Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TELAVIV2694
2008-12-03 10:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN CONTACTS ON LIBYAN HUMANITARIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO7240 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #2694 3381045 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 031045Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9419 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 7763 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002694
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID UNSC KWBG IS LY EG
SUBJECT: ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN CONTACTS ON LIBYAN HUMANITARIAN
SUPPLIES FOR GAZA
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002694
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID UNSC KWBG IS LY EG
SUBJECT: ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN CONTACTS ON LIBYAN HUMANITARIAN
SUPPLIES FOR GAZA
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) MOD Arab Affairs Adviser David Hacham briefed
PolCouns December 3 on ongoing Israeli-Egyptian contacts
regarding the Libyan ship bearing humanitarian relief
supplies for Gaza. Hacham said the Israeli Navy closely
tracked the course of the Libyan ship on its way to Gaza. He
noted that Libya made no attempt to coordinate the ship's
entry into the coastal waters off Gaza, adding that Libya is
a "hostile state" that has no relations with Israel. When
the Libyan vessel entered Gazan waters December 1, the
Israeli Navy forced it to withdraw into the Mediterranean.
(Note: According to an IDF briefing paper provided to DAO,
the ship was carrying 30 Libyan, Syrian and Egyptian citizens
as well as many tons of humanitarian supplies.)
2. (C) Hacham said his liaison contacts in the Egyptian
General Intelligence Service (EGIS) were in close touch
during the incident, and that the Egyptians passed a message
to Defense Minister Barak requesting that Barak authorize the
Libyan ship to enter Gaza. After some consideration of the
request, Barak turned it down on the grounds that Libya is a
hostile state and that the Libyans had not attempted to
coordinate the delivery of the relief in advance.
3. (C) According to Hacham, the Israelis made a
counter-offer that the Libyan relief supplies be off-loaded
in Egypt, the Egyptians would undertake to inspect them to
ensure that all of it was indeed humanitarian relief, and
that the Egyptians would then transport it into Gaza via the
Kerem Shalom crossing. In response to PolCouns' question
whether it would be acceptable to Israel to have the supplies
pass through Rafah Crossing, Hacham said Israel's preference
was for the Egyptians to use Kerem Shalom, the designated
crossing for humanitarian relief. Asked whether other Arab
states without relations with Israel could also make similar
arrangements to deliver humanitarian relief through Egypt,
Hacham said he thought the GOI would review such requests on
a case by case basis.
********************************************* ********************
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.
********************************************* ********************
MORENO
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID UNSC KWBG IS LY EG
SUBJECT: ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN CONTACTS ON LIBYAN HUMANITARIAN
SUPPLIES FOR GAZA
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) MOD Arab Affairs Adviser David Hacham briefed
PolCouns December 3 on ongoing Israeli-Egyptian contacts
regarding the Libyan ship bearing humanitarian relief
supplies for Gaza. Hacham said the Israeli Navy closely
tracked the course of the Libyan ship on its way to Gaza. He
noted that Libya made no attempt to coordinate the ship's
entry into the coastal waters off Gaza, adding that Libya is
a "hostile state" that has no relations with Israel. When
the Libyan vessel entered Gazan waters December 1, the
Israeli Navy forced it to withdraw into the Mediterranean.
(Note: According to an IDF briefing paper provided to DAO,
the ship was carrying 30 Libyan, Syrian and Egyptian citizens
as well as many tons of humanitarian supplies.)
2. (C) Hacham said his liaison contacts in the Egyptian
General Intelligence Service (EGIS) were in close touch
during the incident, and that the Egyptians passed a message
to Defense Minister Barak requesting that Barak authorize the
Libyan ship to enter Gaza. After some consideration of the
request, Barak turned it down on the grounds that Libya is a
hostile state and that the Libyans had not attempted to
coordinate the delivery of the relief in advance.
3. (C) According to Hacham, the Israelis made a
counter-offer that the Libyan relief supplies be off-loaded
in Egypt, the Egyptians would undertake to inspect them to
ensure that all of it was indeed humanitarian relief, and
that the Egyptians would then transport it into Gaza via the
Kerem Shalom crossing. In response to PolCouns' question
whether it would be acceptable to Israel to have the supplies
pass through Rafah Crossing, Hacham said Israel's preference
was for the Egyptians to use Kerem Shalom, the designated
crossing for humanitarian relief. Asked whether other Arab
states without relations with Israel could also make similar
arrangements to deliver humanitarian relief through Egypt,
Hacham said he thought the GOI would review such requests on
a case by case basis.
********************************************* ********************
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.
********************************************* ********************
MORENO