BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: GAZA NSF COMMANDER JAMAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001023 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS, INR FOR CONNIE MAYER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017 TAGS: KWBG KPAL IS PINR SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: GAZA NSF COMMANDER JAMAL KAYYAD CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) BRIGADIER GENERAL (BG) JAMAL M M KAYYAD (SPELLED "KAIED" ON HIS PA TRAVEL DOCUMENT) IS COMMANDER OF NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES (NSF) FOR GAZA. PERSONAL DATA AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOLLOWS. ¶2. (C) PERSONAL. DPOB: SAIDA, LEBANON, 19 JULY 1958. MARRIED TO HUSUN M HAMAD. RESIDES IN GAZA CITY. WORKING PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH BUT MORE COMFORTABLE IN ARABIC. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE FATAH MOVEMENT. ¶3. (C) EDUCATION. AS AN OFFICER IN THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ARMY (PLA),KAYYAD ATTENDED NAVAL OFFICER TRAINING IN PAKISTAN AND A NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE COLLEGE IN INDIA IN THE 1980S. HE PARTICIPATED IN AN IVLP ON "SECURITY ISSUES IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY" IN THE U.S. IN NOVEMBER 2005. ¶4. (C) PROFESSIONAL. KAYYAD WAS APPOINTED NSF COMMANDER FOR GAZA IN JANUARY 2007. PRESIDENT MAHMUD ABBAS (ABU MAZEN) PRAISED KAYYAD FOR AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE OF NSF AND PRESIDENTIAL FACILITIES AGAINST HAMAS ATTACKS DURING MAY 2007 CLASHES IN GAZA AND FAVORABLY CONTRASTED THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NSF IN GAZA UNDER KAYYAD WITH THE NSF'S LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE IN DECEMBER 2006-JANUARY 2007 CLASHES. KAYYAD SERVED AS DEPUTY GAZA NSF COMMANDER AND COMMANDER FOR SOUTHERN GAZA UNDER SULAYMAN HILLIS, INCLUDING DURING ISRAEL'S DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA IN AUGUST 2005. HIS HOUSE WAS ATTACKED BY A POPULAR RESISTANCE COMMITTEES (PRCS) CELL IN AUGUST 2005, BUT NEITHER HE NOR HIS FAMILY WERE HARMED. WHILE CRITICAL OF ISRAELI ACTIONS AND POLICIES IN MEETINGS WITH USG OFFICIALS, HE COORDINATED EXTENSIVELY WITH IDF COMMANDERS DURING PREPARATIONS FOR AND EXECUTION OF ISRAELI DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA. KAYYAD WAS A SUBORDINATE NSF COMMANDER UNDER FORMER GAZA NSF CHIEFS MUSA ARAFAT AND ABD AL-RAZAQ MUJAYDAH. WALLES