TFLE01: ISRAEL DENIES GOK REQUEST TO SEND

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003165 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN FOR TFLE01 AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2016 TAGS: MOPS PHUM PREL KU SUBJECT: TFLE01: ISRAEL DENIES GOK REQUEST TO SEND HUMANITARIAN FLIGHTS TO LEBANON; RECONSIDERATION WARRANTED Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4(a),(b),and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 6. ¶2. (U) On July 31, the Government of Kuwait requested U.S. assistance in sending military aircraft between August 2 - 5 to Lebanon for humanitarian assistance purposes. The GOK planned to deliver relief items and evacuate Lebanese citizens requiring medical attention. Post relayed the request to the Task Force and in close consultation with EUCOM, assisted the GOK in completing the necessary forms for clearance to land at Beirut Airport. Simultaneously, the Office of Military Cooperation-Kuwait (OMC-K) responded to a Kuwait Ministry of Defense (KMOD) request to outfit Kuwaiti aircraft for the transport of wounded Lebanese to Kuwait, completing the transfer of equipment from U.S. to Kuwaiti aircraft on August 1. ¶3. (U) Post learned on August 2 that the GOI denied the request to land in Beirut on August 2. Believing that timing was an issue, post continued to work with the GOK on preparations for future. The GOI subsequently denied on a daily basis clearance for flights proposed for August 3 - 5. ¶4. (C/NF) OMC-K Vice Chief and DATT met August 6 with KMOD Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Ahmad Khalid Al-Sabah. The Vice Chief offered to submit additional requests for flight clearances to which Al-Sabah responded, "No, if they refused the first few times, they won't change their minds." ¶5. (C/NF) The Kuwaiti Red Crescent has sent food and other relief supplies to Lebanon by road and the GOK has pledged $800 million for relief and reconstruction efforts. This was a genuine request to provide assistance to those in need. To date, the GOK has issued very balanced statements on the crisis, placing most of the blame on Hizballah. The repeated denial of clearances for the humanitarian flights will likely lead Kuwaiti leaders to question the motives of the GOI, which had unspoken support for its efforts to rout out Hizballah. The denials will also negatively affect bilateral relations at the political and military levels at a time when we are asking the GOK for greater cooperation on regional security and counterterrorism initiatives. ¶6. (C/NF) Action Requested: Post requests Department press the GOI to make immediate arrangements to allow for the landing of Kuwaiti aircraft. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER