MALKI: PA HOPES INTERNATIONAL MEETING WILL BE A

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001686

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2017
TAGS: IS KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: MALKI: PA HOPES INTERNATIONAL MEETING WILL BE A
PLEASANT SURPRISE


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


1. (C) Summary. PA Minister of Information Riad Malki told
StaffDel Makovsky August 13 that the PA hopes there will be a
"pleasant surprise" at the international meeting in the Fall.
Malki said the Palestinians plan to work hard to achieve a
"Declaration of Principles" between the PA and the GOI before
the meeting. He also discussed an idea for bringing
Palestinian refugees in Iraq to the West Bank. He recommend
against early PLC elections and identified a solution to the
Gaza situation as a higher priority than early elections. He
added that it will be very hard to reverse the situation if
HAMAS still controls Gaza in a year. End Summary.

"Pleasant Surprise"
--------------


2. (C) PA Minister of Information Riad Malki told StaffDel
Makovsky August 13 that the PA had noted recent attempts by
the USG to tone down expectations for the international
meeting planned for the Fall. He mentioned the insistence on
the word "meeting," vice "conference," and that the
Secretary, not the President, will host. Malki said the PA,

SIPDIS
nonetheless, hopes that if it does its "homework" and
coordinates with the GOI and Arab states, it might be able to
present the USG with a "pleasant surprise." He said the
Palestinians want to negotiate a "Declaration of Principles"
with the GOI. According to Malki, this brief document would
show that the GOI is committed to ending the occupation and
would get the two sides "on the right track," giving the
Palestinian people hope. He said Saudi participation in the
international meeting will be the "prize" for the GOI, if
they "deliver" on a declaration. Malki said the Palestinians
will insist on 100% of the West Bank plus land swaps as part
of any deal, which he believes the Israelis previously agreed
to.

Right of Return
--------------


3. (C) Asked about the right of return, Malki said he
personally presented to Israeli PM Ehud Olmert a proposal for
Israel to allow Palestinian refugees in Iraq to return to the
West Bank. He said such a move would establish a precedent
that the right of return is to a Palestinian state, not
Israel. He noted that the plight of the Palestinians in Iraq
is so dire that no one would dare protest this arrangement or
insist on return to Israel. A precedent would be established,
which could then be used for other Palestinians, such as
those in Lebanon's Nahar el Barid refugee camp.

Early Elections? No Thank You!
--------------


4. (C) Malki said he opposes early elections, and that it
is not clear such elections are legal or can even be
organized, especially in Gaza. He said HAMAS is in an
excellent position to disrupt elections in Gaza and the West
Bank. Asked if there are plans to form a new political party
based on the current government, Malki said all the ministers
are too busy governing to work on politics. He said that if
Fatah fails to reform, however, it will be challenged, noting
that PM Salam Fayyad has become one of the PA's most
important political leaders.

And What of Gaza?
--------------


5. (C) Malki said if HAMAS is still governing Gaza in one
year, it will be very difficult to ever dislodge them. He
noted that the policy of "squeezing" HAMAS is not guaranteed
success. He said if the current strategy does not work, other
options must be considered and "wondered" about the
possibility of military action against HAMAS. He said another
possibility is an international force, under UN Chapter 7,
with European forces guarding the Israeli border in the
north, and Arab and Muslim forces preventing smuggling in the
south. Malki said he does not believe HAMAS would dare to
challenge such a force.


6. (C) Comment: Malki is a key member of PM Fayyad's
government, but he is not part of the Palestinian inner
circle involved in negotiations with Israel. his view on
these issues should be considered his own, and not
necessarily representative of those of President Abbas or
Fayyad. End Comment.


7. (U) StaffDel Makovsky did not have the chance to clear
this cable before departure.

JERUSALEM 00001686 002 OF 002


WALLES