EMBASSY TEL AVIV CONTACTS GOI TO REQUEST URGENT

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002522 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS GENEVA FOR RMA-REIMER USEU BRUSSELS FOR FRANCIS CNO FOR N00, N09, N3IPS, N3L, N3OP AND N3NOC COMDT COGUARD FOR CG-3 AND CG-0941 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM PHSA MOPS EWWT SMIG LY TS IS IT MT, SU, ER, ET, GH SUBJECT: EMBASSY TEL AVIV CONTACTS GOI TO REQUEST URGENT ASSISTANCE WITH DISPOSITION OF 46 AFRICAN MIGRANTS RESCUED AT SEA BY USN REF: SECSTATE 116313 ¶1. (SBU) DCM Luis Moreno conveyed reftel request for assistance to Alon Ushpiz, head of the Foreign Ministry's Bureau of Coordination. (Ushpiz is equivalent of Deputy Director General to Foreign Ministry Director General Aaron Abramovich.) Following internal GOI discussion, Ushpiz informed DCM that there would likely be a "positive" response from the Prime Minister's Office in regard to the issue. Ushpiz went on to say that this "tendency to be positive" was dependent on USG responsibility for the final settlement of the migrants, and that it would be a one shot deal that would not be repeated. (Comment: The "positive" remark was perhaps an implied counterpoint to critics of Israeli refugee policy, especially mounting media and NGO pressure regarding Sudanese asylum seekers. End comment.) Ushpiz also stressed that the migrants would be held in a military base and although treated humanely, would not have luxurious quarters. However, when Ushpiz contacted the DCM later in the day, after the matter had reached the Prime Minister's office, he apologetically informed the DCM that the GOI had turned down the request. Ushpiz did not offer specific reasons why the GOI had, counter to his earlier optimism, decided not to respond positively to this request for assistance. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES