Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV2643
2006-06-30 16:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

(C) LIKUD MK STEINITZ ADVOCATES DISMANTLING AND

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002643 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KWBG KDEM KPAL MOPS EG IR IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: (C) LIKUD MK STEINITZ ADVOCATES DISMANTLING AND
ISOLATING THE HAMAS GOVERNMENT

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 02 TEL AVIV 002643

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KWBG KDEM KPAL MOPS EG IR IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: (C) LIKUD MK STEINITZ ADVOCATES DISMANTLING AND
ISOLATING THE HAMAS GOVERNMENT

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


1. (C) Summary: In a June 29 meeting with the Ambassador,
Likud MK Yuval Steinitz advocated dismantling the Hamas-led
Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestinian Legislative
Council (PLC) and isolating them much the same way that
former PM Sharon had isolated Yasser Arafat. The IDF should
respond to the kidnapping of IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit and
the continued Qassam fire from Gaza into Israel, Steinitz
said, with a short-term, wide-scale operation in Gaza
designed to wipe out the terrorist infrastructure there,
similar to that of Operation Defensive Shield in the West
Bank in April 2002. Steinitz expressed strong opposition to
PM Olmert's "realignment plan," although, he noted, he had
supported Sharon's disengagement. He called for the USG to
press Egypt to prevent what Steinitz referred to as
wide-scale weapons-smuggling operations across the Egypt-Gaza
border. Steinitz said that pressure from Arab countries has
hardened Palestinian resolve not to compromise with Israel on
certain issues, such as Jerusalem and the law of return. On
Iran, Steinitz said that the danger of Iran developing
nuclear weapons is not its actual use of such weapons, but
its use of that threat as a tool to wield power in the
region. Steinitz noted that he hopes to continue his role as
chairperson of the informal joint interparliamentary forum
between the U.S. and Israel on security and defense issues.
End summary.

--------------
Isolate Hamas
--------------


2. (C) Likud MK Yuval Steinitz, former chairman of the
Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, began his
discussion with the Ambassador June 29 on the current IDF
operations in Gaza by criticizing the GOI for ever having
allowed the PLC elections to have taken place with Hamas on

the ballot. Steinitz advocated two courses of action for the
GOI now, in light of the kidnapping of IDF Corporal Gilad
Shalit and the continued firing of Qassam rockets from Gaza
into Israel: 1) dismantling the Hamas-led PA and PLC and
isolating their members much the same way that Arafat was
isolated in Ramallah, and 2) conducting a wide-scale,
short-term military operation in Gaza similar to that of
Operation Defensive Shield to wipe out the terrorist
infrastructure there. Steinitz said that the latter should
have really been conducted before disengagement was
completed. He noted that he supported disengagement --
although it damaged his popularity within Likud -- but
stressed that he is vehemently opposed to PM Olmert's
"realignment" plan. Steinitz said that "realignment" would
open up the center of Israel to threats, including to Ben
Gurion Airport.


3. (C) Steinitz reasoned that the PA is currently violating
the Oslo Accords and argued that a wide-scale military
operation to attack the "terrorist infrastructure" in Gaza
could take at a maximum three weeks since the GOI already has
much of the intelligence it would need to conduct the
operation. In response to the Ambassador's query, Steinitz
assessed that the operation could be accomplished without
much fighting between the IDF and Palestinians as the IDF has
the technology to do this, as he claimed was done in Khan
Younis about one year ago. The Ambassador said that both the
PA and Israel have been in breach of the Oslo Accords, with
continued militant actions by the Palestinians and continued
construction of illegal outposts by Israelis. Steinitz said
that it was not possible to enforce the agreement since the
PA could not be pressured into compliance.


4. (C) In response to the Ambassador's query about what
would take place after any wide-scale military operation, as
Steinitz had described, Steinitz said that he does not have
an answer. "I don't see a bright forecast," Steinitz said
adding, "things look gloomy." He said that the IDF could
expel Hamas government members to Gaza and that this might
lead to a new Palestinian government. "But," he added, "we
can't proceed with a Hamas-led government." Steinitz warned
against continuation of the status quo, since in one year the
situation will be more "volatile," with more long-range
weapons reaching Gaza and better-trained terrorists.

--------------
Arab Influence
--------------


5. (C) Steinitz continued that Arab countries as well as the
Arab media exert "significant pressure" on the PA not to
compromise with Israel. Steinitz commented that the
situation in Iraq and with Iran could also affect the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On Iran, Steinitz said that
the real threat of an Iran with nuclear weapons is not that
Iran would use the weapons against another country, but that
it would use the threat of such weapons to exert its
influence on other countries in the Middle East. Steinitz
assessed that Libya had decided to give up its nuclear
weapons program because of the U.S. military operation in
Iraq.

--------------
Weapons Smuggling from Egypt
--------------


6. (C) Steinitz asserted that wide-scale weapons smuggling
continues across the border from Egypt into Gaza, with
10,000-15,000 guns being smuggled annually and, he said,
referring to Shin Bet data, 500-1,000 anti-tank missiles and
launchers. Steinitz blamed the GOE for "allowing this to
happen," unlike Jordan, which has cracked down on smuggling.
In response to the Ambassador's point that the Camp David
accords limit the number of Egyptian troops on the Sinai
border, Steinitz said that Egyptian police officers could be
used, as they are exempt from this limitation. Steinitz said
that Egypt should intercept the weapons to be smuggled,
which, he said, comes from various sources, before they reach
the border. He commented to the Ambassador in confidence
that if Egypt really wanted to crack down on smugglers, the
GOE knows who they are. In response to the Ambassador's
question as to why Egypt would want to enable Hamas in this
way, Steinitz said that Egypt wants the Palestinians and
Israel "to bleed together." Steinitz also asserted that the
GOE "doesn't like Abu Mazen." Steinitz called on the USG to
do more to pressure Egypt to crack down on smuggling.

--------------
Security Forum
--------------


7. (SBU) Steinitz noted that he had been chairman of a joint
parliamentary security forum between U.S. members of Congress
and Knesset members to discuss defense and security issues.
He said that that he had led a delegation of Knesset members
for meetings in Washington, D.C. with congressional
counterparts last fall. Steinitz said he "assumed" he would
remain in this role, and said he is seeking the backing of
Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik. He added that a decision on the
chairmanship would likely be reached within three weeks. He
could not comment as to whether the current chairman of the
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Tzachi
Hanegbi, might seek to take on this role.


8. (C) Steinitz said that the joint parliamentary forum had
also promoted joint U.S.-Israel projects. He highlighted one
project, the THEL (Tactical High Energy Laser),which
produced laser weapons that could intercept incoming rockets
and artillery shells. Steinitz claimed that two years ago,
the laser had successfully engaged incoming fire in all of
its 22 tests, including at least one with multiple targets.
He said that the project had been canceled one year ago
because the laser weapon was considered too large for
practical use and could only defend a rather restricted area.
Steinitz commented that it was a "great mistake" to cancel
the project, noting its possible use to defend a town like
Sderot, which has been the target of Qassam rocket attack
from Gaza.


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