Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JERUSALEM1516
2009-08-25 14:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

FAYYAD ON DETAINEES, NABLUS, AND INTERNAL POLITICS

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KWBG KPAL IS PROP KJUS 
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VZCZCXRO0606
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1516 2371403
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 251403Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5862
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
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).

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