AGGRESSIVE EVOLUTION OF NOUAKCHOTT ANTI-ISRAELI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000005 SENSITIVE SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR AF/W; DS/AF; NEA; DS/IP/AF; DS/DSS/ITA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2014 TAGS: ASEC KPAL KPAO MR PREL SUBJECT: AGGRESSIVE EVOLUTION OF NOUAKCHOTT ANTI-ISRAELI DEMONSTRATION Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES DHANKINS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B & D). ¶1. (U) Summary: Sporadic Anti-Israeli demonstrations have grown in size and aggressiveness. Pre and post prayer marches on Friday, January 2, numbered several hundred; active but handily turned back from Israeli, Egyptian, and other Mission precincts by riot police. The January 4th return of students to the National University saw a substantial increase in numbers (five hundred plus) and a corresponding aggressiveness. By noon, January 5th, knots of 100 to 150 activists had formed but were being deterred by heavy police presence. End Summary. MOUNTING UNREST -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Until Friday, January 2, anti-Israeli demonstrations sparked by the Israeli air strikes on Gaza were limited to sporadic marches by groups of fifty to sixty that were thwarted by highly visible, substantially reinforced riot police and National Guard units stationed at all major intersections leading toward the Israeli and other Missions in the city. ¶3. (SBU) One exception to this was a direct attack on the Israeli embassy by a lone activist who hurled three Molotov cocktails, only one of which was lit, setting a small fire outside the Israeli Mission compound. He was immediately apprehended and later declared that he had attacked alone, inflamed by the pictures of dead and injured Palestinian children. ¶4. (SBU) On Friday, January 2, demonstrations and marches both before and after Friday afternoon services increased in number and organization. Coherent groups of fifty to one hundred activists marched, starting in the downtown market/plaza region surrounding the large so called Saudi mosque and moved along streets leading to the Israeli Embassy a mile or so away. These groups, waving Palestinian flags and calling for an end to Mauritanian diplomatic ties to Israel, pushed police harder than before and were turned back with tear gas and pressure from the police. No injuries were reported. ¶5. (SBU) On Sunday, January 4, the Israeli ground assault on Gaza melded with the return of students to the National University after the New Year's break to increase the size, energy, and aggressiveness of the demonstrators. While difficult to tell, there were probably as many as a thousand demonstrators. Staging vastly improved with dummies emblazoned with American and Israeli flags burned, placards of President Bush and Prime Minister Olmert defaced and burned, and tires/trash cans set alight in the market and plaza area around the Saudi mosque and downtown business and government centers. ¶6. (SBU) The demonstrators also appeared much more willing to absorb punishment and hit back. In clashes on the avenues there were injuries on both sides. The police perhaps took the bulk of the injuries in an effort to avoid provoking the crowds. A number of police vehicles were damaged by rocks and paving stones but the marchers were pushed back to the plaza area with tear gas and massed police in riot gear. Even armored cars were struck now visible with their cracked windows and pock-marked bodies. ¶7. (SBU) Focus: Marchers have generally centered on reaching the Egyptian and Israeli Missions, some distance from rallying grounds around the mosque. This has allowed the police time and space to disperse them. Sunday's march saw stops at the offices of the Palestinian Authority Mission unfortunately close to the Saudi mosque to decry PA passivity and an effort to deploy a banner at the US Mission. In the latter case, a splinter from a larger avenue group was seen moving downside streets towards the US Mission. Three of the group (six to ten total perhaps) were apprehended. While they could not produce a petition they said they wished to deliver, they did have an anti-US banner in hand. ¶8. (SBU) Modality: Students went from class to class gathering up manpower immediately after the opening of the university Sunday morning. Enthusiasm was limited as one US NOUAKCHOTT 00000005 002 OF 002 teacher noted that only five of her students of a hundred or so left to join the marches. The Mission nonetheless canceled a planned lecture by a USG language specialist scheduled for January 5. ¶9. (SBU) Problems: Peace Corps occupies two floors of the city's single modern high rise (nine floors) within a few hundred yards of the Saudi mosque. The street on which it stands is one of the main demo staging areas. Although Peace Corps has not been targeted and is not generally known to be housed in the building, we are aware of the danger and have taken steps to avoid any action that would attract negative attention. The Mission's set back, main entrance on a side street, and National Guard as well as reinforced police perimeter defense should insulate it from direct exposure to the demonstrations unless they become much more violent. ¶10. (SBU Future: As of Monday, January 05, 2009, police have moved to secure the downtown staging areas in an effort to stymie the marches before they begin. However, short of a resolution of the Gaza incursions, the chances for wider and more violent demonstrations as the week winds towards Friday prayers will increase. Political Impact -------------- ¶11. (C) The Gaza crisis poses a problem both the military High State Council (HCE) and the constitutional Abdallahi administration would wish to go away. The demonstrations come as the HCE's Etat Genereaux de la Democratie (EGD) begins moving towards its final reports on/about January 7 and the Abdallahi forces plan/hope for a popular public reception of the legally elected President on his return to Nouakchott shortly thereafter. Neither side is able to generate much interest in their domestic political cause as Mauritanians focus instead on Gaza. Not only do the demonstrations cloud their plans, they bring pressure on both sides for a decision on Israeli diplomatic relations, a decision neither side wants to make. ¶12. (C) Despite the security breach that allowed the Molotov cocktail to catch fire in front of the Israeli Embassy, the Israeli's have been satisfied with the additional security the authorities have provided. The regime's Foreign Minister has assured Israeli Ambassador Arbel that the regime has no plans to severe diplomatic relations. The same assurance has been provided to U.S. and French diplomats. The Israelis accepted the early demonstrations as a necessary way to let Mauritanians let off steam. The return of the students, however, has increased the intensity of the demonstrations testing the ability of the authorities to keep control without excessive force. HANKINS