Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JERUSALEM1569
2009-08-31 14:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
ABU AL FATAH ON NSF PLANNING, COMMAND STRUCTURE,
how-toVZCZCXRO5253 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHJM #1569 2431443 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 311443Z AUG 09 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5934 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 001569
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2019
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV MOPS ASEC KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ABU AL FATAH ON NSF PLANNING, COMMAND STRUCTURE,
MORALE
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 001569
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2019
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV MOPS ASEC KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ABU AL FATAH ON NSF PLANNING, COMMAND STRUCTURE,
MORALE
Classified By: Deputy Principal Officer Greg Marchese
for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) In an August 31 meeting in Ramallah, National
Security Forces (NSF) Commander Major General Thiab Muhammad
Mustafa Ali al Hamduni (Abu al Fatah) confirmed his long-term
vision for the NSF: 10 US-trained "special" NSF battalions
stationed at the governorate level and partnered with the
garrison NSF currently responsible for each governorate. "If
there is a political solution," Abu Fatah said, "the NSF will
be the main lead for border control and all other tasks. The
garrison battalions will do the daily work, and the special
battalions will do special tasks, like (combating)
infiltration over the borders. The extremist forces are
there; at any stage (the NSF) will have to confront them."
2. (C) Abu al Fatah identified Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem,
and Jenin as priority areas for construction of temporary
operations camps to house special NSF battalions graduating
from US training in Jordan. "The rest of the governorates
are not a problem," he said, "and in Ramallah it's okay, we
already have a special battalion here." On the subject of
Palestinian-Israeli coordination in the security arena, he
said, "we're still meeting. The political situation has not
progressed, but security meetings still continue. And also
the Israelis continue, with their incursions, their arrests,
their recruiting of agents."
3. (C) With regard to the two-year plan recently presented
by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to Abu Mazen, Abu al Fatah
said, "we will continue with the same plan to reinforce
security, and law and order -- Salam's plan is built on
security." While supportive of the Abu Mazen-Fayyad approach
to security overall, he was dismissive of a PA Ministry of
Interior role in NSF planning, saying, "I have nothing to do
with MOI. MOI plan however they wish."
4. (C) Overall, Abu Fatah was bullish on NSF performance,
saying, "the NSF is doing what it is tasked to do. Whenever
we receive information that we need to be involved in an
arrest, we do that, and we hand over the detainees to the
concerned parties. When there is a feud, or this kind of
problem, we intervene, and then we hand (the suspects) over
to the police. Morale is good. What we lack is ammunition
and weapons."
WALLES
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2019
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV MOPS ASEC KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ABU AL FATAH ON NSF PLANNING, COMMAND STRUCTURE,
MORALE
Classified By: Deputy Principal Officer Greg Marchese
for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) In an August 31 meeting in Ramallah, National
Security Forces (NSF) Commander Major General Thiab Muhammad
Mustafa Ali al Hamduni (Abu al Fatah) confirmed his long-term
vision for the NSF: 10 US-trained "special" NSF battalions
stationed at the governorate level and partnered with the
garrison NSF currently responsible for each governorate. "If
there is a political solution," Abu Fatah said, "the NSF will
be the main lead for border control and all other tasks. The
garrison battalions will do the daily work, and the special
battalions will do special tasks, like (combating)
infiltration over the borders. The extremist forces are
there; at any stage (the NSF) will have to confront them."
2. (C) Abu al Fatah identified Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem,
and Jenin as priority areas for construction of temporary
operations camps to house special NSF battalions graduating
from US training in Jordan. "The rest of the governorates
are not a problem," he said, "and in Ramallah it's okay, we
already have a special battalion here." On the subject of
Palestinian-Israeli coordination in the security arena, he
said, "we're still meeting. The political situation has not
progressed, but security meetings still continue. And also
the Israelis continue, with their incursions, their arrests,
their recruiting of agents."
3. (C) With regard to the two-year plan recently presented
by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to Abu Mazen, Abu al Fatah
said, "we will continue with the same plan to reinforce
security, and law and order -- Salam's plan is built on
security." While supportive of the Abu Mazen-Fayyad approach
to security overall, he was dismissive of a PA Ministry of
Interior role in NSF planning, saying, "I have nothing to do
with MOI. MOI plan however they wish."
4. (C) Overall, Abu Fatah was bullish on NSF performance,
saying, "the NSF is doing what it is tasked to do. Whenever
we receive information that we need to be involved in an
arrest, we do that, and we hand over the detainees to the
concerned parties. When there is a feud, or this kind of
problem, we intervene, and then we hand (the suspects) over
to the police. Morale is good. What we lack is ammunition
and weapons."
WALLES