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). -------------- (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. -------------- (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. -------------- 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 DOHA 00000549 002 OF 002 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