Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JEDDAH70
2008-02-05 12:34:00
SECRET
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
OIC SUMMIT ON GAZA: REBUKES ISRAEL, CALLS FOR AID
how-toVZCZCXRO9769 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHJI #0070 0361234 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 051234Z FEB 08 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0518 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
S E C R E T JEDDAH 000070
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2028
TAGS: PREL KISL PHUM SA
SUBJECT: OIC SUMMIT ON GAZA: REBUKES ISRAEL, CALLS FOR AID
Classified By: Classified by Tatiana C. Gfoeller for Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
S E C R E T JEDDAH 000070
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2028
TAGS: PREL KISL PHUM SA
SUBJECT: OIC SUMMIT ON GAZA: REBUKES ISRAEL, CALLS FOR AID
Classified By: Classified by Tatiana C. Gfoeller for Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
1. (S) SUMMARY: The OIC hosted an expanded meeting of its
Executive Committee in Jeddah to discuss the situation in
Gaza. Attendees included Foreign Ministers and other
representatives from approximately 40 member states. The
main outcome included a Final Communique reiterating previous
OIC remarks condemning Israel and urging the international
community to pressure it to lift the "embargo." To
streamline OIC member state donations for humanitarian relief
to Gaza, the OIC opened an account at its headquarters in
Jeddah. However, OIC Secretary General Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu
later admitted that the "Israeli lockdown" would complicate
this initiative. On the OIC in general and the Summit in
particular, some Jeddah-based Arab Consuls expressed a lack
of faith in the OIC's ability to bring about any substantive
change. END SUMMARY.
OIC: END ISRAELI "AGGRESSION;"
WELCOMES US EFFORTS FOR PALESTINIAN STATE
2. (U) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
hosted an expanded meeting of its Executive Committee on
February 3 in Jeddah to discuss the recent deteriorating
situation in Gaza. Attendees included Foreign Ministers and
other representatives from approximately 40 member states.
The OIC's Final Communique reiterated previous public OIC
remarks on events in Gaza. On January 22, OIC Secretary
General Ihsanoglu had urged "the international community, the
Quartet (United Nations, European Union, Russia, and the
United States),and the (UN) Human Rights Council... to act
rapidly to put an end to the Israeli aggression and lift the
blockade imposed on Gaza." Most recently Ihsanoglu stated
that he was very "disappointed" with the UN's failure to
address the humanitarian situation. On President Bush's
commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state by the end
of 2008, he said during a press conference following the
Summit: "The facts on the ground speak otherwise. We welcome
Bush's commitment on the creation of a Palestinian state. It
is by far the most serious American commitment. We hope
Israel will stick...to the pledge it made at Annapolis.
Unfortunately, Israel has never stood by any agreement in the
past."
OIC OFFICIAL DEEMS MEETING "STANDARD"
3. (S) OIC Political Department Director General Mahdy
Fathallah told PolOff on February 2 that organizing such an
Executive Committee meeting was a "standard" reaction to such
a dire crisis. Foreign Ministers present included: Egyptian
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Palestinian Foreign
Minister Riad Malki, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan,
and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. From the
SAG, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani
attended. (NOTE: There have only been three other Executive
Committee meetings. The Committee comprises member states of
two troikas: the past, present, and future Presidents of the
Islamic Summit (Qatar, Malaysia, Senegal) and of the
Ministerial Summit (Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Uganda). END
NOTE.)
ARAB COMMENT: OIC EFFORTS FUTILE
4. (S) After the OIC Summit, a few Arab Consuls provided
their analysis to PolOff. They shared their opinion that the
Summit was nothing more than a gathering to facilitate
discussion. Iraqi Consul Shaker M. Mishhadani stated that
the OIC did "nothing" and that the Final Communique would not
help to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza. He
added that the OIC was not "political," but "economic." He
was also keen to highlight that it was the Iranian government
that requested the Summit. On the specific OIC effort to
organize member state donations to provide assistance to
Palestinians, Egyptian Consul Mohamed Amin mentioned that
there would be donations from the "petrol countries" but then
expressed concern over the Palestinians' alleged use of
counterfeit currency to purchase goods and services in the
Sinai.
GFOELLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2028
TAGS: PREL KISL PHUM SA
SUBJECT: OIC SUMMIT ON GAZA: REBUKES ISRAEL, CALLS FOR AID
Classified By: Classified by Tatiana C. Gfoeller for Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
1. (S) SUMMARY: The OIC hosted an expanded meeting of its
Executive Committee in Jeddah to discuss the situation in
Gaza. Attendees included Foreign Ministers and other
representatives from approximately 40 member states. The
main outcome included a Final Communique reiterating previous
OIC remarks condemning Israel and urging the international
community to pressure it to lift the "embargo." To
streamline OIC member state donations for humanitarian relief
to Gaza, the OIC opened an account at its headquarters in
Jeddah. However, OIC Secretary General Ekmelledin Ihsanoglu
later admitted that the "Israeli lockdown" would complicate
this initiative. On the OIC in general and the Summit in
particular, some Jeddah-based Arab Consuls expressed a lack
of faith in the OIC's ability to bring about any substantive
change. END SUMMARY.
OIC: END ISRAELI "AGGRESSION;"
WELCOMES US EFFORTS FOR PALESTINIAN STATE
2. (U) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
hosted an expanded meeting of its Executive Committee on
February 3 in Jeddah to discuss the recent deteriorating
situation in Gaza. Attendees included Foreign Ministers and
other representatives from approximately 40 member states.
The OIC's Final Communique reiterated previous public OIC
remarks on events in Gaza. On January 22, OIC Secretary
General Ihsanoglu had urged "the international community, the
Quartet (United Nations, European Union, Russia, and the
United States),and the (UN) Human Rights Council... to act
rapidly to put an end to the Israeli aggression and lift the
blockade imposed on Gaza." Most recently Ihsanoglu stated
that he was very "disappointed" with the UN's failure to
address the humanitarian situation. On President Bush's
commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state by the end
of 2008, he said during a press conference following the
Summit: "The facts on the ground speak otherwise. We welcome
Bush's commitment on the creation of a Palestinian state. It
is by far the most serious American commitment. We hope
Israel will stick...to the pledge it made at Annapolis.
Unfortunately, Israel has never stood by any agreement in the
past."
OIC OFFICIAL DEEMS MEETING "STANDARD"
3. (S) OIC Political Department Director General Mahdy
Fathallah told PolOff on February 2 that organizing such an
Executive Committee meeting was a "standard" reaction to such
a dire crisis. Foreign Ministers present included: Egyptian
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Palestinian Foreign
Minister Riad Malki, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan,
and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. From the
SAG, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani
attended. (NOTE: There have only been three other Executive
Committee meetings. The Committee comprises member states of
two troikas: the past, present, and future Presidents of the
Islamic Summit (Qatar, Malaysia, Senegal) and of the
Ministerial Summit (Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Uganda). END
NOTE.)
ARAB COMMENT: OIC EFFORTS FUTILE
4. (S) After the OIC Summit, a few Arab Consuls provided
their analysis to PolOff. They shared their opinion that the
Summit was nothing more than a gathering to facilitate
discussion. Iraqi Consul Shaker M. Mishhadani stated that
the OIC did "nothing" and that the Final Communique would not
help to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza. He
added that the OIC was not "political," but "economic." He
was also keen to highlight that it was the Iranian government
that requested the Summit. On the specific OIC effort to
organize member state donations to provide assistance to
Palestinians, Egyptian Consul Mohamed Amin mentioned that
there would be donations from the "petrol countries" but then
expressed concern over the Palestinians' alleged use of
counterfeit currency to purchase goods and services in the
Sinai.
GFOELLER