FOREIGN MINISTER ASKS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000692

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MUSTAFA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG KPAL IS
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ASKS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
JUDGE NEW GOVERNMENT BASED ON ITS PLATFORM


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


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Summary
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1. (C) Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Nasser Al
Qidwa asserted in a February 15 briefing of foreign diplomats
that the election results do not give Hamas a popular mandate
to change the legal, social, or political basis of the
Palestinian system. He declared the election results prove
Palestinian society is almost completely polarized between
Fatah and Hamas and underscored that the only way Fatah will
join in a coalition with Hamas is if the incoming government
adopts a new political platform in line with President Abbas,
the PLO and the national consensus. Al Qidwa downplayed the
possibility of a technocratic government, and also called the
scenario of Hamas isolation leading to government collapse
and the calling of new elections "very unrealistic." Al
Qidwa urged the international community to judge the new
government by its stated political program, not by the
well-known political program of Hamas. End summary.

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"Hamas does not have
a clear popular mandate..."
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2. (C) In a briefing to a group of approximately fifty
Consuls General and Government Representatives February 15 in
Ramallah, PA Foreign Minister Nasser Al Qidwa summarized the
January 25 Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election
results. Al Qidwa commented that Hamas had gained a clear
majority of the seats in the Council, but a look at the
popular vote put Hamas and Fatah on much closer footing. On
that basis, he declared, Hamas has an absolute right to form
a government, but does not have a clear popular mandate to
change the legal, social, or political basis of the
Palestinian system. Palestinian society is almost completely
polarized between Fatah and Hamas.

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"Technocratic system will not work,
Hamas must change to form coalition."
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3. (C) Al Qidwa called it "unwise" for anyone, including his
own party, Fatah, to refuse or accept to participate in a
Hamas-led government based on principle and without first
understanding the political platform of that government. Al
Qidwa emphasized that Hamas cannot run a functioning
government and lead the Palestinians based on their existing
political program. They must create a different program, in
line with the President, the PLO and the national consensus,
he stated. On the basis of that program, Fatah will decide
whether or not to participate in a coalition with Hamas. Al
Qidwa stressed that "Hamas and Hamas only" will be
responsible if the parties are unable to form a coalition.
The option of forming a technocratic government, in his
opinion, has never been a serious alternative. He argued
that amidst such complex and possibly dangerous
circumstances, there must be a driving political force behind
the government that takes responsibility for leading.

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"Don't judge government based on Hamas platform,
judge government based on government platform."
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4. (C) Al Qidwa also counseled that it is unrealistic to
think that isolation of Hamas will quickly lead to a total
collapse of the government and the calling of new elections.
Hamas will be in the government, he said, and there will be
no quick fix: "We are dealing with an international
organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, and it will take time
before any drastic changes occur." Al Qidwa urged the
international community to press Hamas in the right direction
and encourage transformation, and not to judge the new
government based on the stated political program of Hamas,
the organization, but instead on the basis of the stated
political program of the new government.

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"Transitional Government Will
Not Dissolve on February 18."
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5. (C) In closing, the Foreign Minister appealed to the

international community not to cut off assistance to the
Palestinian people, saying it would only lead to further
deterioration. He also questioned recent Israeli comments
reported in the press that the GOI would consider the
inauguration of the incoming PLC, scheduled for February 18,
as the turning point from the current caretaker government
that the Quartet has pledged to continue to support. Al
Qidwa stressed that February 18 will not be the turning
point, noting that up to five weeks could be needed to form
the new government.
WALLES