GAZAN FULBRIGHTERS: MG MISHLEV PLEDGES TO HELP

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001177 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL IS SUBJECT: GAZAN FULBRIGHTERS: MG MISHLEV PLEDGES TO HELP DESPITE SENSITIVITIES Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) DCM Moreno, accompanied by Poloff and Econoff, met June 3 with Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) MG Mishlev to discuss the issue of Palestinian Fulbright students needing permits to exit Gaza for visa interviews at the Consulate General in Jerusalem. The DCM noted that he had requested the June 3 appointment with Mishlev in order to discuss the problem of getting Fulbright students and other USG-grantees out of Gaza, and expressed regret that the story of the Fulbright students broke in the New York Times before there was an opportunity to meet. Mishlev agreed that the public controversy had caused problems for the GOI and his office in particular, but confirmed that at least seven of the eight 2008 Fulbright students will be allowed to leave Gaza the morning of June 4 for visa interviews. Mishlev said the eighth student, Zuhair Mustafa Abu Shaban, was still being reviewed by the ISA (Shin Bet) pending an "interview" with him. Mishlev cautioned that while the ISA might simply want to speak with Abu Shaban, they might also want to arrest him. The DCM thanked Mishlev for his help with the 2008 Fulbright students, and confirmed that a ConGen vehicle would pick them up at the Erez crossing the morning of June 4. ¶2. (C) Mishlev stressed that the GOI does not count "students, workers or businessmen" among the humanitarian cases eligible to leave Gaza under Israel's current restrictive policy. He said he decided unilaterally to give exit permits only to USG grantees, not to European or other countries' program recipients. He warned that in doing so, he was not only violating official GOI policy, but also opening himself to criticism from NGOs and the Military Advocate General, who was concerned about the legality of a double standard that favored American recipients over others. Mishlev said that for political and legal reasons, it was important that all cooperation with COGAT on these issues be handled quietly. "We need to continue with a very low profile because this is extremely sensitive," he said. ¶3. (C) Mishlev also expressed annoyance at last week's incident involving an MIT scholarship recipient from Gaza who used the opportunity of an Embassy-facilitated exit permit to testify before a Knesset committee examining Israel's refusal to let Palestinian students out of Gaza. The public nature of the student's activities had jeopardized COGAT's ability to work with us, Mishlev said. The DCM assured Mishlev that we were also concerned about the student's behavior, and would work to ensure that it does not happen again. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES