GOI REQUEST FOR USG ASSISTANCE IN TUNNEL DETECTION

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 001863 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PREL PTER ASEC KWBG KPAL IS ISRAEL RELATIONS COUNTERTERRORISM SUBJECT: GOI REQUEST FOR USG ASSISTANCE IN TUNNEL DETECTION TECHNOLOGY ¶1. This is an action request. See Para 4. ¶2. The perceived threat of tunnel-based terrorist attacks has been a principal justification for this year's lengthy closings of the Karni crossing between Gaza and Israel. Embassy has received a high-level request from the GOI Ministry of Defense for assistance in identifying state-of- the-art tunnel detection technologies used by, or known to, the USG, in order to improve the security of Israel's borders. ¶3. Department is urgently requested to take the lead in establishing contact between the GOI/MOD and appropriate USG military, intelligence, and homeland security agencies knowledgeable about tunnel detection. At this point, funding is not the primary issue. USAID, under its existing Palestinian Integrated Trade Arrangement Project (PITA),is able and willing to expand the scope of its current project from scanner technology to include the study, and even the procurement of tunnel-detection equipment. Fact finding tours by Israeli officials to the U.S. or elsewhere, and hiring of consultants to advise the GOI are within the scope of PITA. However, direct GOI-USG contacts are necessary to identify what is available and what is required. ¶4. ACTION REQUESTED: Please identify a lead agency and point of contact, with whom we and the GOI can work to arrange briefings / demonstrations on tunnel detection technology. Given the large negative impact that frequent closings of crossing points have on the Palestinian economy, this action is most urgent. Department and other agencies are requested to give it the highest priority. JONES