OLMERT TELLS AG GONZALES THAT AIM IS SAFE RETURN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002620 SIPDIS JUSTICE FOR BRUCE SWARTZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2016 TAGS: PGOV KWBG IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GOI INTERNAL SUBJECT: OLMERT TELLS AG GONZALES THAT AIM IS SAFE RETURN OF ABDUCTED SOLDIER, BUT MISHA'AL IS THE PROBLEM Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) In a June 29 meeting in his office, a cordial and receptive Prime Minister Olmert told Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that: -- The kidnapping of a solider near Gaza is "a pure act of terror" and a "clear violation of international law." Olmert said that no one can any longer argue that Israel occupies Gaza, and the kidnappers crossed the border to take their hostage. -- Israel is undertaking now those actions that can best lead to the safe recovery of the kidnapped solider and "is sensitive to not cross a certain line" that Israel "might have crossed in other circumstances." The GOI aims to bring the soldier back to his family. That said, however, Israel has "no information of consequence" on the kidnap victim's situation and no sense of where the overall situation is heading. -- Israel now needs to discuss such terrorist actions with our Syrian "friends" to let them know that Israel cannot continue to tolerate such acts or Syria's support for such acts. The Syrians, he said, "are an enemy of every potential political development here." Olmert asked rhetorically, how can we cope with Hamas? Continue tit for tat or "do something much more fundamental to affect their flexibility and freedom? He cited Khalid Misha'al -- who "lives in Damascus under Asad" -- as a major obstacle to the victim's release. ¶2. (C) AG Gonzales said he hopes that the kidnapping of the Israeli soldier by Gaza militants can be resolved quickly and with as little disruption as possible for the civilian population, and asked what help the United States might be able to provide. The United States, he said, is focused on the issue and wants to see the soldier returned to his family. Olmert said he has continuous contact with the Deputy National Security Advisor, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, and other senior administration officials. "We have to think about how to deal with the Syrians when this is done," he said, adding that they leave Israel "no option but to fight with them." He also accused Iran of sending tens of millions of dollars to Gaza for Hamas, and listed Iran, Syria, Hizballah and Hamas as an "axis of evil." ¶3. (C) Responding to the Attorney General's expressed concern for the welfare of non-combatants, Olmert said that before Israeli forces knocked out several Gaza electricity transformers, cutting off power to much of the Gaza Strip, officials checked to ensure that every Gaza Strip hospital had a back-up electric generator. He acknowledged that, as a result of such Israeli attacks on infrastructure, he was "sure the majority of the (Gaza) population is definitely unhappy." ¶4. (C) The Attorney General thanked Olmert for Israel's cooperation in other, non-terrorism-related criminal investigations and noted the need for additional GOI effort to improve Israel's record against trafficking in persons. The Attorney General cited Israel's recent demotion to "Tier Two Watch List" in the U.S. anti-trafficking ratings, noting that the demotion related primarily to Israel's inadequate efforts on labor trafficking. The Attorney General also called for rapid Knesset passage of the anti-labor-trafficking bill. Olmert's Chief of Staff, Yoram Turbowicz, noted that the bill had been carried over from the previous Knesset and would soon receive its second reading. ¶5. (U) Attorney General Gonzales did not have an opportunity to clear this message before departing post. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES