NABLUS GOVERNOR AND PA SECURITY CHIEFS ASSESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000317 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2018 TAGS: KWBG PTER IS PINS PGOV SUBJECT: NABLUS GOVERNOR AND PA SECURITY CHIEFS ASSESS RECENT OPERATIONS WITH LTG DAYTON Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. At a February 11 meeting with USSC LTG Dayton in Nablus, Governor Jamal Muhaysin, National Security Forces (NSF) commander MG Thiab Mustafa Ali (Abu al-Fatah) and the local security chiefs assessed the recent Nablus campaign. They said clear and consistent PA political backing, unity of command, popular support, and good cooperation between intelligence and operational organizations all contributed to the operation's success. END SUMMARY. WHAT WORKED IN NABLUS -------------- ¶2. (C) At a February 11 at Nablus NSF headquarters, Governor Muhaysin and the local PA security forces (PASF) chiefs told LTG Dayton that clear and consistent political messages from PM Salam Fayyad and President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) contributed to the success of the recent security operation. Muhaysin said the PA leadership provided PASF needed political cover and allowed them to succeed without always having to resort to force. Muhaysin and Nablus NSF commander BG Khayri Hassan stressed the value of understanding local social factors and noted the importance of the PA's media campaign in garnering public support for effort to improve law and order. ¶3. (C) West Bank NSF commander MG Thiab Ali, BG Khayri Hassan and the intelligence chiefs noted that unity of effort and command greatly contributed to the operation's success. MG Ali, as NSF commander, had overall operational control, the commanders said, which allowed focused security efforts without internal conflicts. BG Hassan and the intelligence chiefs said the security branches shared information well during the campaign, and that timely collection, analysis and follow-up on intelligence was essential to PASF effectiveness, as was after-action assessments for each mission. ¶4. (C) Nablus Mukhabarat chief Abdallah Kmayl said the Nablus operation weakened Hamas and criminals who worked with them. He said it is important for PA credibility that both Hamas and Fatah-linked militants are imprisoned. WHAT DID NOT WORK -------------- ¶5. (C) PA Police commander MG Kamal al-Shaykh and the Nablus District Coordination Office (DCO) Shawki al-Hajj criticized what they termed the GOI,s lack of cooperation and failure to ease restrictions on movement during the operation. PASF recounted delays in clearance, including an instance in Huwwara when the IDF prevented PA police from investigating a murder for approximately 12 hours and another when clearance delays led to homes being consumed in fires that broke out during local violence. PASF chiefs commented that there have been some improvements, but cooperation still falls far short of the PA's assessment of what is required. ¶6. Muhaysin and BG Hassan said the Nablus operation lacked a deliberate media campaign even though there was regular media engagement. They said the PA must improve in this area. Muhaysin also said the Nablus judicial system was not functioning prior to the operation, and the PASF do not directly interact with the judicial establishment. WALLES