"PALESTINE LIBERATION FRONT": PLO FACTION STILL

S E C R E T JERUSALEM 001007 NOFORN SIPDIS S/CT FOR M. ARIAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018 TAGS: KPAL PTER KWBG IS SUBJECT: "PALESTINE LIBERATION FRONT": PLO FACTION STILL ACTIVE, IN TOOTHLESS FORM, IN THE WEST BANK/GAZA REF: STATE 62588 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S/NF) Per reftel, Post supplies the following information on the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF, "Abu al-Abbas Group"),which retains a leadership structure but no apparent intent or operational capability to carry out terrorist actions in the West Bank or Gaza Strip. ¶2. (S/NF) The PLF is led by Wasal Abu Yusif, a member of the PLO Central Council resident in Ramallah. Abu Yusif occasionally attends PLO Executive Committee sessions as an observer (the PLF lacks an official seat),where he generally supports positions advanced by the Fatah leadership and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen),including recognition of the PLO platform and PLO agreements with Israel. The PLF has a small office in Ramallah and another in Gaza City that is occasionally open. The PLF has been a minor political faction here since 2003, garnering only 3,000 votes out of approximately 1,000,000 cast in January 2006 legislative elections. Post does not have any information suggesting involvement of PLF activists in planning, supporting or carrying out acts of terror from 2003 on. The PLF opened several mourning houses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip when Muhammad Abbas/Zaydan (Abu al-Abbas) died in Baghdad in March 2004, but this was not accompanied by any demonstrations or violence. ¶3. (S/NF) The PLF's activity in the Gaza Strip has been minimal since the death of Abu al-Abbas' official successor (and Abu Yusif's predecessor),Abu Ali Halab, in 2006. Post is not aware of any PLF claims of responsibility for rocket/mortar or perimeter fence attacks from Gaza from 2003 on. ¶4. (S/NF) Post has seen no indications that PLF splinter elements exist in the West Bank or Gaza Strip. ¶5. (U) Tripoli minimize considered. WALLES