CONSUL GENERAL MEETS WITH NEW PALESTINIAN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001290

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC WATERS/ABRAMS/SINGH.
USAID FOR BORODIN/WARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2017
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL PTER EAID KDEM IS
SUBJECT: CONSUL GENERAL MEETS WITH NEW PALESTINIAN MINISTER
FOR INFORMATION AND JUSTICE

Classified By: Classified by Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4
(b,d)


1. (C) The Consul General met the newly appointed Minister
for Information and Justice Riad Malki on June 20 at the
Ministry of Justice headquarters in Ramallah. Noting that he
is the new government's spokesman as well as responsible for
two significant ministerial portfolios, Malki said the job is
not going to be easy, but he intends to work with the media
"to ease tensions and expectations, especially in Gaza." He
said his message to Gazans will be that they are a priority
for the new government and the new government will return
them to the PA. He said the new government will be judged by
the improvements that it brings in personal security, and if
people see such improvements, they will accept sacrifices for
the government to succeed.


2. (C) Malki said he has been "shocked" by the poor capacity
of the Justice Ministry. He noted that the Ministry's
Ramallah office was "really an annex to the main Ministry in
Gaza," but that "coming from the NGO world, where justice is
a top priority," he expected more. He said he will try to
empower the ministry to complement PM Fayyad's priority
efforts to bring law and order. Malki said he wants to
develop the skills and capacity of MoJ officials and is
interested to discuss potential cooperation with USAID. Post
will follow up with Malki to review previous USAID and PD
efforts in the justice sector and examine options for
resuming cooperation.

WALLES