Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JERUSALEM620
2006-02-10 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
ABDUCTION OF EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT POSSIBLE WARNING TO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0009 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHJM #0620/01 0411518 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 101518Z FEB 06 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0285 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 3137 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000620
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2016
TAGS: ASEC PREL KWBG EG
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION OF EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT POSSIBLE WARNING TO
GOE: "DO NOT FACILITATE HAMAS ENTRY INTO PA"
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 000620
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2016
TAGS: ASEC PREL KWBG EG
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION OF EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT POSSIBLE WARNING TO
GOE: "DO NOT FACILITATE HAMAS ENTRY INTO PA"
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The kidnapping of Egyptian diplomat Husam al-Musly
February 9 in Gaza has been met with condemnation by both the
Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Initial press reports link
the kidnapping to Fatah-affiliated factions aggrieved over
their non-inclusion in the PA security services and/or
security service personnel who have yet to receive their
January salaries; however, ConGen sources speculate the
kidnapping may be intended as a strong message of warning to
the Egyptian Government, recent host of Hamas talks in Cairo,
by an offshoot of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC)
hostile to the idea of Hamas participation in the next
Palestinian government. End summary.
--------------
Press Reports Abduction
Message to the PA
--------------
2. (C) Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas (Abu
Mazen) immediately spoke out against the kidnapping of
Egyptian diplomat Husam al-Musly, instructing the PA security
forces (PASF) to initiate a search and declaring that the act
"does not match the values of the Palestinian people." The
PA Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs also issued
statements strongly condemning the kidnapping. Al-Musly was
reportedly abducted 200 meters from his office in Gaza City
by two masked gunmen. PASF set up roadblocks around Gaza
City and reportedly undertook intense intelligence gathering
in a bid to track down the culprits. No faction has claimed
responsibility, though the press has been quick to blame the
Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, speculating that
the kidnapping may be a move to press the PA to incorporate
al-Aqsa members into the security services. Egyptian Embassy
official Nader al-A'ajer told the Consul General on 10
February that the Egyptians has several leads in the case and
are working actively to obtain the release of their
colleague.
3. (C) In contrast,ConGen sources in the PA General
Intelligence point to a Popular Resistance Committee (PRC)
offshoot headed by Mumtaz Dughmush as the mastermind behind
the abduction, citing Dughmush's fervent objection to the
inclusion of Hamas in the next Palestinian government as a
plausible motive behind the attack. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu
Zuhri told local press that his movement views the kidnapping
as a dire attempt to undermine Egyptian-Palestinian
relations, highlighting the important role Egypt has played
in internal Palestinian affairs. Egypt has been playing a
critical role in ongoing talks between Hamas leaders on the
formation of the next Palestinian government, is a frequent
mediator between the Palestinian Authority and militants, and
has twice brokered a truce between militants and the PA.
Earlier this week, Cairo hosted talks between Hamas political
figures based inside and outside of the Palestinian
territories.
--------------
Security Service Personnel
Demand January Salaries
--------------
4. (C) In a separate development, lightly linked to the
kidnapping in various reports given the tendency for Gaza
kidnappings to be motivated by demands for employment,
approximately 70 gunmen gathered at the PA Ministry of
Finance in Gaza City February 9 to protest the fact that
their salaries had not been paid for the month of January.
(Note: approximately 20 foreigners have been abducted in Gaza
in recent months. Most often, the perpetrators have demanded
jobs in exchange for the prisoners' release. End note.) In
Deir al Balah, gunmen blocked traffic on the main coastal
road linking northern and southern Gaza. The gunmen
evacuated both locations following promises by senior PA
officials to pay salaries without delay. In several other
West Bank cities, including Nablus and Hebron, gunmen showed
up at local governors' offices to demand their salaries be
paid immediately. PA sources report that as many as 14,000
security personnel have not yet received their salaries for
the month of January but indicated that they would be paid
soon.
WALLES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2016
TAGS: ASEC PREL KWBG EG
SUBJECT: ABDUCTION OF EGYPTIAN DIPLOMAT POSSIBLE WARNING TO
GOE: "DO NOT FACILITATE HAMAS ENTRY INTO PA"
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4(b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The kidnapping of Egyptian diplomat Husam al-Musly
February 9 in Gaza has been met with condemnation by both the
Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Initial press reports link
the kidnapping to Fatah-affiliated factions aggrieved over
their non-inclusion in the PA security services and/or
security service personnel who have yet to receive their
January salaries; however, ConGen sources speculate the
kidnapping may be intended as a strong message of warning to
the Egyptian Government, recent host of Hamas talks in Cairo,
by an offshoot of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC)
hostile to the idea of Hamas participation in the next
Palestinian government. End summary.
--------------
Press Reports Abduction
Message to the PA
--------------
2. (C) Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas (Abu
Mazen) immediately spoke out against the kidnapping of
Egyptian diplomat Husam al-Musly, instructing the PA security
forces (PASF) to initiate a search and declaring that the act
"does not match the values of the Palestinian people." The
PA Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs also issued
statements strongly condemning the kidnapping. Al-Musly was
reportedly abducted 200 meters from his office in Gaza City
by two masked gunmen. PASF set up roadblocks around Gaza
City and reportedly undertook intense intelligence gathering
in a bid to track down the culprits. No faction has claimed
responsibility, though the press has been quick to blame the
Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, speculating that
the kidnapping may be a move to press the PA to incorporate
al-Aqsa members into the security services. Egyptian Embassy
official Nader al-A'ajer told the Consul General on 10
February that the Egyptians has several leads in the case and
are working actively to obtain the release of their
colleague.
3. (C) In contrast,ConGen sources in the PA General
Intelligence point to a Popular Resistance Committee (PRC)
offshoot headed by Mumtaz Dughmush as the mastermind behind
the abduction, citing Dughmush's fervent objection to the
inclusion of Hamas in the next Palestinian government as a
plausible motive behind the attack. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu
Zuhri told local press that his movement views the kidnapping
as a dire attempt to undermine Egyptian-Palestinian
relations, highlighting the important role Egypt has played
in internal Palestinian affairs. Egypt has been playing a
critical role in ongoing talks between Hamas leaders on the
formation of the next Palestinian government, is a frequent
mediator between the Palestinian Authority and militants, and
has twice brokered a truce between militants and the PA.
Earlier this week, Cairo hosted talks between Hamas political
figures based inside and outside of the Palestinian
territories.
--------------
Security Service Personnel
Demand January Salaries
--------------
4. (C) In a separate development, lightly linked to the
kidnapping in various reports given the tendency for Gaza
kidnappings to be motivated by demands for employment,
approximately 70 gunmen gathered at the PA Ministry of
Finance in Gaza City February 9 to protest the fact that
their salaries had not been paid for the month of January.
(Note: approximately 20 foreigners have been abducted in Gaza
in recent months. Most often, the perpetrators have demanded
jobs in exchange for the prisoners' release. End note.) In
Deir al Balah, gunmen blocked traffic on the main coastal
road linking northern and southern Gaza. The gunmen
evacuated both locations following promises by senior PA
officials to pay salaries without delay. In several other
West Bank cities, including Nablus and Hebron, gunmen showed
up at local governors' offices to demand their salaries be
paid immediately. PA sources report that as many as 14,000
security personnel have not yet received their salaries for
the month of January but indicated that they would be paid
soon.
WALLES