CODEL WEXLER DISCUSSES PA GOVERNMENT FORMATION

S E C R E T JERUSALEM 000785 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR. JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV OREP EAID PTER IS KWBG KPAL SUBJECT: CODEL WEXLER DISCUSSES PA GOVERNMENT FORMATION WITH PRESIDENT ABBAS AND PM FAYYAD Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Summary. Congressman Wexler discussed PA government formation and other issues with President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad on May 9. Abbas and Fayyad assured the Congressman that the new Palestinian government would abide by Quartet principles, and advised the USG to separate the issues of Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and encourage the GOI to accept a two-state solution. End summary. Abbas: Our Principles Are the Quartet Principles -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S) In response to questions from Congressman Wexler, PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) explained that the PA's principles are the same as the Quartet's principles, and said there is no chance of a unity government including Hamas. He encouraged the USG to give priority to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to push the GOI to commit to ceasing all settlement activity. He said the situation in Gaza is "deteriorating every moment," though the PA is still paying salaries to its 77,000 employees in Gaza. He emphasized the importance of U.S. and other donor assistance to the PA's financial viability. Fayyad: Avoid Hamas in Public Discourse -------------- ¶3. (S) PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told Congressman Wexler that it is "out of the question" that a new government would include a minister who disagreed with Quartet principles, and advised against USG officials referring to Hamas in public discourse, saying it gives Hamas credibility and makes Hamas stronger. Fayyad said Israeli PM Netanyahu's talk of economic, political, and security tracks lacks content, and expressed hope that PM Netanyahu's meeting with President Obama this month would result in GOI acceptance of a credible two-state solution. On settlements, Fayyad urged the USG not to "create different kinds of settlements" by differentiating between settlemests east and west of the security barrier or between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He told Wexler that Palestinian concessions on settlements at this time would be politically untenable. WALLES