CEC DOWNSIZES BUT REMAINS READY FOR ELECTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001989 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: CEC DOWNSIZES BUT REMAINS READY FOR ELECTIONS Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. On September 18, Central Elections Commission (CEC) Chairman Hanna Nasir announced that the CEC is reducing its sixteen West Bank and Gaza offices to six and 83 employees to 76. CEC Chief Electoral Officer Hisham Kuhail told PolOff that nonetheless, "the CEC is always ready to deliver." End Summary. ¶2. (C) On September 18, CEC Chairman Hanna Nasir announced in mid-September that it had reduced the number of employees from 83 to 76 and will reduce monthly expenditures by 25 percent from USD 175,000 to USD 132,000. The sixteen West Bank and Gaza offices are reduced to six by establishing regional offices in Jerusalem, Jenin, Nablus, Hebron, Gaza City, and Khan Yunis with regional coordinators and desk officers from the respective districts. ¶3. (C) CEC Chief Electoral Officer Hisham Kuhail told PolOff September 19 that this second phase of downsizing is primarily intended to cut costs. The CEC conducted its first stage of downsizing after the January 2006 PLC elections and reduced personnel from 237 to 90 and monthly costs from USD 250,000 to 175,000. Kuhail said September's downsizing has been "smooth so far," and "the CEC is always ready to deliver." He said the CEC does not plan to implement a third phase of downsizing. ¶4. (C) Kuhail told PolOff that the CEC plans a voter registration drive in the West Bank and Gaza in early 2008 targeting graduating high school students. He said he fears Hamas will block the Ministry of Education from making Gaza schools available for voter registration. He underscored that the CEC will approach voter registration as a necessary, regular activity, unconnected with political developments or statements by President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) calling for early elections. WALLES