ISRAELIS WAITING FOR EU WRITTEN REQUEST ON EU

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002578 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MASS KWBG IS EU SUBJECT: ISRAELIS WAITING FOR EU WRITTEN REQUEST ON EU POLICE MISSION REF: STATE 116590 Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) The Ambassador raised reftel demarche requesting the GOI provide timely diplomatic accreditation for members of the EU Police Mission in the Palestinian Territories (EU COPPS) with MOD Director General Buchris, MFA Director General Abramovitch, MFA Senior Deputy Director General Gal, and Vice Prime Minister Ramon. All of the Ambassador's interlocutors responded positively, indicating that they did not see a problem with providing the diplomatic accreditation in principle, but without indicting detailed knowledge of the issue. Ramon commented that the GOI had provided a similar status to EU personnel involved in the EU BAM program at the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt before the crossing was closed following the Hamas takeover in Gaza. We understand that the issue also came up in an August 22 meeting between Minister of Defense Barak and visiting former NEA A/S and former Ambassador to Israel Edward Djerejian. Barak likewise told Djerejian that he did not see a problem with the accreditation. ¶2. (C) On the evening of August 23 the Ambassador received a follow-up phone call from MFA Director for Western Europe Shmuel Ravel, who explained that following a meeting with EU Representative Marc Otte, a GOI inter-ministerial meeting had approved in principle the diplomatic accreditation for the EU COPPS, but final approval is contingent on Otte providing a written request explaining the details of how many EU police personnel will be involved in the program and what kinds of equipment they plan to bring into the West Bank. ¶3. (C) Comment: The GOI believes the ball is now in the EU's court. There was no mention in any of our conversations of Israeli attempts to impose conditions on the EU other than the written request for accreditation and the details of the program. We stand ready to raise the issue again if USEU learns that the EU has a different understanding of the state of play. ********************************************* ******************** 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