IS EG
SUBJECT: EU-BAM CHAIRS THIRD COORDINATION AND EVALUATION
MEETING ON THE RAFAH CROSSING

REF: A. JERUSALEM 4976

B. JERUSALEM 4849

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER THOMAS M. DUFFY.
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

THIS CABLE WAS CLEARED BY EMBASSY TEL AVIV AND THE U.S.
SECURITY COORDINATOR.

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 005030

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER; PLEASE
PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS PTER ETRD KWBG IS EG
SUBJECT: EU-BAM CHAIRS THIRD COORDINATION AND EVALUATION
MEETING ON THE RAFAH CROSSING

REF: A. JERUSALEM 4976

B. JERUSALEM 4849

CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER THOMAS M. DUFFY.
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

THIS CABLE WAS CLEARED BY EMBASSY TEL AVIV AND THE U.S.
SECURITY COORDINATOR.


1. (U) ACTION REQUEST FOR THE DEPARTMENT IN PARAGRAPH 10.


2. (C) SUMMARY: DURING A PRODUCTIVE BUT MORE EMOTIONAL
FOURTH MEETING OF THE COORDINATION AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE
(CEC),ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS CONTINUED THEIR SLOW
PROGRESS ON TACKLING OUTSTANDING ISSUES CONCERNING OPERATIONS
AT THE RAFAH AND KEREM SHALOM CROSSINGS, INCLUDING
NORMALIZATION OF OPERATIONS, IMPROVING THE PALESTINIAN
POPULATION REGISTRY, DEFINING CATEGORIES OF FOREIGNERS AND
OPENING THE CROSSING FOR RETURNING EID AL-ADHA PILGRIMS. A
LARGE PART OF THE MEETING WAS DEVOTED TO THE TRANSFER OF CASH
THROUGH RAFAH AND THE DECEMBER 14 ATTEMPTED CASH TRANSFER
INVOLVING PA PRIME MINISTER HANIYYAH. PALESTINIAN DELEGATION
CHIEF EREKAT CLAIMED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED SOLID ASSURANCES
FROM AN EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL THAT THE GOE WILL REQUIRE ALL
BEARERS OF LARGE SUM OF CASH TO DEPOSIT THE CASH IN AN
EGYPTIAN BANK PRIOR TO ALLOWING THAT PERSON TO TRANSIT THE
EGYPTIAN PORTION OF THE RAFAH CROSSING INTO EGYPT. HE
CLAIMED THAT HANIYYAHS TREATMENT FORMED A PRECEDENT THAT
SHOULD NOW ALLOW THE RAFAH CROSSING TO OPEN REGULARLY. POST
REQUESTS THAT THE USG CONFIRM WITH GOE OFFICIALS THEIR
UNDERSTANDING THAT A NEW STANDARD PROCEDURE IS IN PLACE
REGULATING THE TRANSFER OF CASH INTO GAZA. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) THE HEAD OF MISSION FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION BORDER
ASSISTANCE MISSION (EU-BAM),LTG PIETRO PISTOLESE ,CHAIRED
THE THIRD MEETING OF THE COORDINATION AND EVALUATION

COMMITTEE (CEC),DECEMBER 20, IN JERUSALEM. CHIEF PLO
NEGOTIATOR SA'EB EREKAT LED THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION, WHICH
INCLUDED GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF CROSSINGS AND BORDER HEAD
NAZMI MUHANNA, PA PRESIDENCY SECURITY ADVISOR COLONEL HAZEM
ATTALAH, HEAD OF CROSSINGS SECURITY SALIM ABU SAFFIYA, AND
TWO MEMBERS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS SUPPORT UNIT. THE ISRAELI
DELEGATION WAS LED BY MOD SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR HAGGAI ALON
AND INCLUDED MOD ADVISOR ODDED HERMANN AND IDF COL NIR PRESS
OF THE COORDINATION AND LIAISON ADMINISTRATION. THE USG
DELEGATION INCLUDED THE CONGEN ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER, AND
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE U.S. SECURITY COORDINATORS OFFICE,
EMBASSY TEL AVIV AND CONGEN JERUSALEM. THE NEXT MEETING IS
SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 12, 2007.

NORMALIZING CROSSING OPERATIONS
--------------


4. (C) GENERAL PISTOLESE CALLED FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF
CROSSING OPERATIONS AT RAFAH. HE NOTED THAT SINCE JUNE 25,
RAFAH CROSSING HAS OPERATED FOR ONLY 30 DAYS OUT OF 179, AND,
SINCE NOVEMBER 20, HAD BEEN OPEN FOR ONLY SEVEN OUT OF 30
DAYS. PISTOLESE ALSO BRIEFED PARTICIPANTS ON THE DEPARTURE
THIS WEEK FROM GAZA THROUGH RAFAH OF THE HAJJ PILGRIMS AND
THE NEED TO COORDINATE THEIR RETURN.


5. (C) EREKAT CALLED FOR THE CROSSING TO BE OPEN FIVE DAYS
PER WEEK AND HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. HE
FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT THE CROSSING BE OPEN DAILY FROM
DECEMBER 29 TO JANUARY 9 TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT OVER THE EID
AL-ADHA HOLIDAY. ALON PLEDGED TO DO AS MUCH AS HE COULD TO
FACILITATE THE TRANSIT OF THE HAJJ PILGRIMS. ALON LATER
STRESSED THAT BASIC TECHNICAL AND SECURITY MEASURES AT RAFAH
THAT WERE DAMAGED DURING THE DECEMBER 14 DEMONSTRATION (REF
A) MUST BE BACK IN PLACE BY DECEMBER 29. EREKAT AGREED, AND
PISTOLESE SAID HE WOULD SEND AN EU-BAM TEAM TO CHECK THAT
EVERYTHING IS BACK IN PLACE.

PALESTINIAN POPULATION REGISTRY
--------------


6. (C) EREKAT CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD MET DECEMBER 19 WITH
COGAT GENERAL MISHLEV, WHO HAD PASSED TO HIM A COPY OF
PALESTINIAN POPULATION REGISTRY. EREKAT SAID HE HAD JUST
RECENTLY HANDED THE DATA OVER TO NAZMI MUHANNA FOR ANALYSIS.
HE COMMENTED THAT HE HOPED THIS REGISTRY INCLUDED THE NAMES
OF PALESTINIAN IDENTITY CARDHOLDERS WHO LIVE OVERSEAS.

CATEGORIES OF FOREIGN TRAVELERS
--------------


7. (C) GENERAL PISTOLESE NOTED THAT, ACCORDING TO THE AGREED
PRINCIPLES FOR RAFAH CROSSING, USE OF THE CROSSING IS
RESTRICTED TO PALESTINIAN IDENTITY CARD HOLDERS AND TO
PERSONS IN FOUR OTHER CATEGORIES OF "EXCEPTIONAL CASES."
PISTOLESE SAID THAT, WHILE THE CROSSING HAS NOW BEEN
OPERATING FOR A CALENDAR YEAR, THE EU-BAM HAD NOT BEEN ABLE
TO COMPLETE ITS EVALUATION OF THE PA'S PERFORMANCE AT THE
CROSSING. PISTOLESE SAID HE SOUGHT TO CLARIFY THE SITUATION
BY FURTHER DEFINING THE FOUR CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS
ENTITLED TO REQUEST USE OF THE CROSSING AND UNDER WHAT
CONDITIONS.


8. (C) EREKAT NOTED THAT HE HAD VERY RECENTLY SENT TO
GENERAL PISTOLESE THE PALESTINAN DEFINITIONS OF THE
CATEGORIES. PISTOLESE NOTD THAT HE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A
SET OF DEFINITIOS FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE. ALON SUGGESTED A
JOINTMEETING WITH THE PALESTINIAN SIDE TO DISCUSS THE ISUE
FURTHER AND THEN REPORT ON THE DISCUSSION ATTHE NEXT
MEETING. THE PARTIES AGREED TO A REQUEST BY ALON THAT A USG
REPRESENTATIVE ATTEND THE MEETING. PISTOLESE ALSO SOUGHT AND
RECEIVED THE PARTIES' AGREEMENT TO EXTEND BOTH THE OPERATION
OF THE CROSSING AND THE EU-BAMS EVALUATION PERIOD UNDER THE
PREVAILING PROCEDURES UNTIL MAY 24, WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE
END OF THE EU-BAMS CURRENT MANDATE.

CUSTOMS PROTOCOL AND COMMERCIAL
IMPORTS THROUGH KEREM SHALOM
--------------


9. (C) PISTOLESE NOTED THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNSIGNED
CUSTOMS PROTOCOL WOULD ALLOW FOR MERCHANTS TO BE DIRECTED TO
KEREM SHALOM. ALON SAID HE WOULD ASK THE GOI'S CUSTOMS
EXPERTS TO RE-EVALUATE THE CUSTOMS PROTOCOL. IF THE EXPERTS
RECOMMENDED SIGNATURE, ALON SAID, HE WOULD RAISE THE MATTER
WITH THE POLITICAL LEVEL AND URGE SIGNATURE. EREKAT CALLED
FOR THE CUSTOMS PROTOCOL BE SIGNED SO THAT COMMERCIAL IMPORTS
COULD ENTER THROUGH KEREM SHALOM AND COMMERCIAL EXPORTS COULD
DEPART VIA RAFAH.

TRANSFER OF CASH
--------------


10. (C) EREKAT PASSED TO THE EU-BAM A COPY OF THE CUSTOMS
FORM NOW USED BY THE PALESTINIAN SIDE FOR CASH DECLARATIONS
AT RAFAH. EREKAT RECOUNTED THE DECEMBER 14 INCIDENT
INVOLVING HANIYYAH'S RETURN TO GAZA AS SETTING A PRECEDENT:
THAT BEARERS OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF CASH WOULD NOW HAVE TO
DEPOSIT THOSE SUMS IN AN EGYPTIAN BANK. EREKAT URGED THE GOI,
USG, AND EU-BAM TO CONFIRM WITH THE GOE THAT A PRECEDENT HAD
BEEN SET AND THAT THE GOE PLANNED TO FOLLOW THE SAME
PROCEDURE WITH ALL TRAVELERS. BUILDING UPON THE IDEA OF A
PRECEDENT, EREKAT CALLED FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF CROSSING
OPERATIONS, GIVEN THAT WHAT HE INSISTED IS NOW A UNIFORM
PROCEDURE EXISTS TO HANDLE THE TRANSFER OF CASH. (ACTION
REQUEST FOR DEPARTMENT: PLEASE CONFIRM WITH GOE THAT A NEW
POLICY FOR CASH TRANSFER FOR GAZA HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.)

EVENT OF DECEMBER 14, NEED
FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE?
--------------


11. (C) GENERAL PISTOLESE REVIEWED THE EVENTS OF DECEMBER 14
FROM THE EU-BAM'S PERSPECTIVE. HE SAID HE HAD DECIDED TO
"SUSPEND OPERATIONS" IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE SITUATION
REGARDING THE ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL OF PA PRIME MINISTER
HANIYYAH, WHO WAS REPORTEDLY CARRYING LARGE SUMS OF CASH.
PISTOLESE SAID THAT WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLARIFY THE
FACTS, SHOTS WERE FIRED AT THE CROSSING WHEN SEVERAL THOUSAND
PEOPLE ENTERED THE CROSSING AREA, SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO
SUSPEND OPERATIONS AND WITHDRAW THE MONITORS. THOUGH THE
EU-BAM WAS LATER INFORMED THAT AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED
ON THE EGYPTIAN SIDE, HE SAID IT TOOK ALMOST TWO HOURS TO
RESTORE THE VIDEO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LIAISON OFFICE AND
THE TERMINAL AND TO CONFIRM THAT THE CROWDS HAD LEFT THE
TERMINAL. IT TOOK ANOTHER THREE HOURS FOR THE PA TO REPORT
THAT THE SITUATION WAS STABLE AND THE EU-BAM MONITORS COULD
RETURN TO THE TERMINAL. PA PRIME MINISTER HANIYYAH
SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED THE TERMINAL. PISTOLESE SAID THAT
BEFORE THE EU-BAM COULD OBSERVE THE CHECKING OF THE PARTIES'
LUGGAGE AND DOCUMENTS, SHOOTING RE-STARTED AND THE MONITORS
EVACUATED THE TERMINAL. PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS SUBSEQUENTLY
ALLOWED THE HANIYYAH PARTY TO ENTER GAZA WITHOUT ALL THEIR
BAGS BEING CHECKED. PISTOLESE CONFIRMED THAT HE SUBSEQUENTLY
SENT A LETTER TO THE PA STATING THAT THE PA'S FAILURE TO
CHECK EITHER THE PARTIES LUGGAGE OR DOCUMENTS WAS A BREACH
OF THE AGREEMENT.


12. (C) ALON URGED THAT A SMALL TEAM BE SET UP TO STUDY THE
ISSUE AND SUGGEST A PROCEDURE FOR BETTER MANAGING CRISES THAT
MIGHT OCCUR. EREKAT RESPONDED BY REPEATEDLY STRESSING THAT
HE REGRETTED THE INCIDENT. HE SAID THAT WHILE THE "PROBLEM"
HAD BEEN SETTLED QUICKLY WITH THE GOE AND HANIYYAH, THE
CROSSING HAD NOT REOPENED. HE CHARGED THAT THE GOI HAD
WRONGFULLY AND UNJUSTLY ORDERED PISTOLESE TO CLOSE THE
CROSSING AND HE SHARPLY CRITICIZED THE EU-BAM AND THE GOI.
EREKAT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE ENTOURAGE'S LUGGAGE AND
DOCUMENTS HAD NOT BEEN CHECKED ON THE PALESTINIAN SIDE, BUT
SAID THAT WAS A CONSCIOUS PALESTINIAN DECISION TAKEN BECAUSE,
HE CLAIMED, THE GOE HAD CAREFULLY SEARCHED THE LUGGAGE AND
SCREENED THE DOCUMENTS.


13. (C) PISTOLESE RESPONDED THAT THE SUSPENSION HAD BEEN
ONLY TEMPORARY AND THAT, IF SECURITY AT THE CROSSING HAD BEEN
MAINTAINED, THE SUSPENSION WOULD HAVE ENDED EARLIER. EREKAT
CALLED FOR FUTURE DECISIONS ON SUSPENSION TO BE MADE IN LINE
WITH WHAT HE SAID ARE PROVISIONS IN THE AGREEMENT AND
PROTOCOLS, AND SAID THAT THE GOI HAD NO RIGHT TO ASK THE
EU-BAM TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS.

ISRAELI VIEWS ON NORMALIZATION AT RAFAH
--------------


14. (C) ALON NOTED THAT FULL NORMALIZATION COULD NOT OCCUR
UNTIL THE FOLLOWING STEPS WERE TAKEN: (1) THE GOE CONFIRMED
THAT IT WOULD FOLLOW A PROCEDURE OF INSISTING THAT TRAVELERS
DEPOSIT CASH IN AN EGYPTIAN BANK IF THEY WERE CARRYING MORE
THAN THE ALLOWED SUM; (2) THAT THE PALESTINIANS WOULD USE THE
POPULATION REGISTRY HANDED OVER DECEMBER 19 BY GENERAL
MISHLEV TO EREKAT; (3) THE DAMAGE TO THE CROSSING FROM THE
EVENTS OF DECEMBER 14 WOULD BE REPAIRED; AND (4) THAT THE
FIBER OPTIC CABLE WAS RECONNECTED. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE TWO
PARTIES MEET PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED JANUARY 16 SECURITY
WORKING GROUP MEETING AND THE NEXT CEC MEETING. EREKAT SAID
THAT HE DID NOT SEE ANY LEGITIMATE SECURITY PREREQUISITES TO
FORESTALL THE NORMALIZATION OF OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THE
GOE CONFIRMS THAT THE PROCEDURE IS IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH CASH
CARRIED BY TRAVELERS, THE DAMAGE TO THE TERMINAL IS REPAIRED,
AND THE FIBER OPTIC CABLE RECONNECTED. HE STRESSED THAT
KEEPING RAFAH CLOSED ONLY PLAYS INTO THE HANDS OF THE
EXTREMISTS AND HAMAS.

DUFFY