PA'S HEBRON DEPLOYMENT DELAYED PENDING FURTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001903 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2018 TAGS: KWBG IS PINS PGOV SUBJECT: PA'S HEBRON DEPLOYMENT DELAYED PENDING FURTHER ISRAEL-PA DISCUSSIONS REF: JERUSALEM 1852 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) A PA security forces (PASF) deployment to Hebron, expected to begin on/about October 17, has been postponed pending additional PA-IDF coordination, according to National Security Forces (NSF) commander MG Thiab Mustafa Ali (Abu al-Fatah). PA President's Office contacts told PolOff that the IDF ordered a delay until there is agreement on area and timing of operations and the number of PASF troops and weapons to be permitted. MG Ali told PolFSN October 17 that he and other PASF commanders were to meet with IDF West Bank Division commander BG Noam Tibon and the Hebron Brigade commander on October 15 to get final IDF approval for the deployment, but the IDF requested the meeting be delayed until October 22. ¶2. (C) MG Ali said the IDF told him that the PA should not undertake stepped-up operations using forces already in Hebron until after discussions with the IDF on October 22. He added that the NSF is ready to deploy whenever the IDF gives final clearance. WALLES