MINISTER OF INTERIOR PROPOSES "100-DAY SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000640

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS KPAL PGOV
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF INTERIOR PROPOSES "100-DAY SECURITY
PLAN"

CLASSIFIED BY: CONSUL GENERAL JAKE WALLES, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. NEW PA INTERIOR MINISTER (MOI) HANI
AL-QAWASMI (INDEPENDENT) TOLD PALESTINIAN PRESS APRIL 4 THAT
THE MOI HAS PREPARED A 100-DAY SECURITY PLAN TO ENFORCE
DOMESTIC LAW AND ORDER. TECHNICAL TEAM FOR REFORM (TTR)
CHAIRMAN BASIL JABR TOLD POLOFF APRIL 5 THAT THE MOI PLAN IS
"LOUSY, HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH SECURITY, WILL NOT GO
ANYWHERE," AND WAS NOT COORDINATED WITH NSA MUHAMMAD DAHLAN
OR ANY OF THE SECURITY CHIEFS. HE SAID IT REPRESENTS
AL-QAWASMIS REACTION TO PUBLIC PRESSURE TO IMPROVE LOCAL
SECURITY. HAMAS PLC BLOC HEAD (AND FORMER MOI) SA'ID SIYAM
TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE "EXECUTIVE FORCE" WILL NOT BE
DISBANDED, WHILE AL-QAWASMI SAID THE FORCE'S FUTURE IS PART
OF MORE GENERAL EFFORTS TO RESTRUCTURE THE PALESTINIAN
SECURITY FORCES (PASF).

MOI 100-DAY SECURITY PLAN
--------------


2. (U) MOI HANI AL-QAWASMI TOLD PALESTINIAN PRESS IN GAZA ON
APRIL 4 THAT THE MOI HAS PREPARED A SECURITY PLAN TO ENFORCE
DOMESTIC ORDER. HE SAID THE PLAN, WHICH CALLS FOR
DEPLOYMENTS OF SECURITY FORCES TO PATROL THE STREETS AND
REMOVE ARMED GANGS, WILL BE DISCUSSED BY THE PA CABINET APRIL

7.


3. (C) TTR CHAIRMAN BASIL JABR TOLD POLOFF APRIL 5 THAT THE
MOI PLAN IS "LOUSY, HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH SECURITY, AND WILL
NOT GO ANYWHERE." THE PLAN WAS NOT COORDINATED WITH NSA
MUHAMMAD DAHLAN OR ANY OF THE SECURITY CHIEFS, HE SAID, AND
IS AL-QAWASMIS PERSONAL RESPONSE TO PUBLIC PRESSURE TO
IMPROVE LAW ENFORCEMENT. MUCH OF THE PLAN CONSISTS OF
MEASURES TO REGULATE STREET-SIDE SHOPS AND TRAFFIC, NOT
SPECIFIC DEPLOYMENT PLANS, HE SAID.

EXECUTIVE FORCE
--------------


4. (SBU) HAMAS PLC BLOC HEAD (AND FORMER MOI) SA'ID SIYAM
TOLD PALESTINIAN NEWSPAPERS APRIL 3 THAT THE "EXECUTIVE
FORCE" WILL NOT BE DISBANDED. HE CALLED IT THE ONLY SECURITY
FORCE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING ITS FUNCTIONS AND SAID SECURITY
WILL SUFFER IF IT IS DISMANTLED. MOI AL-QAWASMI TOLD PRESS
APRIL 4 THAT THE EXECUTIVE FORCE'S FUTURE WILL BE ADDRESSED
IN THE CONTEXT OF OVERALL PASF RESTRUCTURING. PASF CONTACTS
SAY NO SERIOUS EFFORTS TO DISBAND THE EXECUTIVE FORCE ARE
UNDERWAY.

COMMENT
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5. (C) WITH NO EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER THE PASF, MOI
AL-QAWASMI DOES NOT POSSESS ANY OF THE TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT HIS
SECURITY PLAN, AND HE IS UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE
FROM NSA DAHLAN OR THE SECURITY CHIEFS. THE INTERIOR
MINISTER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNAL SECURITY AND WILL BE A
MEMBER OF THE NEW NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC),BUT HE WAS
NOT CHOSEN FOR SECURITY EXPERIENCE AND IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE
SIGNIFICANT INDEPENDENT DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY.
WALLES