QADURA FARIS: ABBAS-OLMERT MEETING, PRISONERS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 005048

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2016
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL PTER IS
SUBJECT: QADURA FARIS: ABBAS-OLMERT MEETING, PRISONERS,
FATAH

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


1. (C) Begin Summary. Fatah grassroots leader Qadura Faris
told the Consul General in a December 27 meeting that he
anticipates Palestinians will disappointed by the
implementation of Israeli gestures announced after the
December 23 meeting between PA President Abbas and PM Olmert
and that this disappointment could have negative political
consequences for President Abbas. He said he fears the
limited cease-fire in Gaza will further unravel and he does
not anticipate significant improvements to access and
movement in the West Bank. Faris will lead Palestinian
participation in the joint committee on prisoners, but he has
limited expectations in this area, either. He said the GoI
may release some prisoners around the 'Id al-Adha (early
January),but if those released are few in number and/or are
criminals or those nearing the end of their sentences, there
will be no political benefit for Abbas. Faris said Fatah
must be reformed and brought closer to the people. He
identified West Bank/Gaza grassroots committees as a good
first step, if they limit the role of the Fatah Central
Committee, but they are not enough. Fatah will have to do
better to compete with Hamas among students and other
populations in Gaza and the West Bank, where Hamas provides
much needed services. End Summary.

Cease-Fire, Checkpoints
--------------


2. (C) In a December 27 meeting with the Consul General,
Fatah grassroots leader Qadura Faris said the December 23
meeting between PA President Abbas and PM Olmert had created
hope and expectation among the Palestinians, but he feared
that implementation of the Israeli steps announced after the
meeting will be disappointing. Faris said he believes the
Gaza cease-fire "may totally collapse." (Note: Seven
Qassams were launched from Gaza and injured two Israelis on
December 27. End note). Faris said he does not expect
significant easing of obstacles to West Bank movement,
despite the positive reports after the meeting. He said some
fifty-seven obstacles are being considered for removal, but
none are major checkpoints as defined by the average
Palestinian, and many are simply dirt mounds. Faris said he
believes disappointing the Palestinian people will rebound
negatively for Abbas.

Prisoners
--------------


3. (C) Faris said he will lead the Palestinian side of the
joint committee on prisoners, which was revived by the
Olmert-Abbas meeting, noting that Issa Qaraqa and Hisham Abd
al-Razik will also join the committee. He said their names
were provided to the GoI, and he expects the committee to
meet after 'Id al-Adha (early January). Faris said the
committee will discuss criteria for release, but he indicated
he has low expectations.


4. (C) Faris said the GoI may release prisoners during 'Id,
but he doubts such a release will entail political benefit
for President Abbas, since it will likely be a small number
and drawn from politically irrelevant categories; i.e.,
criminals or those nearing the end of their sentences. Faris
said that if the GoI do such a small, "not serious" release
of prisoners for Abbas, and then releases a significant
number of prisoners to Hamas in exchange for Cpl Shalit, it
will undermine Abbas. By contrast, he said, a significant
release -- he proposed 400 -- through negotiations and
separate from Shalit would strengthen Abbas and undermine
advocates of violent resistance.

Fatah
--------------


5. (C) Faris pointed to President Abbas' recent efforts to
reform Fatah, specifically to establish Gaza and West Bank
grassroots committees independent of the Fatah Central
Committee (FCC). (Note: The Gaza committee has been
established, but its chain of command has not yet been
confirmed. Composition of the West Bank committee is still
being discussed. End Note.) Faris said these committees are
important, but not sufficient, for serious reform. He
welcomed the composition of the Gaza committee and Abbas'
agreement that the committees not report to the FCC, but he
questioned the committees' mandates and resources. He said
there must be serious reform of Fatah -- regardless of
whether there are early elections -- and the political

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movement must be closer to the people and farther from the
FCC. He noted that Hamas is well-resourced and generally
does better than Fatah at meeting people's needs and
expectations, pointing to examples such as shuttle buses for
students and 'Id gifts for children.

New Government
--------------


6. (C) Faris said discussion of a new government has gone
back to the starting point, with Hamas now talking about a
national unity government (NUG),rather than a government of
technocrats. Faris said he believes Abbas should accept a
NUG even with a Hamas prime minister, as long as it includes
competent ministers, such as Salam Fayyad, and endorses a
clear political program based on Abbas' March 2006 letter of
designation to PM Hanniyeh with an additional reference to
the "prisoners' document." However, Faris acknowledged that
persuading Hamas to this new government would be difficult,
noting that negotiators on all sides have "personal agendas."


Marwan Barghouti
--------------


7. (C) Faris is close to jailed Fatah leader Marwan
Barghouti and confirmed Barghouti's transfer to a hospital
from prison for treatment of a throat problem. Faris said
the problem is a recurring one and he would visit Barghouti
December 29. He added that he understands Abbas pressed
Olmert to release Barghouti and that it would be a mistake
for the GoI to include Barghouti in an exchange for Shalit
and to give Hamas the credit for his release.
WALLES