MOROCCO: UPSET ABOUT GAZA BLOCKADE BUT SUPPORTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 000083

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FO AND MAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2028
TAGS: PREL PHUM LE IS SY MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: UPSET ABOUT GAZA BLOCKADE BUT SUPPORTIVE
AT ARAB LEAGUE

REF: STATE 7377

Classified By: POLCOUNS Craig M. Karp for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: MFA U/Sec-level DG Azeroual, responsible for
Arab Affairs, told us that Morocco would work behind the
scenes at the Arab League Ministerial for a moderate
statement, and would succeed. He underscored, however, that
the cut-off of essential supplies to Gaza was unacceptable
and amounted to collective punishment of the innocent
civilian population. Morocco had been forced to take a
strong public stance by rising popular concern, accompanied
by growing protests. He urged the USG to ensure the embargo
is lifted. On Lebanon, he said the Government of Morocco
(GOM) will quietly cooperate with the Saudis at the
Ministerial to increase pressure on Syria to allow Lebanon to
move forward on the presidency. Despite good intentions, we
believe that GOM delegation, headed by inexperienced State
Secretary, would probably make little difference at the

SIPDIS
League meeting. End Summary.


2. (C) January 25, 2008, Polcouns delivered reftel demarche
on the January 27 Arab League Ministerial Meeting to the
Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for
International Affairs Mohammed Azeroual, who covers the Arab
and Islamic world. Azeroual noted that the GOM delegation in
Cairo would be led by Secretary of State Ahmed Lakhrif, as
the Minister, now in Senegal, would be preparing for his trip
to Washington. (Note: Local press has recently related
unhappiness among Arab diplomats in Rabat over the Foreign
Minister's perceived neglect of the Arab World, particularly
relative to former Minister Benaissa, who covered Arab and
third world countries under their previous division of labor.)

Gaza
--------------


3. (C) In response to the demarche, Azeroual said the USG
need not worry about a strong statement coming out of the
Arab League Ministerial. Morocco would be a moderating
force. Azeroual surmised that Egypt would also likely
moderate any ministerial statement coming out of the
Ministerial on Gaza.


4. (C) Azeroual said the current situation in Gaza was
tragic--"with the 1.5 million people being punished
collectively." He urged that the USG convince Israel that the
blockade was counterproductive to the peace process.
Azeroual cautioned that it will be impossible to bring down
Hamas either by holding the civilian population hostage with
a blockade nor by force of arms because Hamas is made up of
fanatics who thrive on violence and will only be further
motivated by the sacrifices of their community. He advised
the way to defeat Hamas was to advance the Middle East peace
process with President Abbas through credible negotiations,
lauding the progress made in Annapolis as a good start.
Morocco continues to be against Hamas, and he repeated its
rejection of receiving Hamas at any level.


5. (C) Azeroual noted that Morocco was under considerable
public pressure over the civilian privations daily replayed
on international Arab media. There had been several
demonstrations, including one near the U.S. Consulate in
Casablanca, and they are steadily growing. Both the MFA and
the government had been forced to come up with strong
statements criticizing the Israeli blockade. He surmised
that Egypt too was concerned about its own population; that
the media coverage of the suffering civilians in Gaza might
incite violence in Egypt.


6. (U) On January 24, Communications Minister and Government
Spokesman Mr. Khalid Naciri publicly denounced IsraelQ,s
closing of the border with Gaza. He asserted that Israel was
in violation of international humanitarian law, and appealed
to the United Nations Human Rights Council for redress. The
statement, issued after a government cabinet meeting that
likely endorsed its contents, ratcheted up criticism of
Israel from a January 23 MFA communiquQ. The statement
protested "the continuous deterioration of the humanitarian
situation in Gaza due to the iniquitous blockade imposed by
the Israeli authorities", in clear violation of the
provisions of humanitarian international law and charters."
The MFA stressed that the situation in Gaza "could abort the

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hopes of raised by the Annapolis Conference." It said the
GOM would "make urgent efforts at the international level and
in the United Nations, in conjunction with the Arab and
Islamic groups to definitively and completely lift the
blockade."


7. (SBU) In addition to the demonstration at Consulate
Casablanca mentioned by Azeroual, there have been a number of
still small, but growing public protests here, and we expect
a large demonstration Sunday January 27 (the day of the
league meeting).

Lebanon
--------------


8. (C) On Lebanon, Azeroual said that the GOM supported the
presidential election process moving forward. He said that
we should not worry about any unhelpful statement coming out
of the Arab League on Lebanon. Saudi Arabia was pushing the
Syrians hard, to stop blocking the presidency. Morocco was
working quietly in its support.


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Jackson