SENIOR PA OFFICIALS COMMENT ON ANNAPOLIS MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002374 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: SENIOR PA OFFICIALS COMMENT ON ANNAPOLIS MEETING Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. In November 13 meetings with PolChief, senior PA officials, Minister of Local Government Ziad al-Bandak, Chief Justice Issa Abu Sharar, and Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Ashraf al-Ajrami offered support for the Annapolis meeting, but said the USG must push the GoI for changes on the ground in order to ensure its success. Al-Bandak said without a real USG push for concrete results, the Annapolis meeting will have negative repercussions in the West Bank and Gaza. Abu Sharar said tangible changes, especially removing roadblocks, are needed to ensure the meeting's success. Al-Ajrami stressed that negotiations must include a timeline for the release of all Palestinian prisoners. End Summary. ¶2. (C) PA Minister of Local Government Ziad al-Bandak said without a real USG effort to push the GoI for concrete results, the Annapolis meeting will have negative repercussions. "The key is the hand of the Americans," he added. Al-Bandak said PM Ehud Olmert's requirement that the Palestinians recognize Israel specifically as a Jewish state is "putting the cart before the horse" and negotiations should focus on permanent status issues. Al-Bandak said the international community must supervise the fulfillment of Phase 1 Roadmap obligations and facilitate with permanent status negotiations. "Otherwise this will be another wasted effort," warned al-Bandak. He said radical factions in the West Bank, Gaza, and elsewhere in the region will benefit from failure. ¶3. (C) PA Chief Justice Issa Abu Sharar said tangible changes are needed on the ground to ensure the Annapolis meeting's success. He said removing checkpoints and roadblocks will demonstrate to Palestinians GoI support for PA President Mahmoud Abbas and PM Salam Fayyad. "You can easily convince a handful of negotiators of the sincerity of the process, but to convince the Palestinian population is another story," added Abu Sharar. He said Palestinians need a timetable to be sure that an "end to the occupation is in sight." ¶4. (C) PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Ashraf al-Ajrami said Palestinians are optimistic about Annapolis thanks to USG seriousness, but the USG must press the GoI to meet obligations under Phase 1 of the Roadmap. Pointing to GoI fuel cuts in Gaza, he said Israel is undermining the efforts of Palestinian moderates and generating support for Hamas. Al-Ajrami said he expects the GoI to release large numbers of prisoners from Israeli prisons before Annapolis to show support for the process. He added that permanent status negotiations should produce an agreement to release all Palestinian prisoners and detail a timeline for their release. WALLES