IS THE SARG INFLUENCING HAMAS'S INCREASINGLY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 000783 SIPDIS LONDON FOR LORD, PARIS FOR NOBLES E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2019 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KPAL SY SUBJECT: IS THE SARG INFLUENCING HAMAS'S INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE TONE? Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Chuck Hunter for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: Hamas distributed a memorandum last week to some Arab ambassadors in Damascus blasting the Palestinian Authority (PA) and PA President Mahmoud Abbas for "obstructing reconciliation efforts." It also condemned Egypt's role in Palestinian reconciliation and expressed reservations Hamas holds on the draft agreement resulting from Egyptian-brokered talks between the PA and Hamas. Syrian and diplomatic contacts tell us Hamas's harshly worded memorandum is another example of the increasingly aggressive, anti-PA tone Hamas and its Damascus-based leadership have taken following the controversy over the Goldstone Report. Observers continue to debate, however, whether the SARG has influenced the change in tone and blessed the more provocative statements coming from Hamas and its leadership. A November 6 speech by Khaled Meshaal struck a more cordial tone toward Abbas, but it continued the steady drumbeat of calling for the unification of the Palestinians against peace talks. END SUMMARY. HAMAS MEMO TAKES SWINGS AT ABBAS, CAIRO ¶2. (S) A memorandum distributed last week by Hamas to some Arab ambassadors in Damascus blasted Fatah and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for "undermining" Palestinian reconciliation. Post obtained a copy of the memorandum (e-mailed separately to NEA),which also condemns the PA for failing to support taking the Goldstone Report to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Hamas criticized Egypt's role in Palestinian reconciliation talks between Hamas and the PA, while accusing Egypt of "refusing any amendments" to a proposal for reconciliation resulting from negotiations Egypt brokered between the PA and Hamas. ¶3. (S) The two "key reservations" to the Egyptian draft agreement Hamas cites in the memorandum relate to: 1) the formation of a Palestinian National Council; and 2) the appointment of an election committee. Regarding the former, the memo stated that a sentence declaring "the above-mentioned duties (of the council) cannot be obstructed, seeing that they constitute national consensus that has been agreed upon," was deleted from the final version of the draft agreement. ¶4. (S) On the second topic, Hamas criticized the draft agreement for allowing the Palestinian president to form an election committee based on "the consultations he carries out and on the basis of proportional representation." Hamas argued that the election committee must be formed based on "national agreement," and not consultation or proportional representation. The memorandum argued both clauses were modified after consensus on the draft agreement was reached by the two parties. EGYPTIAN EMBASSY CLAIMS MEMORANDUM "FULL OF LIES" ¶5. (S) Egyptian diplomat Marwa Fouad (strictly protect) told us on November 2 the Hamas memorandum, was "full of lies." She said the two parties agreed on the draft agreement and the PA signed it. She agreed the Goldstone Report controversy subsequently changed the equation, with Hamas attempting to exploit the issue to the PA's detriment. Fouad maintained, however, Egypt could not support changing the text of the draft agreement now "because the talks are over and the PA signed the agreement." "If Hamas wants to sign the agreement, they are free to come and do so, but we won't change the text of the agreement now," she added. "One party has already signed the agreement, and Egypt cannot unilaterally agree to any amendments. Amendments would require the negotiations to reopen, and there are no plans for that." ¶6. (S) According to Fouad, Khaled Meshaal issued the memorandum after secretly visiting Iran while on a visit to Qatar. At Tehran's urging, Hamas was using the reservations expressed in the memorandum as an excuse to justify Hamas's opposition to the draft agreement. "It is obvious the Iranians told him to send this memo. Meshaal couldn't say: 'The Iranians said no.' So instead he issued the memo and blamed Egypt," she concluded. Asserting that other Arab embassies were not taking the memorandum seriously, she reported Hamas representatives in Damascus regularly called the Egyptian Embassy but the Embassy was not responding to Hamas requests to discuss changes to the draft agreement. Fouad said she hoped the USG would ask the SARG to put pressure on Hamas "to play a constructive rather than an unconstructive role," but she questioned the extent to which the SARG holds leverage over Hamas. According to Fouad, the Goldstone Report controversy and Iranian influence may be DAMASCUS 00000783 002 OF 002 bigger factors behind Hamas's increasingly aggressive anti-PA rhetoric. 7.(S) Sinaan al-Majali (strictly protect) of the Jordanian Embassy also questioned the extent of the SARG's leverage over Hamas. "My Syrian friends inside and outside the government insist that Hamas is doing these things on their own, and Syria cannot control them," he said. He also pointed to Iranian influence over Hamas as a significant factor in the organization's current rhetoric. Majali reported his embassy does not believe the memorandum will affect the position of Arab governments on Palestinian reconciliation. He expressed concern, however, that the legitimacy of any upcoming Palestinian elections was being undermined by the controversy. ¶8. (S) A recent speech by Meshaal suggests a slight mellowing toward Abbas (after the latter's announcement he would not run for re-election). While softer on Abu Mazen, Meshaal's rhetoric was firmly opposed to pursuing negotiations. "Any leader who insists on the right of return for Palestinian refugees and on restoring their land, even to the 1967 borders . . . must know that the way to do this is not through negotiations or betting on the Americans but through holy war, resistance, and national unity." Syrian officials will welcome the "outstretched hand" to Fatah, but it remains unclear how they view Hamas's rejection of "betting on the Americans." ¶9. (S) COMMENT: Saudi King Abdullah's October 7 visit, which occurred shortly after the Goldstone controversy erupted at the United Nations, was supposed to have provided an opportunity to lobby the Syrian government to use its influence to convince Hamas to embrace the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal. According to Egyptian sources here, however, the Goldstone episode provided Hamas with ammunition to convince the Syrians and Saudis that proceeding with the agreement would hurt the Palestinian cause. While Meshaal's latest rhetoric suggests the SARG may be attempting to ease its attacks on the PA, Meshaal's focus on resistance seems aimed at making it more difficult for the PA to return to negotiations. Though Iran's hand is evident in Hamas's efforts to influence Arab opinion, Hamas's antics serve Syria's interest in adding pressure on anyone trying to pursue peace with Israel without going first through Damascus. END COMMENT. HUNTER