Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV1318
2006-04-04 04:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

FM LIVNI SEEKS NEW MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING AID TO

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 001318 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2016
TAGS: IS KPAL PGOV PHUM PREL PREF EAID ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS HUMANITARIAN AID GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: FM LIVNI SEEKS NEW MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING AID TO
PALESTINIANS

REF: TEL AVIV 1158 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 001318

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2016
TAGS: IS KPAL PGOV PHUM PREL PREF EAID ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS HUMANITARIAN AID GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: FM LIVNI SEEKS NEW MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING AID TO
PALESTINIANS

REF: TEL AVIV 1158 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni asked NEA A/S
David Welch and DAPNSA Elliott Abrams on March 30 for USG
help in formulating a new mechanism to deliver aid directly
to the Palestinian people; without this mechanism, she said,
other donors might "take their own decisions" and use a
delivery method that helps or legitimizes the Hamas-led PA.
Livni also said that efforts to keep the crossings open could
weaken efforts to undermine Hamas. She suggested that a new
crossings protocol might prevent daily meetings between
Israelis and "Hamas customs officials." A/S Welch responded
that the USG seeks to draw attention to the failures of
Hamas, and that, in doing so, "we must make clear that we are
not collectively punishing the Palestinian people." When
Livni questioned the value of the USG or GOI continuing
contact with PA President Mahmud Abbas, Welch explained that
the USG wants "to ensure that those who say 'yes' still have
an address in the U.S." Welch reported that the recent Arab
League Summit pledged only the usual amount for the PA and
did not move to replace the financial support that non-Arab
donors have withdrawn; such pledges have rarely been fully
satisfied. Livni reported that she received assurances from
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and from officials in London,
Paris, Vienna and Ottawa that they strongly support the three
conditions that Hamas must meet in order to receive
international aid or contact, but added that she worries that
the Russians may soon propose a new Middle East initiative
which could serve to legitimize the Hamas-led PA. END
SUMMARY.

-------------- ---
NEW MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING AID TO PALESTINIANS
-------------- ---


2. (C) Livni, Welch and Abrams agreed that health and

education form the most important priorities for humanitarian
assistance. Livni told A/S Welch and DAPNSA Abrams, however,
that she would like the USG to help formulate a new mechanism
to deliver aid directly to the Palestinian people; without
this mechanism, she said, other donors might "take their own
decisions" and use a delivery method that helps or
legitimizes the Hamas-led PA. "We need to think of an idea,
a trustee, an organization," Livni said. "We (the USG) don't
need a new mechanism to deliver our assistance," Welch
replied, "but that doesn't mean we wouldn't support one for
others." Welch said that the USG can take the lead on this
issue. The USG has grown uncomfortable, Welch explained,
with the tenor of discussion on assistance within the
Quartet, and prefers for discussion now to take place among
the major donors. Abrams added that we do not yet know the
extent of revenue that the PA may derive from internal
sources or external donors, such as the Arab governments; he
was skeptical about Arab support.


3. (C) Abrams stressed that USG policy aims to withhold
direct aid to the PA in order to force the government either
to change or to fail. Welch said that the USG will not
provide direct assistance to the PA. There could be
exceptional cases, rare circumstances, such as humanitarian
emergencies like the avian flu crisis. If there are any
other desirable projects that fall outside the humanitarian
aid field, the GOI should notify us, said Welch. While we
cannot guarantee that we will approve them, he said, we will
consider them on their merits. Livni flagged the importance
of finding a non-governmental mechanism to transfer money to
Palestinian farmers who suffered financial losses as a result
of avian flu. "I prefer," she stressed, "even in crisis not
to transfer money to Hamas because it gives them legitimacy."
Welch agreed and asked Livni to inform the USG of GOI
interest in any other exceptions if such an interest should
develop in the future. Welch also reported that the USG will
soon announce its humanitarian assistance strategy, noting
that the EU will declare a similar strategy, but on a
separate occasion; a joint U.S.-EU press release, Welch
explained, might highlight divisions within the Quartet.

--------------
NEW PROTOCOL FOR THE CROSSINGS
--------------


4. (C) Livni said that efforts to keep the crossings open
could weaken efforts to undermine Hamas because monitoring
the crossings requires constant contact with officials of the
new Hamas government. "If we are demanding that the
Europeans no longer keep contact with the PA," Livni
responded, "then how can we do so ourselves?" She suggested
that a new customs protocol might help prevent "Israelis from
having to meet Hamas customs officials every day." Welch
noted that the USG seeks to draw attention to the failures of
Hamas, and that, in doing so, "we must make clear that we are
not collectively punishing the Palestinian people." The
Ambassador stressed that Hamas must fail because of their own
actions.

--------------
CONTACT WITH PRESIDENT ABBAS
--------------


5. Livni also questioned the value of the USG or GOI
continuing contact with PA President Mahmud Abbas. Welch
explained that the USG wants "to ensure that those who say
yes still have an address in the U.S. If Hamas says yes
three times then they have one, too. If not, then we want
them to fail." Abrams emphasized, "Our message is: 'change
or fail.'" Welch added, "We will not be transferring any
money through President Abbas. We may provide it to him, but
we have no special plans to do so." Welch informed Livni
that the USG has instructed personnel worldwide of our policy
prohibiting contact with PA government officials. He
stressed that the policy bans contact with anyone whose chain
of command leads to the Prime Minister, including lower-level
officials in the ministries.

--------------
ARAB FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE PA
--------------


6. (C) Welch and Abrams reported that Arab governments at
the March 28 - 29 Arab League Summit in Khartoum said that
they will continue to provide $55 million per month to the
PA, but they did not pledge to replace what other donors
previously provided. Welch noted that these governments have
not in the past been very reliable in delivered on aid
pledges. The USG plans, Welch added, to work bilaterally
with each government to encourage them not to do so now and
certainly not to replace the aid to the PA that major donors
have stopped providing.

--------------
THE UN, EUROPEANS, CANADIANS, AND RUSSIANS
--------------


7. (C) Livni reported that she told UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan about the letter that UN Envoy Alvaro De Soto sent
to the GOI seeking the release of the six Jericho prisoners
(reftel). She said that she believes that De Soto will soon
meet PM Haniye. Livni said that Annan appeared unaware of De
Soto's actions, but that he assured her that he will stay
strong on the three conditions, and will not compromise on
them.


8. (C) Livni said that during her March 1 - 3 meetings with
officials in Paris, London and Vienna she received assurances
that their governments strongly support the three conditions.
"Underneath this stated support," Livni added, "I felt like
they were looking for a way to support the Palestinians with
humanitarian aid. They don't have a clue, though, how to
deliver the aid, in technical terms." A/S Welch said that he
thinks the USG can influence how the Europeans ultimately
decide to deliver aid. "We have some differences on the
issue of contacts," Welch said, "but we're in line on the
issue of delivering humanitarian assistance." Livni also
said that in a recent phone conversation, Canadian Foreign
Minister Peter MacKay told her that the Canadian government
stands strongly against terrorism, and will support any step
to fight it. Livni said that she thinks that the Canadians
want to be more involved. Welch said that the Canadians may
assume a leadership role in a meeting of major donors
scheduled for the third week of April.


9. (C) Livni said that she had a phone call "a few weeks
ago" with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "I didn't
like his tone," Livni said. She reported that his statements
to her -- "we have to find a way to promote a new process,"
"we have to face the new reality," and " we have to find a
new way out of the situation" -- suggest that the Russians
may soon propose a new Middle Eastern initiative that serves
to legitimize the Hamas-led PA.

10. (U) NEA A/S Welch cleared this cable.
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