UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY -- ISRAEL'S REQUEST TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001437 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, PRM/ANE, IO/RHS, IO/UNP, NEA NSC FOR J. BADER E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2019 TAGS: PREL UNGA KPAL ID IS SUBJECT: UN RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY -- ISRAEL'S REQUEST TO SPEAK AT UPCOMING EVENT REF: STATE 90251 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has reviewed with the GOI reftel points concerning Israeli involvement in the upcoming anniversary celebration of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Pol/C underscored the USG's support for Israel's request to speak at the event. GOI contacts were non-committal, although they agreed that it was important not to send negative signals to participants in the Middle East peace process at this critical time. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Mission has reviewed reftel points re UNRWA with GOI contacts. On August 31, Pol/C reviewed the points with Astari Daenuwy, international affairs adviser in the President's Office, and Cicilia Rusdiharini of the America's Desk at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU). Pol/C underscored our support for Israel's request to speak, and stressed that the Israeli request presented an important opportunity to encourage Israeli engagement with the UN and specifically with UNRWA. Pol/C noted that the UNRWA Commissioner-General had advised us that UNRWA will recommend to the steering committee for the 60th anniversary event that Israel be allowed to speak. The USG will--if Israel is allowed to speak--encourage it to make a constructive and positive statement. ¶3. (C) GOI contacts took our points on board, commenting that Indonesia has not yet made a decision on the matter. That said, they agreed with the point that it was important that states work to create a climate conducive to the early resumption and conclusion of final status negotiations. They seemed to understand the point that excluding Israel from the UNRWA event would serve to undercut those efforts and send a negative signal at a critical time. ¶4. (U) We urged the GOI to communicate its view in advance of the September 8 steering committee meeting. HUME