Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JERUSALEM46
2009-01-06 17:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

PA SECURITY CHIEFS DISCUSS GAZA CRISIS

Tags:  PREL PGOV MOPS KWBG KPAL IS GZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0681
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0046 0061700
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061700Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3711
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000046 

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL; S/ES-O FOR SECRETARY'S TRAVELING
PARTY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS KWBG KPAL IS GZ
SUBJECT: PA SECURITY CHIEFS DISCUSS GAZA CRISIS

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000046

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR
ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL; S/ES-O FOR SECRETARY'S TRAVELING
PARTY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS KWBG KPAL IS GZ
SUBJECT: PA SECURITY CHIEFS DISCUSS GAZA CRISIS

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. PA security chiefs told PolFSN on January 6
that the security situation in the West Bank remains under
control, and that the PA's reputation depends on how the
crisis in Gaza is resolved. End summary.


2. (C) National Security Forces (NSF) commander MG Thiab
al-Ali (Abu al-Fatah) said he is under instruction not to
make public statements on the situation in Gaza. Previous
comments he has made, to the effect that the PA will not rule
out any options for dealing with Gaza, have caused him
"headaches," he said. Ali said the IDF operation in Gaza has
increased the security burden on NSF forces in the West Bank,
but that they have so far been successful "despite incitement
by Hamas." He said the Gaza operation will have long-term
repercussions for the political process, and that the GOI
will have to decide how long "it wants to occupy the West
Bank." MG Ali said he is concerned that reports of increased
civilian casualties will worsen the political standing of the
PA in the West Bank.


3. (C) Palestinian Police chief MG Hazim Attallah described
police efforts to prevent clashes between IDF soldiers and
Palestinians in the West Bank. He said efforts in
PA-controlled areas have been largely successful, but flagged
Hebron for concern because of its strong Hamas presence and
the division of the city into Israeli and Palestinian
sections. Attallah acknowledged that efforts to restrain
demonstrations have come at significant political cost to the
PA, and to President Abbas and PM Fayyad in particular. He
said his message to IDF interlocutors is that any weakening
of Hamas in Gaza must be accompanied by strengthening the PA
in the West Bank. "I told several Israeli generals,
including (Gadi) Shamni and (Noam) Tibon, that if they don't
stop their incursions in the West Bank, we will run out of
justifications to our people."


4. (C) Military Intelligence (MI, "Istikhbarat") head Majid
al-Farraj said it will be "disastrous" for the PA and Fatah
in the West Bank if Hamas survives the IDF operation in Gaza.
He outlined Hamas' goals as surviving the strikes, remaining
in power, and portraying the PA as collaborators with Israel.
Al-Farraj noted that Hamas leaders Khalid Mesh'al and Usama
Hamdan have said Hamas will accept an arrangement whereby the
PA and Hamas are jointly present at Rafah alongside EU
monitors, which al-Farraj assesses as indicating Hamas is
open to "realistic" ceasefire proposals. He said Hamas'
refusal to meet with President Abbas is an attempt to paint
Abbas as irrelevant. Without Israeli efforts to strengthen
the PA, either on the political level or on the ground,
al-Farraj said the PA will become "politically bankrupt"
regardless of the outcome in Gaza.

WALLES