Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TELAVIV481
2006-02-02 06:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

SENATOR BIDEN AND A/PM OLMERT DISCUSS THE PEACE

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 02 TEL AVIV 000481 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER KWBG KPAL IR IS PEACE PROCESS GOI EXTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: SENATOR BIDEN AND A/PM OLMERT DISCUSS THE PEACE
PROCESS, HAMAS, AND IRAN


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (B
) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000481

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER KWBG KPAL IR IS PEACE PROCESS GOI EXTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: SENATOR BIDEN AND A/PM OLMERT DISCUSS THE PEACE
PROCESS, HAMAS, AND IRAN


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (B
) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: Alternate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told
Senator Joseph Biden on January 25 --before PLC election
results were in -- that he is ready to resume negotiations
with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and is
willing to implement all of Israel's commitments under the
roadmap, including movement against illegal outposts and full
acceptance of PM Sharon's pledges on settlement construction.
He said that for Israel to take such steps, however, Abbas
must "amend the PA constitution" (i.e., promulgate effective
laws against armed extremists) and begin disarming militants.
Olmert expressed a willingness to take measures to improve
the economic situation in the Palestinian areas. He raised
concerns that the United States could soften its position on
Hamas after the elections. Olmert urged the United States to
take the lead in creating a strategy to report Iran's nuclear
program to the UNSC and to begin a discussion of possible
steps to change Iranian behavior. Senator Biden reassured
Olmert that the United States shares Israel's overall
concerns about the Iranian nuclear program. End summary.

-------------- -
Olmert Ready to Move Peace Process Forward ...
-------------- -


2. (C) Olmert said the Israeli public "wants peace badly and
is willing to accept compromise." Specifically, Israelis are
willing to separate themselves from parts of the "land of
Israel" (i.e., much of the West Bank). The roadmap is
difficult for Israel, said Olmert, but his government "will
fulfill every single part of it." He vowed to remove
unauthorized outposts -- starting with the Hebron market --
and fully "abide by the commitments Sharon made about
building in settlements." Olmert added that he is "very
serious" in his intent to negotiate with President Abbas
after the PLC elections. In his view, Abbas genuinely
desires peace and "I feel I can negotiate with this man." In
response to a question by Senator Biden, Olmert conceded that

Israel will be unable to make significant moves until after
the Knesset elections in March.

--------------
... Provided Abbas Acts against Terror
--------------


3. (C) Fresh from his previous night's well-received speech
at the Herziliya conference, Olmert cautioned that such steps
will lead to deep divisions within Israeli society and will
not be possible unless Abbas overcomes his "weakness" and
acts quickly against extremists. In response to a question
by Senator Biden regarding what Israel believes the
Palestinians can and should do after the elections Olmert
said Abbas must take two steps to be a credible partner for
peace: "change the Palestinian constitution" (i.e., amend PA
basic laws, effectively requiring groups to renounce violence
as a condition for participation in the political process)
and begin a process of disarming extremists. Senator Biden
commented that the Europeans are beginning to realize that
much of the burden to act is on the Palestinians, noting that
he had passed a similar message to Abbas earlier in the day.


4. (C) Senator Biden sought Olmert's views on implementing
the Agreement on Movement and Access. Olmert responded that
Israel is prepared to take steps that will lead to a more
favorable environment, but will not begin any political
negotiations with "a (PA) government that doesn't fulfill its
commitments." Olmert called economic growth a "major issue"
for Palestinians, stressing that most Palestinians do not
support terrorism and merely want to see improvement in their
daily lives. He said he is willing to invest time and
resources in every serious effort to overcome bureaucracy and
assist in this area. He also emphasized his readiness to
meet with U.S., European, Jordanian, Egyptian, and/or Quartet
(Wolfensohn) officials to move this agenda forward.

--------------
Concern over U.S. Views on Hamas
--------------


5. (C) Olmert politely disagreed with what he sees as an
attempt by the USG to distinguish between Hamas participation
in the legislature and in the PA executive, or the "Hizballah
model." He asked what Israel should do if Hamas members are
given administrative posts below the cabinet level, such as
the head of the customs authority. Olmert returned to the
point throughout the discussion, urging the United States to
avoid any "complicity" with international cooperation or
contacts with Hamas. He called it "inconceivable" that the
United States would deal with such a terrorist organization,
and insisted that Hamas participation in Palestinian
elections does not free Abbas from his obligations under the
roadmap. Olmert stressed that his time as mayor of Jerusalem
-- including visits to bombing sites, meetings with victims'
families, and participation in numerous funerals -- has left
him with a real understanding of the horrors of terrorism.


6. (C) Senator Biden reassured Olmert that he will continue
to oppose any U.S. assistance or support for a Hamas
government, saying that the U.S. position on Hamas would not
change unless there is a fundamental shift in the group's
position towards terror and violence. He urged Olmert to
keep the focus on Hamas as an internal Palestinian problem --
"they must solve it" -- and to avoid steps that would allow
the extremists to portray it as a Palestinian-Israeli issue.


7. (C) Saying he had "made up my mind since day one" to
facilitate the PLC elections, Olmert noted that his decision
had opened Kadima up to accusations of "bringing Hamas into
Jerusalem" by Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu. Olmert said
he had spoken with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz the day after
Sharon's stroke to inform him that the GOI would need to make
arrangements for limited voting by Palestinians in Jerusalem.
Senator Biden complimented the poise with which the Israeli
Government in general, and Olmert in particular, have handled
the difficult period following PM Sharon's hospitalization.

--------------
Olmert Urges U.S. Leadership
to Counter Iranian Nuclear Threat
--------------


8. (C) Olmert asked Senator Biden to tell others in
Washington that he had discussed Iran's pursuit of nuclear
weapons with "a very concerned prime minister." Although
Israel would be the first target for such weapons, Olmert
said, the GOI should not get out in front on the issue. In
his view, the only chance to prevent Iranian development of a
nuclear capability is for the United States to "dictate" a
strategy to the EU, China, and Russia involving a report to
the UNSC and a debate on steps to alter Iranian behavior
(i.e., sanctions).


9. (C) Senator Biden explained the factors currently
affecting U.S. policy and stressed the importance of ensuring
the correct outcome from any UNSC debate. He highlighted the
need to re-engage the silent majority of Iranians who want
better relations with the U.S. by keeping the Europeans on
our side and by using our leverage with Russia to get Moscow
to exert pressure on Tehran. While noting differences
between U.S. and Israeli assessments on the timeframe for
Iran's "point of no return," he reassured Olmert that the
United States shares Israel's overall concerns about the
Iranian nuclear program.


10. (U) PM Sharon's foreign policy advisor and spokesperson,
Shalom Tourgeman and Asaf Shariv, also participated in the
meeting along with MFA Deputy Director General for North
America Yoram Ben Ze'ev and MFA Congressional Affairs
Director Eyal Sela. Senator Biden was accompanied by DCM
Gene Cretz, Democratic staff director Antony Blinken,
professional staff member Puneet Talwar, and an embassy
notetaker.


11. (U) This cable was cleared by Senator Biden.

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