PA ALLOWS ZUBAYDAH AND OTHER MILITANTS TO REENTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000640 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2018 TAGS: KWBG PTER IS PGOV SUBJECT: PA ALLOWS ZUBAYDAH AND OTHER MILITANTS TO REENTER JENIN SECURITY HQ IN COMPROMISE DEAL REF: JERUSALEM 626 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The PA National Security Forces (NSF) allowed al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades leader Zakariya Zubaydah and 19 fugitives accompanying him to reenter the Jenin Muqata'a on April 13 in a compromise brokered by Jenin PLC member Jamal Abu al-Rub and Fatah leader Amr Sa'adi with PA President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Abbas had ordered Zubaydah expelled on April 8 for calling the PA's leadership "whores" and "garbage" in a press interview (reftel). IDF Raids in Jenin Prompt Return of Militants from Jenin Camp -------------- ¶2. (C) NSF contacts told POL FSN that IDF raids into Jenin in recent days probably influenced the decision to allow Zubaydah back into the compound. (Comment: President Abbas would face a severe public outcry if the IDF arrested or killed Zubaydah after the PA ejected him from the security headquarters, and likely views keeping Zubaydah on the base, under PA protection and monitoring, to be the superior option despite the al-Aqsa leader's embarrassing behavior and statements. End comment). NSF contacts say they expect Zubaydah will remain a problem, as he and other fugitives often do not obey instructions to remain on the compound. WALLES