FAYYAD ON DETAINEES, NABLUS, AND INTERNAL POLITICS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001516 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWBG KPAL IS PROP KJUS SUBJECT: FAYYAD ON DETAINEES, NABLUS, AND INTERNAL POLITICS Classified By: Deputy Principal Officer Greg Marchese for reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) In an August 19 meeting with LtGen Selva and the Consul General, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad spoke out against detainee abuse by PA security forces. "We cannot accept the abuse or torture of people," he said. "It is a question of morality, not politics." Fayyad noted four deaths of detainees in PA custody in 2009: one in Hebron, for which "we are at fault at more than one level;" a second, in which "I can't be so unequivocal;" and two others that - while suicides - occured in PA premises, and for which the PA bore partial responsibility. He said that his visit to the family of the Hebron victim to accept responsibility was a signal to PA security chiefs, who previously "didn't take me seriously when I said it had to stop." He also noted that he met with security chiefs following the Fatah Congress to underscore his standing order that there would be no tolerance for violent attacks of any kind. ¶2. (C) Fayyad repeated his recent praise of security and economic developments in Nablus, saying, "Nablus today is a vibrant city, better than at any point since my return to Palestine (1996) in terms of pace of activity." This was particularly important, he suggested, because, "in a sense, Nablus is the heart of the country, which is why we started our city security campaigns there." Fayyad was also generally supportive of USG-funded efforts in the rule-of-law sector. He said that if stakeholders in the INL-funded Jenin justice sector program (which supports the district public prosecutor's office) found it useful, he was amenable to its expansion. ¶3. (C) Fayyad also commented on the issue of incitement, saying, "we're trying to do our best to change the environment." But Israelis, he argued, had to show forebearance, as "they have their own bad stuff going on." Reviewing the completed Fatah Congress, Fayyad argued that Abu Mazen "has to spend more time managing Fatah affairs" if he wants to "lock in" gains achieved in the Congress. "If he goes back to the old way," Fayyad said, "it will be difficult, and others will gang up on him. That doesn't mean he has to spend time anxiously fretting over affairs. But he has to demonstrate he is able and willing to outlast everyone else in the room." WALLES