YASER ABED RABBO URGES SERIOUSNESS ABOUT THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001793

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER IS KDEM KPAL
SUBJECT: YASER ABED RABBO URGES SERIOUSNESS ABOUT THE
INTERNATIONAL MEETING


Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Thomas M. Duffy, Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. PLO Executive Committee Secretary General
Yasser Abed Rabbo told Staffdel Talwar in an August 18
meeting that he questions U.S. seriousness about the planned
international meeting in November. Abed Rabbo said Gaza's
prospects are difficult, and the government must demonstrate
that it is doing everything possible to improve Gazans'
lives. He insisted that PA President Abbas will not call
early elections, but will publicly use the threat of them to
put Hamas on the defensive. End Summary.

International Meeting: Seriousness and Attendees
-------------- ---


2. (C) On August 18, Secretary General of the PLO
Executive Committee Yasser Abed Rabbo told Staffdel Talwar
that he hopes the U.S. will not let the current opportunity
for peace pass, but that the U.S. plan for the proposed
international meeting in November remains unclear. He said
the meetings between PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen)
and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert focus on generalities
and lack details. He said the two meet one-on-one and
discuss permanent status issues i.e., refugees, then
Jerusalem, and the discussion does not go beyond general
terms. He said he understands that Washington wants an
Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles similar to the
1994 Israeli-Jordanian Washington Declaration that preceded
the peace agreement between ISRAEL and Jordan, but the
Palestinians want a more detailed document.


3. (C) Abed Rabbo said he believes U.S. seriousness about
a political horizon will be determined by the situation with
Iran, and that if confrontation with Iran is likely, he
anticipates more pressure on the U.S. to move toward a
political horizon as the cost of lining up Arab support on
Iran. However, he said, confrontation with Iran will distract
the U.S. and mean no attention to Palestinian concerns.


4. (C) Abed Rabbo said he believes the Saudis will only
attend the international meeting if they think it will be
serious, and added that if the Saudis do not attend and the
meeting includes only Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians, and
Jordanians it will be unremarkable. He said he worries about
the potential failure of the meeting and the possibility of
another intifada, insisting the Palestinians cannot "go on
like this every seven or eight years."

The Government, Elections, and Gaza
--------------


5. (C) Abed Rabbo stated that the new government is
popular and Palestinians are giving it a chance to succeed,
but it must provide security and control the streets to
maintain this popularity. He added that the government must
demonstrate and be seen to demonstrate efforts to improve
people,s lives especially in Gaza, i.e., resolving the
current gas and electricity crisis.


6. (C) Abed Rabbo was emphatic that President Abbas will
not call for early elections and that the implementation is
currently impossible. He said Abbas is using the threat of
elections as a "tactic" with the public to put Hamas on the
defensive.


7. (U) Staffdel Talwar cleared on this cable.
DUFFY