PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR: QATAR PLEDGES SUPPORT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000549

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2019
TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG QA
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR: QATAR PLEDGES SUPPORT TO
ABBAS ON NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Mirembe Nantongo, for reasons 1.4 (b,
d).

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(C) KEY POINTS
--------------

-- The Amir told Mahmoud Abbas August 31 in Doha that he
supports the idea of having the Palestinian political
players, to include Hamas, give the Palestinian President a
mandate to negotiate with Israel, according to the
Palestinian ambassador to Qatar, who added that this would
get around the problem of Hamas not wanting to speak directly
with Israel.

-- The Palestinian Ambassador, who gave a readout of the
meeting to Charge on September 2, said the Amir pledged to
Abbas that Qatar will exert influence on Hamas in the
Cairo-sponsored negotiations process and that Egypt properly
has the lead in that process.

-- The Palestinian Ambassador said the heart of the problem
on the negotiations front is that Hamas accepts the dictates
of conservative Islamic religious figures who do not support
the modern concept of a nation-state.

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(C) COMMENTS
--------------

-- It is a positive development if the GOQ follows up on the
commitment made to Abbas, as reported by Ambassador
Ghannam, to use its influence with Hamas to achieve positive
outcomes in the context of discussions brokered by the
Egyptians (who have a tense relationship with Qatar).

-- Despite the Amir's insistence on giving Hamas its due as
the winner of free and fair elections, the Ambassador
underscored that the Amir nonetheless recognizes Hamas'
shortcomings and wants to help bring about a Palestinian
state and peace in the region.

End Key Points and Comments.


1. (C) In a September 2 meeting with Charge, Palestinian
Ambassador to Qatar Munir Ghannam characterized Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas' August 31 meeting with Amir Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani (accompanied by Prime Minister Hamad bin
Jassim Al Thani and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad
Al-Attiyah) as warm, with smiles all around. The Ambassador,
who attended the meeting, said despite Qatar's strong
"support for Hamas," the Palestinian President believed it
was beneficial to ask the GOQ to intervene with Hamas in
support of a unified Palestinian government.


2. (C) As expected, the Amir told Abbas that Hamas is the
Palestinians' democratically elected and legitimate
Government and that it needs time to grow into the role.
After discussion, however, the Amir -- according to the
Palestinian Ambassador -- told Abbas that, as Palestinian
President, he should have a mandate from all parties on the
Palestinian political scene to negotiate on behalf of the
Palestinians. In this way, Hamas would not need to recognize
Israel in order for the Palestinian Authority to negotiate
with it.


3. (C) The Amir also pledged to Abbas, the Palestinian
Ambassador said, to use its good offices and "exert
influence" on Hamas to achieve a good outcome in the
Cairo-sponsored negotiations. The Amir also acknowledged that
the Egyptians properly have the lead in those negotiations,
added Ghannam.


4. (C) The Ambassador noted that despite the policy
differences between Abbas and the Amir, they have warm
personal relations. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he
explained, Abbas worked in Qatar in higher education and had
taught many current Qatari officials -- including the Amir.
As testimony to the good relations, the Amir and his second
wife (Shaykha Mozah) hosted Abbas and his spouse for a
private dinner at Shayka Mozah's villa the evening of August

31.

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ABBAS' PITCH
--------------


5. (C) According to Ambassador Ghannam, Abbas has been
telling countries supportive of Hamas (such as Qatar, Sudan,
and Syria) that Hamas cannot accept a political peace process
in the Middle East because to do so would require engaging

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Israel. Religious authorities, who generally are not
Palestinian, sway Hamas' thinking, noted the Ambassador.
These clerics do not necessarily care for the Palestinian
national agenda -- much less the concept of a modern
nation-state. Muslims, they believe, should be united as one
community. The black and white interpretations of these
Islamic leaders come from God, and Abbas told the Amir (as he
has told other Arab leaders) that accepting these dictates is
not practical. Ghannam added that Shaykh Qaradawi of Qatar
is an example of a religious figure whose words the Hamas
leadership, especially Mishaal, heeds.


6. (C) At minimum, continued Ghannam, Abbas wants Hamas as
the governing power to abide by the Oslo election timetable
and ensure that presidential and legislative elections go
forward in January as scheduled. Exerting pressure on Hamas
in this area is another way that Qatar, Syria, and Sudan --
for example -- could help. Abbas is seriously open to
forming an "independent" Palestinian government (with himself
at its head as president) to prepare for January elections,
said Ghannam.


7. (C) Ghannam closed the meeting by expressing his
President's thanks for all that President Obama is doing to
achieve a complete settlement freeze on the Israeli side.
Ambassador Ghannam added that the Amir told Abbas he was also
very pleased with President Obama's positions to date. The
Ambassador said 57 Arab/Muslim countries stand ready to
recognize Israel if only Israel accepts the Israeli border
before the 1967 war and recognizes the West Bank and Gaza as
a Palestinian state.
Nantongo