S/P GORDON'S MEETINGS WITH PALESTINIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000992

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL IS
SUBJECT: S/P GORDON'S MEETINGS WITH PALESTINIANS

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


1. (C) Summary. In meetings on May 31 and June 2,
Palestinian interlocutors briefed S/P David Gordon on
Palestinian attitudes toward negotiations with ISRAEL and
domestic politics in the West Bank and Gaza. Sari Nusseibeh
said leaders on both sides could improve their political
standing by coming to an agreement. Ghassan al-Khatib said
Palestinians are losing hope because they see no change on
the ground. Riad al-Malki discussed PA efforts to improve
its public image and define a culture of citizenship in the
West Bank. End Summary.

SARI NUSSEIBEH: ABBAS AND OLMERT NEED A DEAL
--------------


2. (C) During a meeting with S/P David Gordon on May 31,
al-Quds University President Sari Nusseibeh said President
Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and PM Olmert could both benefit
from a "one-on-one agreement that defines the endgame."
However, he questioned whether they were capable of crafting
a document that both could agree to. Nusseibeh said an
agreement could serve as a political platform for Abbas going
into new elections that would unify Palestinians in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip and decrease support for Hamas. He said
an agreement would strengthen Olmert and both leaders could
turn from "political midgets to political giants." New
elections on either side without an agreement will spell the
end of both governments and prospects for progress, Nusseibeh
said. According to Nusseibeh, Olmert told him Abbas uses his
inadequate English as an excuse to include Chief Negotiator
Saeb Erekat in their meetings, which prevents the two leaders
from making tough decisions without scrutiny.

GHASSAN AL-KHATIB: PALESTINIANS NEED TO SEE CHANGE
-------------- --------------


3. (C) On June 2, Director of Jerusalem Media and
Communications Center Ghassan al-Khatib told Gordon that
polls indicated an increase in Palestinian support for peace
during the Annapolis conference, but three factors led to a
decline in support in 2008. First, the failure to achieve
steps towards peace discouraged Palestinians. Second,
unemployment and poverty increased radicalization. Third,
the increase in regional radicalism affected Palestinians.
He said Abbas seemed "pessimistic to a critical extent" and
assessed that Abbas feels powerless to effect change in Fatah
or the PLO. Al-Khatib cited settlement expansion as the
primary reason Palestinians believe negotiations are not
successful. Regarding elections, al-Khatib said Fatah's
success in recent university polls is a positive sign, but
the faction needs to elect new leadership before it can
return to power.

RIAD AL-MALKI: PUBLIC IMAGE CAMPAIGN CAN
IMPROVE PA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE
--------------


4. (C) PA Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki told Gordon on June
2 that Palestinians' priorities are first to stop settlement
expansion and second to improve access and movement in the
West Bank. There is a fundamental lack of trust in this
conflict, he said. Al-Malki said the PA is not being allowed
to demonstrate the effectiveness of moderate leadership and
charged that the Israelis prefer Hamas because radical groups
give them the excuse to act as they want in the name of
security. The PA has improved the economy and security in
the West Bank, but requires Israeli cooperation to make
further improvements, he said. Al-Malki said the PA has had
some success improving its public image in spite of limited
resources and lack of experience. He said the PA is using
billboards, pamphlets, e-mail, text messages, town hall
meetings, and radio broadcasts to highlight PA successes. As
part of this campaign, he said, PM Fayyad has visited West
Bank towns, and al-Malki said Palestinians are becoming more
receptive. He discussed the need to develop a Palestinian
definition and culture of the "citizen" and improve relations
between the PA and the people.


5. (U) S/P Gordon's office cleared on this cable.

WALLES