Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TELAVIV930
2007-03-26 13:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
AMBASSADOR SPEAKS AT NGO CONFERENCE, AND OTHER TIP
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHTV #0930 0851350 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 261350Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0218 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1813 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 9693 RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0175 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0051 RUWDQAA/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000930
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SMIG PREF ASEC KFRD KCRM KWMN ELAB EG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SPEAKS AT NGO CONFERENCE, AND OTHER TIP
ACTIVITIES
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000930
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SMIG PREF ASEC KFRD KCRM KWMN ELAB EG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SPEAKS AT NGO CONFERENCE, AND OTHER TIP
ACTIVITIES
1. (U) The Ambassador spoke at the "Hear My Voice" conference
on human trafficking at Tel Aviv University on March 21. The
conference, which saw the participation of GOI and law
enforcement officials, diplomatic representatives from
eastern European countries, and numerous NGOs, is part of NGO
Isha L'Isha (Woman to Woman) Feminist Women's Center's "Hear
My Voice" project that is funded by a G/TIP grant. The
Ambassador's comments were very well received, with
Government officials and several NGOs complimenting his
keynote address and requesting copies. The speech is posted
on the Embassy's unclassified website at
http://telaviv.usembassy.gov/publish/mission/ amb/032107.html.
2. (U) DHS/ICE officer Andy Yu also spoke at the conference
and joined several roundtable discussions, and participants
expressed appreciation for his insights into U.S. law
enforcement practices to combat trafficking. Yu also handed
out examples of laminated, wallet-sized cards ICE distributes
to local law enforcement officers in the United States to
guide them in recognizing and dealing with trafficking
victims. These cards were highly sought after by conference
attendees. A number of individuals told Embassy TIP
reporting officer (TRO) during various roundtables that these
cards were a great resource that they will recommend the GOI
adapt and adopt. Several participants also asked for
additional USG materials -- and more visits by officers like
Yu with experience in the field -- to help improve their
anti-trafficking efforts, including education and training.
3. (SBU) The conference reinforced Embassy ties with old
contacts and introduced diplomatic counterparts from Croatia
and Moldova -- two major trafficking source countries for
Israel -- that we hope will prove to be valuable allies in
this struggle. NGO representatives reiterated familiar
themes, such as the need for shelters and assistance to labor
trafficking victims, and agreed with the Ambassador's call
for an objective, independent and comprehensive estimate of
the scope of the trafficking problem in Israel. All NGOs
that TRO spoke with expressed appreciation of GOI progress --
in policy, practice and attitude -- during the past year.
Those NGOs noted breakthroughs such as the passage of new
amendments to the trafficking law that criminalize labor
trafficking, the formation of a national plan to combat
trafficking, and the appointment of an official national
anti-trafficking coordinator. They also spoke of areas that
they strongly believe still need much work, such as effective
implantation of the new anti-trafficking statues. Several
volunteered that Israel should be removed from the Tier 2
Watch List. Although these activists agreed that placing
Israel on the Watch List helped spur much of the GOI's
progress in 2006, they voiced their view that failure to
"reward" the Government for their considerable advances would
be counterproductive at this point.
4. (U) The Ambassador's participation is part of the
Embassy's ongoing efforts to combat trafficking. Four large
trafficking-related grants from G/TIP in the past year, and
five smaller PD controlled grants in the past three years,
have helped put the TIP issue into the media spotlight. PD
has hosted five DVCs and two speakers and approved seven
International Visitors on the subject since 2000, and
distributes DOS TIP materials on a regular basis. In
addition to the Ambassador's remarks at this recent
conference, the Ambassador delivered practical
recommendations at a critical symposium to address
trafficking in persons in July 2006 that was attended by
high-level GOI officials and NGO representatives. Finally,
TRO and PD meet often with anti-trafficking officials and
activists inside and outside of the government.
********************************************* ********************
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
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR G/TIP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SMIG PREF ASEC KFRD KCRM KWMN ELAB EG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SPEAKS AT NGO CONFERENCE, AND OTHER TIP
ACTIVITIES
1. (U) The Ambassador spoke at the "Hear My Voice" conference
on human trafficking at Tel Aviv University on March 21. The
conference, which saw the participation of GOI and law
enforcement officials, diplomatic representatives from
eastern European countries, and numerous NGOs, is part of NGO
Isha L'Isha (Woman to Woman) Feminist Women's Center's "Hear
My Voice" project that is funded by a G/TIP grant. The
Ambassador's comments were very well received, with
Government officials and several NGOs complimenting his
keynote address and requesting copies. The speech is posted
on the Embassy's unclassified website at
http://telaviv.usembassy.gov/publish/mission/ amb/032107.html.
2. (U) DHS/ICE officer Andy Yu also spoke at the conference
and joined several roundtable discussions, and participants
expressed appreciation for his insights into U.S. law
enforcement practices to combat trafficking. Yu also handed
out examples of laminated, wallet-sized cards ICE distributes
to local law enforcement officers in the United States to
guide them in recognizing and dealing with trafficking
victims. These cards were highly sought after by conference
attendees. A number of individuals told Embassy TIP
reporting officer (TRO) during various roundtables that these
cards were a great resource that they will recommend the GOI
adapt and adopt. Several participants also asked for
additional USG materials -- and more visits by officers like
Yu with experience in the field -- to help improve their
anti-trafficking efforts, including education and training.
3. (SBU) The conference reinforced Embassy ties with old
contacts and introduced diplomatic counterparts from Croatia
and Moldova -- two major trafficking source countries for
Israel -- that we hope will prove to be valuable allies in
this struggle. NGO representatives reiterated familiar
themes, such as the need for shelters and assistance to labor
trafficking victims, and agreed with the Ambassador's call
for an objective, independent and comprehensive estimate of
the scope of the trafficking problem in Israel. All NGOs
that TRO spoke with expressed appreciation of GOI progress --
in policy, practice and attitude -- during the past year.
Those NGOs noted breakthroughs such as the passage of new
amendments to the trafficking law that criminalize labor
trafficking, the formation of a national plan to combat
trafficking, and the appointment of an official national
anti-trafficking coordinator. They also spoke of areas that
they strongly believe still need much work, such as effective
implantation of the new anti-trafficking statues. Several
volunteered that Israel should be removed from the Tier 2
Watch List. Although these activists agreed that placing
Israel on the Watch List helped spur much of the GOI's
progress in 2006, they voiced their view that failure to
"reward" the Government for their considerable advances would
be counterproductive at this point.
4. (U) The Ambassador's participation is part of the
Embassy's ongoing efforts to combat trafficking. Four large
trafficking-related grants from G/TIP in the past year, and
five smaller PD controlled grants in the past three years,
have helped put the TIP issue into the media spotlight. PD
has hosted five DVCs and two speakers and approved seven
International Visitors on the subject since 2000, and
distributes DOS TIP materials on a regular basis. In
addition to the Ambassador's remarks at this recent
conference, the Ambassador delivered practical
recommendations at a critical symposium to address
trafficking in persons in July 2006 that was attended by
high-level GOI officials and NGO representatives. Finally,
TRO and PD meet often with anti-trafficking officials and
activists inside and outside of the government.
********************************************* ********************
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