NORWEGIANS PLEDGE AID FOR GAZA, BUT STRESS ACCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000003 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2019 TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL PHUM LE UNRWA NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS PLEDGE AID FOR GAZA, BUT STRESS ACCESS PROBLEMS REF: SECSTATE 135559 Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff met with Ingrid Schoyen, Assistant Director General of the Middle East Section of the MFA to deliver reftel demarche on aid to Gaza. Norway pledged 30 million kroner (approx $4.3 million) of aid to Gaza on December 30, actually taking the decision prior to the flash appeal by the UNRWA. Of the 30 million kroner, 10 million ($1.4 million) is for UNRWA, 10 million ($1.4 million) to the WHO for Medeco shipments, 5 million ($700,000) for NORWAC (a Norwegian NGO), and 5 million ($700,000) to the ICRC. Schoyen was unwilling to speculate on whether further aid to Gaza from the GON would be forthcoming. According to Schoyen, NORWAC is currently the only NGO with western surgeons operating in Gaza. ACCESS AND AN IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE -------------- ¶2. (C) Schoyen said that humanitarian access to Gaza was in fact more important at this time than financial commitments, and hoped that the USG would make this a clear priority when seeking to influence the Israelis. Smiling, Schoyen commented, "you can triple-underline the word 'access' if you like," and mentioned specific concern about access by the ICRC. Given the ground campaign, Schoyen emphasized the importance of also establishing a safe passage corridor for humanitarian supplies from the Israeli side. On the political level, Schoyen said the GON is focused on achieving a cease-fire agreement/resolution at the UN. No decision has yet been taken on whether Foreign Minister Stoere will go to NYC, but it is being actively discussed in the MFA. WHITNEY