RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TERMS MOSCOW'S INVITATION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000745 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL KWBG MNUC IS IR RS GOI EXTERNAL COUNTERTERRORISM ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TERMS MOSCOW'S INVITATION TO HAMAS "A BOLD MOVE" Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Russian Ambassador to Israel Gennady Tarasov met with the Ambassador February 20, at the former's request, to discuss the emerging GOI policy toward Hamas against the backdrop of an increasingly politicized pre-election atmosphere. Tarasov criticized the GOI for taking decisions on altering its relationship with the Palestinian Authority (PA) before the actual formation of a PA government. Tarasov indicated that the early March visit by a Hamas delegation to Moscow would not include a meeting with Russian President Putin. He asserted that the GOR's diplomacy with Hamas is meant to avert a cycle of Palestinian terrorism and GOI retaliation. The Ambassador stressed the importance that Hamas continue to receive the same message from all Quartet members. He noted that the GOI's policy decisions on Hamas appear open to maneuvering, particularly on humanitarian assistance, and that the Israeli Cabinet decision appeared to leave open a possibility for re-visiting the issue of tax transfers. In response to Tarasov's queries, the Ambassador dismissed media reports alleging a U.S.-Georgia agreement on the use of the latter's military bases for a U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and active U.S.-Israel cooperation to topple a Hamas PA government. End Summary. -------------- Riding Israel's Turbulent Political Waters -------------- ¶2. (C) Admittedly agitated Russian Ambassador Tarasov began his February 20 meeting with the Ambassador by complaining about what he characterized as the Israeli Russian-language media's highly charged rhetoric on Hamas and Iran and about the effect of the upcoming elections on Israel's political dynamics. He pointed to a February 20 Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee hearing earlier in the day wherein Israel Security Agency head Yuval Diskin charged that Hamas is a "strategic threat" to Israel. However, Tarasov assessed the GOI's actual policy decisions on altering its ties with the PA as "mild" compared to the political rhetoric surrounding the issue. He praised Alternate PM Olmert and FM Tzipi Livni for taking "a rather balanced approach," no matter what their rhetoric has been. "No one benefits if the (PA) economy collapses," he said. The Ambassador noted that the language communicating the GOI Cabinet decision to halt tax transfers to the PA was open to interpretation and also allowed for some leeway on provision of humanitarian assistance. Tarasov agreed, noting with relief that the GOI had not ended the customs union or halted the flow of Palestinian workers into Israel. The GOI decision is "not a happy turn of events," Tarasov commented, but it is also not "revolutionary." ¶3. (C) Nonetheless, Tarasov criticized the timing of the GOI decision, asserting that the GOI should have taken action to alter its relationship with the PA only after the actual formation of a Hamas government, following the Quartet's timeframe. Tarasov pointed to a February 20 Jerusalem Post report claiming that National Security Council chief Giora Eiland told the Cabinet February 19 that Israel would be making a mistake by taking action before the formation of a Hamas-led PA government. -------------- Tarasov Defends Invitation to Hamas -------------- ¶4. (C) In response to the Ambassador's query, Tarasov confirmed that a Hamas delegation would visit Moscow at the beginning of March, that the delegation would likely include Hamas Political Bureau Director Khalid Misha'al, and that President Putin would not meet the delegation. He said that the GOI had let the GOR know its unhappiness about the decision to invite Hamas when it was announced, but that the tension has since somewhat dissipated. Tarasov characterized the GOR's invitation as "a bold move," asserting that a continued cycle of terrorism and Israeli retaliation would ensue in the absence of any diplomatic engagement with Hamas. He said that the GOR wanted to "do something" before any "cut-off date" of engagement with the PA government. The Ambassador stressed the critical need for all parties to continue to give Hamas the same Quartet message that any future PA government must recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, and adhere to prior agreements with Israel. In response to Tarasov's query, the Ambassador dismissed recent media speculation that the U.S. is working with Israel to topple a Hamas-led PA. He stressed that the U.S. is only working to sharpen the inherent contradiction in Hamas's goals and was leaving open the opportunity for Hamas to change. ¶5. (C) Tarasov assessed that Hamas does not speak with one voice and that there had been those in Hamas who had articulated a more realistic approach. The Ambassador said that multiple voices contributed to Hamas's credibility problems; in any event, the GOI remained highly skeptical of any moderate statements coming out of Hamas. -------------- Who Put Putin's Face on Bibi's Website? -------------- ¶6. (C) Turning to Israel's upcoming elections, Tarasov noted he is in the process of meeting with most of the party heads. He said that while he had not yet formally met with Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu, he spoke with him on the phone to protest a Likud campaign ad that had appeared on the Likud website. According to Tarasov, the ad featured a picture of Putin, and stated that it was not Putin that put money in Hamas's hands, but rather Olmert. (Note: The ad reportedly showed the likeness of Putin morphing into a photo of Olmert. End note.) Tarasov said that during an appearance along with Likud's PR head MK Gideon Sa'ar on Channel 2 news to discuss the ad, his press officer stressed that Russia does not interfere with the domestic politics of other countries and that the ad should be removed. Tarasov said that the next day Netanyahu phoned him, claimed he was not aware of the ad and promised it would be removed from the site. (Note: Tarasov acknowledged that he is not sure if the ad was removed or altered, but press reports indicate that it has been removed. End note.) -------------- Iranians in Moscow -------------- ¶7. (C) Referring to "the other big meal on our plate," Tarasov said that an Iranian delegation was already in Moscow on February 20 to discuss the GOR's proposal on uranium enrichment, but that no results had yet been announced. After stressing the need for continued P-5 solidarity in the face of Iran's challenges, the Ambassador noted that the IAEA Board of Governors would take up ElBaradei's report on Iran's nuclear program in March, after which the UNSC would consider the matter. Turning again to the Israeli domestic politic scene, Tarasov said he had some "small fear, rather discomfort" about "how high the rhetoric will go" when media attention on Hamas is coupled with reports on Iran. ¶8. (C) In closing, Tarasov asked the Ambassador about a front-page February 20 Jerusalem Post article entitled, "U.S. sounding out Georgia for Aid in Strike Against Iran," which, Tarasov commented, might also be attributable to media competition in a heated election climate. The Ambassador underlined the unsubstantiated nature of this speculative report. ********************************************* ******************** 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