Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV3151
2006-08-10 16:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
SPIEGEL URGES RAPID USG STAND-UP OF ISRAEL-LEBANON
how-tonull Carol X Weakley 08/11/2006 04:50:04 PM From DB/Inbox: Carol X Weakley Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 03151 SIPDIS CXTelA: ACTION: POL INFO: IMO RES ECON DCM CONS DAO AMB IPSC PD AID ADM RSO DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:RHJONES DRAFTED: POL/C:NOLSEN CLEARED: DCM:GCRETZ, ECON/C:WWEINSTEIN VZCZCTVI979 PP RUEHC RUEHXK DE RUEHTV #3151 2221605 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 101605Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5539 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 003151
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: SPIEGEL URGES RAPID USG STAND-UP OF ISRAEL-LEBANON
MONITORING GROUP TEAM
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
(C) Minister of Defense Advisor BG (res) Baruch Spiegel told
Embassy political and economic counselors August 9 that the
USG must energize to stand up its portion of a new
Israel-Lebanon Monitoring Group now, in order for it to
engage in southern Lebanon in time to prevent "a vacuum."
Spiegel said the new monitoring group, which, he recommended,
should be independent of regional missions and whose U.S.
element should report directly to Washington, must be ready
to coordinate and conduct liaison activities between France,
Israel, Lebanon, the United States and UNIFIL immediately
upon declaration of a cease-fire, even before what he termed
a "UNIFIL-plus" force takes to the field. He argued for an
advance team to take to the field even before the overall
organization and mission are finalized, if necessary. The
group needs what he described as a solid mandate to "keep a
total cease-fire" and "the power to check and act
immediately." The group can be based at Naqoura or
elsewhere. He argued that while the Israeli and Lebanese
liaison mechanisms with UNIFIL "are not perfect," they exist
and function, and they can be enhanced rapidly. The
humanitarian relief coordination cell at the IDF base in Tel
Aviv is already functioning and is fully coordinating
operations on the ground in southern Lebanon, he said. If
the parties upgrade those mechanisms as part of a cease-fire,
the group can discuss and handle humanitarian needs,
confidence-building measures, coordination of IDF withdrawals
in advance of a multinational deployment, and construction
activities, among other issues. He said that the IDF
planning Department is developing, and should have ready
within days, a proposal for such a group. He urged the USG
to begin developing its own concepts so it can be prepared to
respond rapidly to the IDF proposal.
********************************************* ********************
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
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: SPIEGEL URGES RAPID USG STAND-UP OF ISRAEL-LEBANON
MONITORING GROUP TEAM
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).
(C) Minister of Defense Advisor BG (res) Baruch Spiegel told
Embassy political and economic counselors August 9 that the
USG must energize to stand up its portion of a new
Israel-Lebanon Monitoring Group now, in order for it to
engage in southern Lebanon in time to prevent "a vacuum."
Spiegel said the new monitoring group, which, he recommended,
should be independent of regional missions and whose U.S.
element should report directly to Washington, must be ready
to coordinate and conduct liaison activities between France,
Israel, Lebanon, the United States and UNIFIL immediately
upon declaration of a cease-fire, even before what he termed
a "UNIFIL-plus" force takes to the field. He argued for an
advance team to take to the field even before the overall
organization and mission are finalized, if necessary. The
group needs what he described as a solid mandate to "keep a
total cease-fire" and "the power to check and act
immediately." The group can be based at Naqoura or
elsewhere. He argued that while the Israeli and Lebanese
liaison mechanisms with UNIFIL "are not perfect," they exist
and function, and they can be enhanced rapidly. The
humanitarian relief coordination cell at the IDF base in Tel
Aviv is already functioning and is fully coordinating
operations on the ground in southern Lebanon, he said. If
the parties upgrade those mechanisms as part of a cease-fire,
the group can discuss and handle humanitarian needs,
confidence-building measures, coordination of IDF withdrawals
in advance of a multinational deployment, and construction
activities, among other issues. He said that the IDF
planning Department is developing, and should have ready
within days, a proposal for such a group. He urged the USG
to begin developing its own concepts so it can be prepared to
respond rapidly to the IDF proposal.
********************************************* ********************
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