Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TELAVIV2519
2009-11-20 10:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
DEPUTY SECRETARY RAISES TRANSIT OF GAZA STUDENTS
how-toVZCZCXRO3802 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #2519 3241024 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201024Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4297 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 3213
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002519
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2019
TAGS: PREL IS
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY RAISES TRANSIT OF GAZA STUDENTS
WITH SHIN BET
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Sievers, reason 1.4 (b)(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002519
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2019
TAGS: PREL IS
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY RAISES TRANSIT OF GAZA STUDENTS
WITH SHIN BET
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Sievers, reason 1.4 (b)(d)
1. (C) In a November 15 meeting with Yuval Diskin, head of
the Shin Bet, Deputy Secretary Steinberg raised USG concern
about the Israeli requirement that Palestinian students
needing to exit Gaza and travel through ISRAEL to apply for
U.S. visas and/or transit to the Allenby Bridge be
accompanied by U.S. diplomats. Steinberg emphasized that he
was not asking that ISRAEL allow students about whom ISRAEL
has security concerns to transit; instead, the requirement
that otherwise qualified students, who had been admitted into
U.S. universities, be accompanied by U.S. diplomats while
transiting ISRAEL put unrealistic personnel demands upon U.S.
diplomatic operations. Diskin agreed that a compromise might
be possible, whereby the Israelis would still require that
Gaza students bound for U.S. universities be accompanied
while transiting Israel, but that they could be grouped
together and allowed to exit at one time, thus minimizing the
amount of staff time required of U.S. diplomats to accompany
them. Diskin asked his head of international relations, Alan
Moss, to look into working out an arrangement.
2. (U) Deputy Secretary Steinberg has approved this cable.
CUNNINGHAM
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2019
TAGS: PREL IS
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY RAISES TRANSIT OF GAZA STUDENTS
WITH SHIN BET
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Sievers, reason 1.4 (b)(d)
1. (C) In a November 15 meeting with Yuval Diskin, head of
the Shin Bet, Deputy Secretary Steinberg raised USG concern
about the Israeli requirement that Palestinian students
needing to exit Gaza and travel through ISRAEL to apply for
U.S. visas and/or transit to the Allenby Bridge be
accompanied by U.S. diplomats. Steinberg emphasized that he
was not asking that ISRAEL allow students about whom ISRAEL
has security concerns to transit; instead, the requirement
that otherwise qualified students, who had been admitted into
U.S. universities, be accompanied by U.S. diplomats while
transiting ISRAEL put unrealistic personnel demands upon U.S.
diplomatic operations. Diskin agreed that a compromise might
be possible, whereby the Israelis would still require that
Gaza students bound for U.S. universities be accompanied
while transiting Israel, but that they could be grouped
together and allowed to exit at one time, thus minimizing the
amount of staff time required of U.S. diplomats to accompany
them. Diskin asked his head of international relations, Alan
Moss, to look into working out an arrangement.
2. (U) Deputy Secretary Steinberg has approved this cable.
CUNNINGHAM