AKKRAM HANIYEH REVIEWS PALESTINIAN POLITICS AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001917 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: AKKRAM HANIYEH REVIEWS PALESTINIAN POLITICS AND PLANS FOR THE FALL INTERNATIONAL MEETING Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a September 6 meeting with NEA A/S Welch, al-Ayyam Editor Akkram Haniyeh said we have the "best administration in the history of the PA" and now is time to seize the moment. The GoI, he said, must show flexibility on basic "quality of life" issues; i.e., access and movement and the release of prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti. Haniyeh said the Arab League's statement on the planned international meeting is a positive indicator of its support for the meeting. He encouraged the USG to invite Syria and Lebanon to attend the meeting. Haniyeh also said that any serious agreement with the Israelis will require a strong Fatah, since only it has the credibility to deliver popular support for the agreement. He urged the GoI to cooperate with the Palestinians on security, especially in Nablus and Jenin. END SUMMARY. "The Best Administration in the History of the PA" -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Al-Ayyam Editor Akkram Haniyeh told NEA A/S Welch September 6 that the current PA administration is the best in the PA's history, with "a committed President, an excellent Prime Minister and an active government." He expressed concern, however, that "the Israeli establishment is not serious about us as partners." Reviewing the relevant Israeli leadership, he said Olmert is "still new at this," and Barak is "an obstacle" and asked "if they won't address daily life issues, how will they address permanent status issues?" A/S Welch noted we are in a much different situation now, with different tools available than we were just six months ago. He encouraged the Palestinians to consider the role of the region and the Arab states' various options to support the Palestinians. Expectations for the International Meeting -------------- ¶3. (C) Haniyeh welcomed the September 5 Arab League communiqu on the international meeting as "a step forward." He urged the USG to invite Lebanon and Syria to the meeting to limit "their space for maneuvering," but said it is better to delay the meeting than to allow it to fail. A/S Welch stressed the need to identify requirements for the meeting's success, including how the region can help, and to remember that the goal is not a meeting, but rather negotiations and the establishment of the state. Address Daily Life Issues -------------- 4 (C) Haniyeh said it is "vital" for PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to show progress on the "daily life" issues to renew Palestinians' faith in the political horizon and urged progress on access and movement and the release of prisoners, including jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. The recent release of 250 prisoners, Haniyeh said, was the type of gesture that can "restore faith in the peace process" and strengthen Abu Mazen, PM Salam Fayyad, and Fatah. ¶5. (C) Haniyeh encouraged that any success and any peace agreement be "labeled Fatah." Ten years ago, he said, Yasir Arafat could have made an agreement a success by himself, but now it must be stamped "made by Fatah." He added that the independents can be included in this process, but said PM Fayyad cannot deliver the support that an agreement requires. He said only Fatah can deliver popular support for an agreement that necessarily includes concessions, because Fatah has been "conditioned" for an agreement with the Israelis. ¶6. (C) Haniyeh dismissed Fatah criticism of Fayyad as ineffective, "noisy barking" by Fatah leaders who want cabinet positions. He pointed to Barghouti's support for Fayyad and said Barghouti will issue another statement of support soon. Haniyeh urged the release of Barghouti as the best way to fix Fatah and underscored that Fatah must be fixed, so that it can deliver support for an agreement with Israel. He described Barghouti as the third leg of the triangle with Abu Mazen and Fayyad. Hamas: "Wisdom does not Travel in their Corridors" -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Haniyeh said Hamas is now the problem in Gaza, and Fayyad is the solution. Hamas' project, he said, "has failed or is doomed to fail," and its experiment is on life support. He expressed concern, however, that Hamas will try to export JERUSALEM 00001917 002 OF 002 the crisis from Gaza to the West Bank or Israel and/or try to block the success of the international meeting. Hamas, he cautioned, like all religious movements, has time and patience on its side, unlike politicians who must lead and improve daily life now. Security Improved in Ramallah; Coordination Needed in Jenin and Nablus -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Haniyeh said the last six weeks were Ramallah's best in seven years, noting that he had attended some ten weddings this summer with a greater sense of security. However, Haniyeh said, security problems persist in Jenin and Nablus, which are "known for resistance and armed struggle" and where, according to Haniyeh, the GoI will not allow the PA security forces (PASF) to operate. Jenin, he said, has a "heritage" of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) presence, and there are "Iranian fingers" in Nablus. Israelis now look at Palestinians as "failed students" in these areas, and do not trust Palestinian ability to perform on security. Calling Nablus "an embarrassment," he said success there would strengthen Abu Mazen. ¶9. (U) A/S Welch did not clear this cable. WALLES