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