PA SECURITY FORCES ON ALERT FOR FRIDAY UNREST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001755

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV MOPS ASEC PHUM KWBG IS
SUBJECT: PA SECURITY FORCES ON ALERT FOR FRIDAY UNREST

REF: JERUSALEM 1739

Classified By: Consul General Daniel Rubinstein
for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) On October 1, PA Minister of Interior Said Abu Ali
assessed the security situation in the West Bank as
"extremely tense" following September 27 clashes at the
Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif (reftel). "It recalls the
beginning of the second Intifada," he said, "when emotions
ran very high." He pointed to "the perceived negative
outcome of the New York summit meetings," the "lack of
progress in (Fatah-Hamas) reconciliation" talks, and an
upsurge in settler-Palestinian confrontations as aggravating
factors. "All of these instigations together," said Abu Ali,
"have prepared the ground for violent demonstrations," which
he expected to materialize following October 2 Friday prayer.


2. (C) At the same time, Abu Ali portrayed the PA as fully
seized with the challenge of preventing serious unrest. "We
are now in a constant state of emergency," he said. "Both
the President and the Prime Minister have been in constant
contact as they flew back into the country," he said, "with
instructions to prevent any spillover from al-Aqsa. The
security chiefs have been gathering intelligence and
monitoring contacts between different Hamas groupings in the
West Bank. They are making contacts in influential circles -
even in Jerusalem - to make sure things don't get out of
control."


3. (C) Abu Ali continued, "we have decided to give
permission for peaceful demonstrations. But the Civil Police
will block the access of the people to flashpoints, such as
checkpoints, or places of Israeli presence." He also
stressed the need for GOI cooperation with the PA's efforts
to prevent confrontations. "We have had contacts with
Israeli officials," he said, "to make sure they minimize
their presence, so they do not provoke people. We hope the
Israelis will exert efforts to reduce friction from their
side, especially with the settlers. The less Israeli
military activity, the better."


4. (C) Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) Chief Hazim Atullah
identified the primary threat in the West Bank as cooperation
between Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). "Hamas
will work with PIJ here," he said. "What happens in Gaza is
not what happens in the West Bank. Those factions help each
other here, because they're weak." He also expected that
members of Fatah "who had relations with Hizbollah in
Lebanon" would attempt to ignite clashes. "At the same
time," Atullah said, "we are controlling things. From five
o'clock today to Saturday morning, we are on Alert Number
One. People will be allowed to demonstrate their feelings
inside the (Area A) cities, peacefully, but that's it."

RUBINSTEIN