Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JERUSALEM1024
2007-06-01 08:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: NEW POLICE CHIEF KAMAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHJMA #1024 1520842 ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCE2431 1520831 O 010842Z JUN 07 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001024
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: KWBG KPAL IS PINR
SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: NEW POLICE CHIEF KAMAL
AL-SHAYKH
CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001024
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: KWBG KPAL IS PINR
SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: NEW POLICE CHIEF KAMAL
AL-SHAYKH
CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) BRIGADIER GENERAL (BG) KAMAL AL-SHAYKH (ALSO SPELLED
"SHEIKH" IN SOME PAST REPORTING) IS THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE
PALESTINIAN POLICE (APPOINTED IN MAY 2007). PERSONAL DATA
AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOLLOWS.
2. (C) PERSONAL. AL-SHAYKH COMES FROM MAZRA AL-QIBLIYA, A
VILLAGE NORTHWEST OF RAMALLAH. HE RESIDES IN RAMALLAH AND IS
A MEMBER OF THE FATAH MOVEMENT.
3. (C) EDUCATION. UNKNOWN.
4. (C) PROFESSIONAL. AL-SHAYKH JOINED FATAH AS A
PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ARMY (PLA) MEMBER IN THE 1970S IN
LEBANON AND SERVED AS FATAHS MILITIA COMMANDER FOR SIDON
UNTIL 1982. HE LEFT LEBANON FOR SYRIA IN 1982 BEFORE
ISRAELI'S INVASION BECAUSE OF DISPUTES WITH FATAH LEADERS.
HE MOVED FROM SYRIA TO JORDAN IN 1990 AND RECONNECTED WITH
FATAH CHAIRMAN YASSER ARAFAT AND THE SECURITY LEADERSHIP. HE
CAME TO THE WEST BANK FOLLOWING THE GAZA-JERICHO AGREEMENT IN
1994. HE WAS POLICE CHIEF OF HEBRON AND BETHLEHEM IN THE
1990S, AND RAMALLAH POLICE CHIEF WHEN THE SECOND INTIFADAH
BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2000. AL-SHAYKH WAS POLICE CHIEF IN
RAMALLAH WHEN 2 IDF SOLIDERS WERE LYNCHED THERE IN 2001, BUT
WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT. HE FAILED TO RESTORE
ORDER DURING RECURRING INTIFADAH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY
INVOLVING THE AL-AQSA MARTYRS BRIGADES. AL-SHAYKH
SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS POLICE INSPECTOR-GENERAL, AND RETIRED
IN 2004. PRESIDENT MAHMUD ABBAS (ABU MAZEN) APPOINTED
AL-SHAYKH AS GOVERNOR OF NABLUS IN EARLY 2006.
5. (C) PALESTINIAN PRESS REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT ABBAS
APPOINTED KAMAL AL-SHAYKH TO REPLACE MG ALAA HUSNI RABAYHA
AS CIVIL POLICE CHIEF IN EARLY MAY 2007. THIS DECISION WAS
NOT IMPLEMENTED UNTIL MAY 30, 2007, WHEN PRIME MINISTER (AND
ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER) ISMAYIL HANIYAH AGREED TO THE
APPOINTMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF HANIYAH-ABBAS DISCUSSIONS ON
MOI/SECURITY MATTERS.
WALLES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: KWBG KPAL IS PINR
SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHICAL REPORT: NEW POLICE CHIEF KAMAL
AL-SHAYKH
CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) BRIGADIER GENERAL (BG) KAMAL AL-SHAYKH (ALSO SPELLED
"SHEIKH" IN SOME PAST REPORTING) IS THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE
PALESTINIAN POLICE (APPOINTED IN MAY 2007). PERSONAL DATA
AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOLLOWS.
2. (C) PERSONAL. AL-SHAYKH COMES FROM MAZRA AL-QIBLIYA, A
VILLAGE NORTHWEST OF RAMALLAH. HE RESIDES IN RAMALLAH AND IS
A MEMBER OF THE FATAH MOVEMENT.
3. (C) EDUCATION. UNKNOWN.
4. (C) PROFESSIONAL. AL-SHAYKH JOINED FATAH AS A
PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ARMY (PLA) MEMBER IN THE 1970S IN
LEBANON AND SERVED AS FATAHS MILITIA COMMANDER FOR SIDON
UNTIL 1982. HE LEFT LEBANON FOR SYRIA IN 1982 BEFORE
ISRAELI'S INVASION BECAUSE OF DISPUTES WITH FATAH LEADERS.
HE MOVED FROM SYRIA TO JORDAN IN 1990 AND RECONNECTED WITH
FATAH CHAIRMAN YASSER ARAFAT AND THE SECURITY LEADERSHIP. HE
CAME TO THE WEST BANK FOLLOWING THE GAZA-JERICHO AGREEMENT IN
1994. HE WAS POLICE CHIEF OF HEBRON AND BETHLEHEM IN THE
1990S, AND RAMALLAH POLICE CHIEF WHEN THE SECOND INTIFADAH
BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2000. AL-SHAYKH WAS POLICE CHIEF IN
RAMALLAH WHEN 2 IDF SOLIDERS WERE LYNCHED THERE IN 2001, BUT
WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT. HE FAILED TO RESTORE
ORDER DURING RECURRING INTIFADAH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY
INVOLVING THE AL-AQSA MARTYRS BRIGADES. AL-SHAYKH
SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS POLICE INSPECTOR-GENERAL, AND RETIRED
IN 2004. PRESIDENT MAHMUD ABBAS (ABU MAZEN) APPOINTED
AL-SHAYKH AS GOVERNOR OF NABLUS IN EARLY 2006.
5. (C) PALESTINIAN PRESS REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT ABBAS
APPOINTED KAMAL AL-SHAYKH TO REPLACE MG ALAA HUSNI RABAYHA
AS CIVIL POLICE CHIEF IN EARLY MAY 2007. THIS DECISION WAS
NOT IMPLEMENTED UNTIL MAY 30, 2007, WHEN PRIME MINISTER (AND
ACTING INTERIOR MINISTER) ISMAYIL HANIYAH AGREED TO THE
APPOINTMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF HANIYAH-ABBAS DISCUSSIONS ON
MOI/SECURITY MATTERS.
WALLES