41 MORE AL-AQSA FUGITIVES INCLUDED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001604

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2018
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PTER IS
SUBJECT: 41 MORE AL-AQSA FUGITIVES INCLUDED IN
AMNESTY/DISARMAMENT DEAL, MOST ON PROBATIONARY STATUS

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. According to PA security contacts, the
Israeli Security Agency (ISA, "Shin Bet") accepted 41 al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades fugitives into the amnesty/disarmament
agreement, including two high-profile militants. The
fugitives have been in PA custody for most of the previous
year. Nine received immediate pardons, while the other
thirty-two must complete a probationary period and abide by
restrictions before amnesty. The PA wants 150 additional
fugitives included in the amnesty/disarmament deal. End
summary.

41 Fugitives Accepted into Amnesty Program
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2. (C) PA Deputy Minister of Interior (MoI) Raji al-Najmi
told Pol FSN August 26 that the ISA accepted 41 al-Aqsa
fugitives into the amnesty/disarmament deal, and told the PA
that five other fugitives are not wanted by Israel. Of the
41, nine, who have been in PA detention for nearly one year,
were granted immediate amnesty. The ISA approved 20 others
(eight from Jenin, six from Nablus and three from Tulkarm)
for release from PA security bases to their homes, with the
proviso that they cannot receive visitors at night. Al-Najmi
said the remaining 12 fugitives (five from Nablus, three from
Bethlehem, two from Jenin and one each from Ramallah and
Salfit) were accepted on a probationary basis, with the
requirement that the PA confiscate their weapons, obtain
commitments to refrain from violence against Israelis,
confine them on bases and monitor their activities until the
ISA reassesses their cases.

List Includes High-Profile Fugitives
--------------


3. (C) PA security contacts noted to PolOff and Pol FSN that
Ala'a Sanaqra and Mahdi Akkubah, two of Nablus' high-profile
al-Aqsa Brigades militants, were included among those on
probationary status. Sanaqra, one of Balata Refugee Camp's
main militant leaders, turned himself in to PA supervision in
April. Akubah, a close associate of Nablus al-Aqsa leader
Mahdi Abu Ghazalih, had previously been rejected by the ISA
for amnesty, and had been in PA detention since May.

PA Seeks Inclusion of More Fugitives
--------------


4. (C) Deputy MoI al-Najmi said the PA wants to add about
150 more al-Aqsa Brigades fugitives to the
amnesty/disarmament deal, many of whom are in PA detention
(most at al-Junayd prison in Nablus, but some at security
bases throughout the West Bank). Al-Najmi and other security
contacts said the PA Interior Ministry and Preventive
Security Organization (PSO) will meet with ISA officials each
month to try to get approval for the remaining al-Aqsa
Brigades fugitives.

Comment
--------------


5. (C) While closing the fugitives file has been a slow
process, taken as a whole (roughly 360 fugitives have been
included thus far),the PA considers the amnesty/disarmament
deal a major security success. Security contacts describe
the recent approval of 41 fugitives as "very positive." The
PA faces pressure from remaining fugitives, about 50 of whom
are detained indefinitely at the PA's Junayd prison. On
August 11, fugitives awaiting ISA approval rioted and burned
their cells to pressure the PA to resolve their cases. While
the PA has no assurances that the ISA will accept the
remaining fugitives (who include several the GOI has
previously attempted to kill or capture, such as Mahdi Abu
Ghazalih from Nablus),recent acceptance of top-level al-Aqsa
militants is a positive sign.
WALLES