SPANISH SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000282

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018
TAGS: KMPI KPAL PREL IS SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN PEACE
PROCESS

REF: STATE 22352

Classified By: DCM Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) March 4, Spanish MFA Deputy Director General for the
Middle East Alberto Ucelay reviewed Spain's support for the
Israel-Palestinian peace process, particularly in advance of
the March 10-11 EU Foreign Minister's Meeting (GAERC). He
said that Spain believed it was critically important to
advance the themes of the Annapolis Conference. In Spain's
view, negotiations must continue and progress, however small,
must be shown to the local populations.
Reflective of their commitment to the process, the Spanish
Council of Ministers approved payment of a 20 million euro
contribution to the Palestinians through the EU support
mechanism on February 29 (disbursement of pledge made at
Paris Donors Conference).


2. (C) According to Ucelay, proposals highlighting the need
for a cease-fire, while ensuring that access and movement are
normalized, will be introduced at the GAERC. The proposals
are likely to call for accordance with 2005 agreements to
provide movement for Palestinians; plans that should be
developed in coordination with Israel and Egypt. Ucelay
stressed that the parties should not be allowed to link
events in a never-ending stream of "tit-for-tat" responses.


3. (C) "Every kidnapping can not result in closure and the
right response for a rocket launch is not closure," Ucelay
emphasized. When asked, "what is the right response to
continuing rocket attacks against Israel," Ucelay demurred
and acknowledged that the situation was quite complex.
Spain's chief concern is that the Gaza closure and economic
devastation have been turned to an advantage for Hamas. In
order to provide support for moderate Palestinians while
reducing the influence of Hamas, redundancies should be
established so that if one access point had to be closed for
security reasons, another point could remain operational. He
described the 2006 Shalit kidnapping and Israeli reaction as
derailing the EU effort, similar to the mission operating in
Lebanon, to provide international military observers to
protect the civilian population on both sides. He suggested
that when the situation allowed, Spain would consider sending
back international observers back into Gaza. In the
meantime, reopening the Rafa border crossing should be a
first priority and Ucelay said Spain would support Egypt on a
comprehensive package.


4. (C) Noting FM Moratinos' great interest in the issue,
Ucelay said that the Gaza situation was a campaign issue in
the Spanish election scheduled for March 9. The Spanish MFA
has received hundreds of letters calling for Spain and the EU
to act and end the escalating violence in Gaza. As part of
his campaign rhetoric, FM Moratinos has been calling for
action to protect civilian populations and to end the
escalating violence. March 2, the Spanish MFA issued a
communiqu calling for an end to rocket attacks against
Israel and calling for Israel to respect international
humanitarian law, avoid civilian casualties and reestablish
movement in and out of Gaza for both people and goods. March
6, an estimated 500 people rallied outside the EU offices in
Madrid, calling for steps to be taken against Israeli actions
in Gaza, as well as an end to the "blockade" and "genocide".


5. (U) March 7, the Spanish MFA issued an official
communiqu condemning the terrorist attack at the Jerusalem
Yeshiva. The communiqu also expressed condolences and
wished a speedy recovery for the injured victims.



AGUIRRE