PLO WELCOMES EGYPTIAN PAPER ON FACTIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JERUSALEM 001934

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER EG
SUBJECT: PLO WELCOMES EGYPTIAN PAPER ON FACTIONAL
RECONCILIATION; HAMAS EXPRESSES RESERVATIONS

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


1. (C) Summary. The PLO Executive Committee (ExComm)
released a statement October 22 welcoming Egyptian leadership
in efforts to forge a "national consensus government and
common political program." The statement implicitly
conditions PLO acceptance of an Egyptian proposal on
formation of a PA government that abides by the PLO political
program, and "does not reinstate the siege." Hamas officials
told local press that the Egyptian proposal addresses many
key concerns, but expressed general reservations about the
document. PLO Representative to Egypt Nabil Amr told the
press that all factions will present the GOE with official
responses to the proposal in the next few days, and Fatah and
PLO factions will coordinate their responses. The Egyptian
document provides for a November 9 meeting in Cairo for all
Palestinian factions to consider the proposal. ConGen
translation of the Egyptian proposal follows at para. 6. End
summary.

PLO Welcomes Egyptian Proposal, But Adds
Provisos; Hamas Has Reservations
--------------


2. (C) After an October 22 meeting in Ramallah, the PLO
ExComm released a statement welcoming Egyptian leadership in
efforts to forge a "national consensus government and common
political program." The statement implicitly conditions PLO
acceptance of the Egyptian draft proposal on formation of a
PA government that accords with the PLO political program and
that "does not reinstate the siege." The statement calls for
rebuilding the PA's security services "on a professional and
national basis" with Arab assistance. (Comment: This later
point implies rejection of Hamas proposals to incorporate
militias into the security services on the basis of factional
strength. End comment). The ExComm statement also calls for
simultaneous presidential and legislative elections.


3. (C) Hamas leaders expressed general reservations about
the Egyptian proposal and said Hamas will meet with GOE
officials to resolve its objections. Hamas leader Usama
al-Muzaini said the proposal "addresses many of the affairs
that constitute a common concern for all factions, but
requires reconsideration of its priorities and further
discussion and clarification of unclear points to avoid
misunderstanding." Al-Muzaini said Hamas had already
provided its position on some problematic points, but
declined to detail specific reservations. He said Hamas
agrees to start "comprehensive national dialogue" on November

9.


4. (C) PLO Representative to Egypt Nabil Amr told press that
he expects all factions to provide the GOE with official
responses to the draft proposal in the next few days, prior
to a planned November 9 meeting. Amr and Fatah contacts told
ConGenOffs that Fatah and PLO factions have agreed to
coordinate their positions to ensure a consistent PLO
response. These contacts added that most PLO factions have
agreed to include the language stating that any new PA
government must abide by the PLO political platform, and new
PA elections should be held on the basis of full proportional
representation (ie, party lists),rather than the mixed
system adopted in 2005. (Note: Proportional representation
is favored by Fatah and President Abbas, who issued a decree
in 2007 to mandate this system. Hamas rejects Abbas' decree
and changes to the electoral system. End note).

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


5. (C) Both the PLO and Hamas are eager to publicly embrace
the Egyptian proposal, but Hamas is working behind the scenes
to water down language referencing the PLO's authority and
political program to avoid accepting recognition of Israel
and past PLO agreements. Fatah and PLO factions are trying
to ensure that these provisions remain intact and ensure
Hamas is publicly blamed for rejecting the Egyptian proposal
in the likely event that unity talks falter. The PLO ExComm
is calling for a PLO Central Council meeting in November to
build support for the ExComm's positions and attempt to
corner Hamas into accepting either the PLO's authority or the
blame for the talks' failure. End comment.


6. (SBU) Text of the Egyptian proposal follows.


In the name of God the most merciful, the compassionate
The Cairo Agreement 2008
The National Palestinian Scheme

JERUSALEM 00001934 002 OF 003


-- Out of loyalty to the blood of the blessed martyrs, and
the suffering of the hero prisoners and out of belief in the
national cause and the continuation of our struggle to attain
our legitimate rights including the creation of the
independent Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its
capital; and reaffirming the right of refugees to return to
their homeland; and building on the sacrifices of the
steadfast Palestinian people for the past decades that should
not be wasted because of narrow factional interests.
-- Based on the tremendous sacrifices and the enormous
dangers surrounding the Palestinian cause at such a critical
time in the contemporary history of the Palestinian people;
which constitutes an intersection that must lead to restoring
and preserving our legitimate rights; and based on the unity
of our people and its great potential towards achieving the
strategic goals.
-- Based on the belief that the current situation cannot be
maintained since it is leading towards deeper disparity,
politically geographical and psychological divisions while
undermining the ambitions of our people and its legitimate
cause while also undermining our standing vis-a-vis the
world. The state of division must end to put the
international community in front of its responsibilities in
light of the regional and the international changes.
In light of the historic responsibilities imposed upon us, we
head towards sidelining our organizational differences
regardless of the nature of these differences, and we are
determined to go towards achieving the high national
interests. Time has come in order to turn the slogans of
national unity into concrete realities to build a better
future and to draw the elements of this future by our own
will; in order to restore unity to the Palestinian homeland
and agree on a national scheme with which we can address the
international community.
-- In reference to the bilateral talks held between the
Palestinian factions and the Egyptian leadership between
August 25 and October 8, 2008. The outcome of these talks,
which demonstrated an unprecedented agreement on the need to
end the state of division and laying the foundations
necessary to tackle it; the Palestinian factions have met in
Cairo on November 9 and agreed on the national scheme as
follows:

First- General Principles:
1- Palestinian national interests are supreme over all
other factional and organizational interests;
2- Political and geographic unity and the non-acceptance
of divisions under any circumstances;
3- Dialogue as the only means to end internal differences;
4- Palestinians must stop shedding their own blood and
criminalize internal fighting; to stop incitement and rule
out all means of violence
5- Democracy is the only means to rotate rule in the
framework of respect of rule of law and legitimacy.
Supporting democracy entails collective political partnership
away from factionalism and narrow interests;
6- Resistance under the context of national consensus is a
legitimate right of the Palestinian people as long as the
occupation continues;
7- Palestinians will build upon the previous terms of
reference i.e., (the March 2005 Cairo agreement, the May 2006
national conciliation document, the February 2007 Mecca
agreement, President Abbas,s 2008 initiative of
comprehensive national dialogue, and Arab Summit resolutions
with respect to the end of Palestinian divisions).

Second: the conferees who represent all the factions and the
Palestinian political leadership have agreed to end the state
of division through reaching an agreement on the following
key issues:
8- The government: to form a national consensus government
with special tasks i.e., lift the siege, run the daily life
of the Palestinian people, and to prepare for presidential
and legislative elections and to oversee the rebuilding of
the security services.
9- The security services: to rebuild the Palestinian
security services on professional and national basis away
from factionalism. These will be tasked with the duty of
defending the homeland and the citizens. This requires
providing Arab assistance to accomplish the process of reform
and building.
10- Elections: To conduct simultaneous presidential and
legislative elections in an agreed upon time while also
reviewing the elections law to meet the interests of the
homeland.
11- The PLO: To promote and activate the PLO, the sole
legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in
accordance with the Cairo understandings of March 2005 to
include all the forces and factions. And to preserve the

JERUSALEM 00001934 003 OF 003


posture of the PLO as collective and high political reference
for all Palestinians and to elect a new national council in
the homeland and abroad wherever possible.

Third: All the factions and forces of the Palestinian people
have agreed on the requirements of the upcoming phase:
12- To preserve the ceasefire (Tahdiya) which the factions
have previously approved during their meetings in Cairo on
April 26 and 30, 2008.
13- To provide a conducive internal environment in order
to ensure the success of the post comprehensive dialogue
phase and the full implementation of this phase's
requirements. To stop any actions or measures that are likely
to undermine the exerted efforts to end the state of division
while highlighting the need to positively interact with all
the elements that will enhance internal conciliation.
14- To agree on the formation of the committees which will
be tasked with discussing the details and the mechanisms
needed to implement this agreement. This requires tackling
all the dialogue's and conciliation items (the government's
committee, elections committee, security committee, PLO
committees, and the internal conciliation committee). These
committees shall start working immediately following the
conclusion of the comprehensive dialogue meetings. (No
objection to Arab participation in these committees if the
factions ask for that)

Fourth:
15- All the Palestinian factions and forces have agreed that
the PLO and the President of the PA are the parties mandated
with conducting political negotiations on the basis of
preserving national goals. Any ensuing agreement shall be
presented to the Palestinian National Council for endorsement
or holding a public referendum wherever possible.

Five:
The conferees have agreed that the national endeavor and its
achievable and legitimate ambitions require transforming the
good intentions and sincere resolves into an action plan and
a program. Such a program should be implemented with a sense
of responsibility, belief and commitment towards the
generations that will hold us accountable. Those generations
have the right to live in stability and prosperity in their
own independent state.

End text.
WALLES