MFA ON TAHDIYA EFFORTS; AHLC MEETING

S E C R E T CAIRO 000861

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2018
TAGS: EAID EU KPAL PGOV PREL IS WBG
SUBJECT: MFA ON TAHDIYA EFFORTS; AHLC MEETING

REF: A. LOGERFO/DANIN EMAIL OF APRIL 22

B. SECSTATE 040343

C. JERUSALEM 714

Classified By: MINISTER-COUNSELOR WILLIAM R. STEWART
REASONS: 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (S/NF) MFA Director for Palestinian Affairs Badr Abelatty
updated us April 24 on Egyptian tahdiya ("calming") efforts.
Abdelatty said that talks were presently underway between a
visiting Hamas delegation led by deposed FM Zahar and EGIS
officials. He said the GOE is seeking an "unconditional"
answer to their proposal for a "calming" from Hamas. The
sole focus now is on cessation of rockets into Israel, to be
matched by a GOI promise to stop targeted assassinations and
incursions into Gaza. This plan would be rolled out in Gaza
first, and later the West Bank, on an timeline the Egyptians
have yet to finalize. Other elements, e.g. prisoner
exchanges, have been shelved for now, according to Abdelatty.


2. (C) Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting (AHLC): Abdelatty
said that FM Aboul Gheit will lead the Egyptian delegation to
the AHLC scheduled for May 2 in London, England. Abdelatty
said that this information is not yet public. He said the
GOE shares USG concerns in reftel a. He noted that the
Egyptians have provided USD 48 million to the Palestinians
since 2000, notwithstanding the fact that Egypt, too, is a
recipient of external assistance (e.g. from the U.S. and
Europe). In addition, Egypt has provided over USD 50 million
in humanitarian assistance during this timeframe, and
continues to provide 17 megawatts of electricity into Gaza.


3. (C) Abdelatty said the Egyptians have three agenda items
for the AHLC. First, donors who pledged assistance to the PA
at the December 17, 2007 donors meeting need to follow
through on their commitments. He noted that virtually none
of the pledged USD 7.4 billion had been disbursed to the PA.
Second, Abdelatty said that tangible improvements on movement
and access are critical; donor assistance is "meaningless" if
conditions do not improve. He opined that the 50 roadblocks
the Israelis agreed to remove during Secretary Rice's March
visit were located in remote areas and did not have a major
impact on Palestinian freedom of movement. More needs to be
done, he said, citing UNRWA and OXFAM reports of Palestinian
suffering. Third, Gaza is an integral part of the future
Palestinian state. It cannot be ignored, Abdelatty
contended, despite the difficulty Hamas presents. He cited
former British PM Blair's plan for a sewage plant in Beit
Lahiya (in northern Gaza) as a good example of including
Gazans in economic development. The bottom line, Abdelatty
argued, is that the international community needs to secure
the movement of essential goods and services to Gaza.


4. (C) We responded to Abdelatty that the USG shares Egypt's
concern about the humanitarian situation. We asked about
recent reports that fuel delivered into Gaza from Israel was
not being delivered within Gaza (reftel b). Abdelatty said
that he understood that Gaza fuel companies and distributors
had decided not to deliver this fuel, because it is a paltry
amount in comparison to the total demand in Gaza. He said
that the Egyptian position is that the fuel -- whatever
amount -- must be distributed, and the GOE has conveyed this
message to Gazans responsible for distribution.
SCOBEY