PA SECURITY CHIEFS, IDF COMMANDERS COORDINATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000733 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2018 TAGS: KWBG PINS IS PGOV PTER SUBJECT: PA SECURITY CHIEFS, IDF COMMANDERS COORDINATE FUTURE JENIN OPERATION, AREA B OPERATIONS AND POLICE STATIONS Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Following an April 28 meeting with senior IDF officers in Bet El, PA security forces (PASF) commanders report progress in coordination for security operations in Jenin, shortening deployment clearance times, and reopening police stations in Area B. They report IDF criticism of the recent escape of al-Aqsa Brigades prisoners from Jericho (the PA says it subsequently recaptured the escapees). PASF chiefs said they asked the IDF to pass a request to expedite and expand the fugitive disarmament/amnesty deal. End summary. Senior IDF Commanders Host PA Security Chiefs, Discuss Jenin Ops -------------- ¶2. (C) PA security commanders report that IDF West Bank Division commander BG Noam Tibon and Civil Administration/Liaison director BG Yoav Mordechai met with PA National Security Forces (NSF) commander MG Thiab Mustafa Ali (Abu al-Fatah),Joint Security Committee (JSC) chief BG Samir Makhzumi Qaysi, Preventive Security (PSO) director MG Ziad Hab al-Rih, General Intelligence (Mukhabarat) West Bank director Aql Sa'adi, Military Intelligence (Istikhbarat) chief BG Majid al-Farraj and deputy police commander BG Majid al-Huwwari at the IDF headquarters at Bet El on April 28. The NSF commander told ConGen POL FSN that the IDF commanders said they had received instructions from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to facilitate PASF deployments in and around Jenin. The commanders agreed to hold a subsequent meeting to complete logistical and technical arrangements once the PA completes its deployment plan. PA plans for an early May deployment are discussed septel. Agreement on Opening Area B Police Stations, Still Discussing Armaments -------------- ¶3. (C) JSC and police contacts report that the IDF commanders said the MoD approved reopening of 20 Area B police stations. PASF contacts say the IDF was not concerned with the number of policemen who will work at these stations but wants to limit PA armaments at the stations to 2 rifles for every 4 policemen. These contacts say a subsequent meeting will be held to complete discussions on armaments. (Comment: The main delaying factor in opening the stations is incomplete PA logistical preparations. While the two sides continue to discuss minor details on personnel and armaments, the PA remains unprepared to reopen all 20 stations even if agreement on these matters is reached. The return of police commander MG Hazim Attallah on May 3 from a preparatory meeting for the Berlin law enforcement conference will likely speed preparations for the stations' operation. End comment). PA: IDF Pledges to Expedite Area B Ops Clearance, Bethlehem Support -------------- ¶4. (C) NSF Commander MG Ali said that BG Mordechai said the IDF will expedite clearance for PASF to conduct operations in most B Areas, pledging to reduce wait times to 25 minutes after notification for nearly all operations. According to Ali, Mordechai also said the Civil Administration will also expedite clearance for PASF activities in and around Bethlehem for the May Investment Conference and will authorize 5,000 more work permits for West Bank Palestinians. IDF Complains About Jericho Breakout -------------- ¶5. (C) PASF chiefs said the IDF commanders blasted the PA for allowing three al-Aqsa Brigades militants to escape from Jericho prison early on April 28 and urged the PA to apprehend the escapees quickly and prevent further breakouts. (Note: Mukhabarat contacts report that all three are back in custody as of late April 29, with two captured in Ramallah and one in Bethlehem. The escapees, Hani Halawa, Nidal Malash and Mahmud Mustafa, are all prominent al-Aqsa militants with reported ties to both al-Aqsa and PRC cells in Gaza. End note). Request to Expedite, Expand Fugitives Program -------------- JERUSALEM 00000733 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) PA intelligence contacts said they asked the IDF commanders to expedite amnesty for 280 fugitives, all previously included on amnesty lists, who the PA said had surrendered their weapons, complied with PA monitoring and signed commitments to refrain from violence against Israelis. They said they also asked the GOI to consider allowing additional fugitives to join the disarmament/amnesty deal. WALLES