Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TELAVIV2234
2009-10-13 14:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
MFA CLAIMS POLICE VIDEO PROVES LACK OF SETTLER
how-toVZCZCXRO8599 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #2234 2861402 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131402Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3771 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0640 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9220
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002234
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF KWBG IS
SUBJECT: MFA CLAIMS POLICE VIDEO PROVES LACK OF SETTLER
PROVOCATION AT AL-AQSA
REF: TEL AVIV 2227
Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002234
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF KWBG IS
SUBJECT: MFA CLAIMS POLICE VIDEO PROVES LACK OF SETTLER
PROVOCATION AT AL-AQSA
REF: TEL AVIV 2227
Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) In light of the Palestinian Authority's decision to
request a special session of the UN Human Rights Council
linking the Goldstone Report to "events at Al-Aqsa," Foreign
Minister Lieberman convinced the Israel National Police to
authorize MFA to use a police video of disturbances on the
Temple Mount/Haram Al-Sharif September 27. According to MFA
Deputy Director General for the Middle East Yacov Hadas, the
police video, taken by a hidden camera on the Haram side of
the Mughrabi Gate, definitively proves that the police did
not allow any members of the Temple Faithful Jewish extremist
organization to enter the Gate, September 27. Instead, the
clash with the police thatmorning was due to the police
effort to protect wo French Christian tourists, who were
walking o the Haram and came under attack by a crowd of
Mulims in an apparent case of mistaken identity. Th video
reportedly confirms the account of the inident cited by MFA
officials in reftel, and contradicts Palestinian and Arab
media accounts alleging that the police incited the incident
by escorting a group of Temple Faithful activists through the
Mughrabi Gate.
2. (C) Hadas told PolCouns October 12 that he had showed the
video to Jordanian Ambassador Al-Ayad, who reportedly was
stunned by the evidence that the Arab media accounts were
false. Al-Ayad reportedly phoned the Al-Aqsa Waqf officials
on the spot, and the Waqf admitted that the Israeli police
version was in fact the truth, i.e. no Temple Mount Faithful
members entered the Haram and the disturbances resulted from
the attack on the French tourists. Hadas dismissed media
reports that Jordan had threatened to expel the Israeli
ambassador in Amman over "Israeli provocations" against
Al-Aqsa, saying that the Jordanians know perfectly well that
there were no provocations..
CUNNINGHAM
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2019
TAGS: PREL KIRF KWBG IS
SUBJECT: MFA CLAIMS POLICE VIDEO PROVES LACK OF SETTLER
PROVOCATION AT AL-AQSA
REF: TEL AVIV 2227
Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (C) In light of the Palestinian Authority's decision to
request a special session of the UN Human Rights Council
linking the Goldstone Report to "events at Al-Aqsa," Foreign
Minister Lieberman convinced the Israel National Police to
authorize MFA to use a police video of disturbances on the
Temple Mount/Haram Al-Sharif September 27. According to MFA
Deputy Director General for the Middle East Yacov Hadas, the
police video, taken by a hidden camera on the Haram side of
the Mughrabi Gate, definitively proves that the police did
not allow any members of the Temple Faithful Jewish extremist
organization to enter the Gate, September 27. Instead, the
clash with the police thatmorning was due to the police
effort to protect wo French Christian tourists, who were
walking o the Haram and came under attack by a crowd of
Mulims in an apparent case of mistaken identity. Th video
reportedly confirms the account of the inident cited by MFA
officials in reftel, and contradicts Palestinian and Arab
media accounts alleging that the police incited the incident
by escorting a group of Temple Faithful activists through the
Mughrabi Gate.
2. (C) Hadas told PolCouns October 12 that he had showed the
video to Jordanian Ambassador Al-Ayad, who reportedly was
stunned by the evidence that the Arab media accounts were
false. Al-Ayad reportedly phoned the Al-Aqsa Waqf officials
on the spot, and the Waqf admitted that the Israeli police
version was in fact the truth, i.e. no Temple Mount Faithful
members entered the Haram and the disturbances resulted from
the attack on the French tourists. Hadas dismissed media
reports that Jordan had threatened to expel the Israeli
ambassador in Amman over "Israeli provocations" against
Al-Aqsa, saying that the Jordanians know perfectly well that
there were no provocations..
CUNNINGHAM