GAZA: SECURITY FORCES BEGIN DEPLOYMENT, BUT POWER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000866

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS KPAL PGOV PINS
SUBJECT: GAZA: SECURITY FORCES BEGIN DEPLOYMENT, BUT POWER
STRUGGLE PERSISTS

REF: A. JERUSALEM 785

B. JERUSALEM 728

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


1. (C) SUMMARY. PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SECURITY FORCES (PASF)
INCREASED THEIR PRESENCE IN GAZA STRIP CITIES MAY 9-10.
TECHNICAL TEAM FOR REFORM (TTR) CONTACTS SAY PA PRESIDENT
MAHMUD ABBAS (ABU MAZEN) ORDERED PASF TO SUPPORT INTERIOR
MINISTER (MOI) HANI AL-QAWASMI'S "100-DAY SECURITY PLAN"
(REFTELS) LATE MAY 9, BUT AL-QAWASMI TOLD PALESTINIAN PRESS
ON MAY 10 THAT "(THE DEPLOYMENT) IS A PERSONAL EFFORT BY THE
COMMANDERS, NOTHING MORE," AND THAT THE OPERATION WAS NOT
COORDINATED WITH HIM. THE GAZA NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES
(NSF) COMMANDER DENIED TO POLOFF HE TAKES ANY DIRECTION FROM
THE MOI. THE HAMAS "EXECUTIVE FORCE" IS NOT CURRENTLY
INVOLVED IN THE DEPLOYMENT BUT A HAMAS SPOKESMAN HAS SAID IT
PLANS TO SUPPORT THE MOI PLAN IN THE FUTURE. END SUMMARY.

POLICE DEPLOY TO GAZA STREETS, BUT
MOI DENIES 100-DAY PLAN CONNECTION
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2. (C) PALESTINIAN POLICE DEPLOYED TO CHECKPOINTS AND
INTERSECTIONS IN GAZA STRIP CITIES, WITH A VISIBLE INCREASE
IN POLICE PRESENCE ON MAY 10, ACCORDING TO PALESTINIAN
SECURITY CONTACTS AND GAZA CITY-BASED RSO FSNI. ACCORDING TO
BG HAZEM ATTALLAH, PRESIDENT ABBAS ORDERED PASF TO DEPLOY TO
SUPPORT INTERIOR MINISTER HANI AL-QAWASMI'S "100-DAY SECURITY
PLAN" (REFTELS) LATE MAY 9 AFTER HE MET WITH AL-QAWASMI AND
PM ISMAYIL HANIYAH. AL-QAWASMI TOLD PALESTINIAN PRESS ON MAY
10, HOWEVER, THAT "(THE DEPLOYMENT) IS A PERSONAL EFFORT BY
THE COMMANDERS, NOTHING MORE," AND THAT THE OPERATION WAS NOT
COORDINATED WITH HIM.

NSF: NO DIRECTION FROM MOI
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3. (C) IN A MAY 9 PHONE CALL WITH POLOFF, GAZA NSF COMMANDER
BG JAMAL KAYYAD SAID THE MOI PLAN HAS NOT BEEN A FACTOR IN
NSF DECISIONS OR DEPLOYMENTS. HE SAID THE NSF ROUTINELY
BACKS UP THE POLICE AND PREVENTIVE SECURITY ORGANIZATION
(PSO) TO CONFRONT CRIMINALS AND NOTED THE RECENT EXAMPLE OF
RAIDS ON SUSPECTS IN THE UNRWA SCHOOL IN RAFAH. BUT, HE
INSISTED THE NSF DOES NOT TAKE ANY DIRECTION FROM THE MOI.

EXECUTIVE FORCE ROLE PLANNED
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4. (SBU) "EXECUTIVE FORCE" SPOKESMAN ISLAM SHAWAN TOLD GAZA
PRESS MAY 10 THAT THE FORCE WILL NOT DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MOI PLAN IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT WILL
JOIN OPERATIONS AT A LATER STAGE. GAZA SECURITY CONTACTS SAY
THE MOI ALSO PLANS TO INCLUDE THE FORCE IN THE JOINT
OPERATIONS CENTER IN GAZA CITY, JOINING LIAISON OFFICERS FROM
THE POLICE, NSF AND OTHER PASF.

COMMENT
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5. (C) THE POLICE DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOI "100-DAY
PLAN" IS UNLIKELY TO BE SUSTAINED OR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT
GAZA'S SECURITY SITUATION. PRESIDENT ABBAS LIKELY ORDERED
THE DEPLOYMENT TO DEFUSE TENSION WITH THE INTERIOR MINISTER,
WHO HAD SOUGHT TO RESIGN. THE MINISTER HAS NO CONTROL OVER
ANY PASF ELEMENTS TO IMPLEMENT HIS PLAN, AND THESE FORCES
GENERALLY REMAIN UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS PUTATIVE
SUBORDINATE, RASHID ABU SHBAK.
WALLES