EGYPT/JORDAN FM VISIT POSITIVE, NEXT STEPS KEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002298

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2017
TAGS: PREL EG JO KPAL IS
SUBJECT: EGYPT/JORDAN FM VISIT POSITIVE, NEXT STEPS KEY

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz, Reasons 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) Summary: Both GOI and Egyptian diplomatic sources
described the July 25 visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister
Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdulelah
Al-Khatib to Israel as "positive," although substance was
limited and the emphasis was placed on future action. During
the visit, Israel pressed for more engagement from the wider
Arab world. The Arab delegation, which said its mandate came
from the Arab Summit, not the Arab League, underlined the
need for further progress in the Palestinian-Israeli peace
process as a prerequisite for steps toward Arab normalization
with Israel. The ministers reportedly discussed with Livni a
series of "positive steps" by Israel toward the Palestinians
that would then be reciprocated by the Arabs toward Israel.
The GOI and the delegation also discussed possible scenarios
for the proposed U.S.-hosted meeting in the fall. When PM
Olmert reportedly asked if a "Declaration of Principles"
would be enough from the meeting, the FM's responded that the
principles were clear and that the meeting needed to produce
concrete deliverables for the Palestinians. They all
expected the agenda and participants in the fall meeting to
be clearer following the upcoming visit of the Secretary.
End summary.

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"Historic Visit"
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2. (C) On July 25, Aboul Gheit and Al-Khatib held a series of
meetings with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni, President Shimon Peres, opposition leader
Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Following the
visit, PolCouns attended a briefing on the visit by Egyptian
Charge Tarek El Kouni, while POLOFF met with MFA Jordan
Department Director Tuvia Israeli for a readout. At the
briefings and in the press, all sides said they were
satisfied with the visit.


3. (C) The GOI expressed some disappointment that the
visitors insisted that they did not represent the Arab
League, as Israel had expected, but rather as having a
mandate from the last Arab Summit to present the Arab peace
initiative. Both sides, however, chose to emphasize the
historic nature of visitors representing the Arab world with
a message of peace. MFA Dir Israeli noted that many in
Israel wondered which Arabs they were representing; in
response to questions, FM Al Khatib tried without success at
a dinner to clarify this point. At his briefing, El Kouni
explained that while it was not an official Arab League
delegation, the two Foreign Ministers did have a mandate from
the Arab summit to present the Arab Peace Initiative and
discuss how the Arabs can support Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations. The two Foreign Ministers will brief the Arab
League Council of Ministers in Cairo on Monday and
participate in the GCC Plus Two meeting with the Secretary in
Sharm El Sheikh on Tuesday.

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It's The Palestinians
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4. (C) While Israel pressed for specifics on how to advance
normalization with the Arab world, the FM's stressed that the
only way for the Arab Initiative to proceed is for there to
be real, tangible gains for Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people. The FM's supported
the steps Israel was taking, but said that moving from
security and economic cooperation to political negotiations
needed to happen urgently. At the dinner hosted by the
Jordanian Embassy for the visitors and attended by Livni,
Khatib mentioned the idea of developing an "inventory list"
of positive steps that he and Aboul Gheit discussed with
Livni. This process would involve Israel taking small steps
toward the Palestinians, and the Arabs responding positively
in order to gradually build momentum. El Kouni mentioned,
however, that when they asked Livni about dismantling
outposts, she responded that maybe the GOI could start with
one outpost and even that would be politically difficult.
Hamas was not discussed during the visit, although the
Israelis underscored that they would stop cooperating with
Abbas if Hamas rejoined the government. Regarding the
possibility of negotiations with Syria, El Kouni said Aboul
Gheit and Al Khatib had stressed that while Israeli-Syrian
negotiations would be welcome, the urgent need was to focus
on the Palestinians.

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The Visit is the Message
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5. (C) Both sides are treating the fact of the visit itself
as the message since the Arab foreign ministers delivered an
unequivocal message of Arab interest in peace. It is clear,
though that little substance was discussed. In his briefing
for Tel Aviv-based diplomats, El Kouni said that Aboul Gheit
felt Livni and Peres were closest to the Arab position,
especially Peres, who shared the Arab sense of urgency.
Olmert and Barak, meanwhile, were more cautious, both
emphasizing security and the need for Palestinians to prove
their capabilities. For the GOI, MFA Dir Israeli told POLOFF
that Israelis found Al Khatib more friendly and forward
leaning than Aboul Gheit, who reportedly pushed hard on the
Israelis regarding these contacts and reportedly was not as
enthusiastic about Abu Mazen as Al-Khatib was. (NOTE: Aboul
Gheit only made a brief, ten minute appearance at the
Jordan-hosted dinner, while Al-Khatib and Livni talked
throughout the event. End note). El Kouni stressed that the
Arabs will review the situation after the upcoming meetings
and the Secretary's visit before deciding on next steps.

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