PALESTINIAN RECONCILIATION: LATEST ROUND OF TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000613 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KWBG KPAL IS EG SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN RECONCILIATION: LATEST ROUND OF TALKS ENDS WITHOUT PROGRESS REF: JERUSALEM 602 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. The latest round of Egyptian-mediated reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas ended in Cairo on April 2, less than 72 hours after they began. The talks are expected to resume in two to three weeks. Fatah sought publicly to portray Hamas as intransigent in refusing to go along with many of the Egyptian hosts' suggestions. Privately, senior Fatah members said neither faction had budged from starting positions on the most contentious issues. End summary. ¶2. (C) The latest round of Egyptian-mediated talks designed to bring about reconciliation among Palestinian factions ended on April 2, less than 72 hours after they began. Egyptian officials asked the delegations to leave Cairo and set a tentative date for a third round of talks on April 21 or April 26. The head of the Fatah legislative bloc, Azzam al-Ahmad, told Polspec on April 2 that Hamas had rejected an Egyptian suggestion that the current PA government is "legitimate" and should continue its work until the reconciliation talks produce an agreement. ¶3. (C) Al-Ahmad also praised an Egyptian proposal, rejected by Hamas, to create a joint committee of the factions to oversee the implementation of any agreement and to smooth the path to new presidential and legislative elections. Press reported Hamas official Ismayl Radwan accusing Fatah delegates of "sabotaging" the talks by adopting new conditions under "pressure" from the USG. Al-Ahmad, in a public statement, said Hamas was "inflexible" and needs to reconsider its positions in order for an agreement to be reached. ¶4. (C) Al-Ahmad and Military Intelligence Chief Majid Farraj told Polspec on April 2 that no progress was made bridging gaps on key disagreements over government formation, PLO restructuring, elections, and security service reform. Government formation discussions remain stuck over differences in the government's program, in particular a commitment to previous PLO agreements, according to Al-Ahmad and Farraj. On elections, Al-Ahmad and Farraj said Hamas stood alone in arguing for a mixed district/proportional system identical to one employed in 2006, while Fatah continues to seek a fully proportionate system. Fatah demanded a 1.5 percent threshold for winning a seat, while Hamas's position called for a five percent threshold. Al-Ahmad and Farraj said Hamas did indicate a willingness to be flexible on the percentage required. ¶5. (C) Farraj also described wide differences over security sector reform, with Fatah insisting on current arrangements, which place certain services, including General Intelligence (GI),under the President's authority while Hamas insisted the GI should report to a new Prime Minister. Fatah sought to limit "reforms" to Gaza and return the security forces there to their pre-June 2007 configuration, Farraj said, while Hamas demanded a role for "security services" established in Gaza after June 2007, as well as for the "reforms" to be implemented in both Gaza and the West Bank. WALLES