Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JERUSALEM1453
2007-07-13 13:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON PALESTINIAN MOBILE TELECOM TENDER - GOI

Tags:  ECPS EFIN PGOV PREL KWBG IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2067
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1453 1941305
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 131305Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8357
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001453 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017
TAGS: ECPS EFIN PGOV PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PALESTINIAN MOBILE TELECOM TENDER - GOI
FREQUENCY ALLOCATION WOULD BRING USD 355 M TO PA TREASURY

REF: JERUSALEM 504

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001453

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017
TAGS: ECPS EFIN PGOV PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PALESTINIAN MOBILE TELECOM TENDER - GOI
FREQUENCY ALLOCATION WOULD BRING USD 355 M TO PA TREASURY

REF: JERUSALEM 504

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Gulf-owned mobile provider Wataniya Telecom, which
won the second mobile telecom operator license in the West
Bank/Gaza on September 18, 2006, continues to wait for a
frequency to be allocated by the GOI (see reftel) before it
can commence operations, according to PLO Negotiations
Support Unit Policy Advisor Enas Abu Laben on July 11.


2. (C) When the license was first awarded, a Hamas-led
Palestinian Authority government was in place which served as
a significant reason for the GOI not to issue the requested
frequency. Per the terms of the winning bid, Wataniya will
owe the PA Treasury USD 355 million upon frequency
allocation. (Note: Allegedly, Wataniya offered to pay such
high licensing fees (the next highest bidder only offered
around USD 25 million) because it planned to route Gulf calls
through the West Bank on to points west. End note.)


3. (C) Comment: Allocation of the necessary frequency by
the GOI and the resulting payment by Wataniya of licensing
fees to the PA Treasury (now controlled by Prime Minister
Fayyad) would provide a significant revenue boost to Fayyad's
government, create technical and service jobs, and end the de
facto mobile telecom monopoly currently enjoyed by
Paltel-owned Jawwal. End comment.
WALLES