AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH UNRWA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000059

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2014
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREF PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE'S MEETING WITH UNRWA
COMMISSIONER-GENERAL ABUZAYD

Classified By: Ambassador Susan E. Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner-General of the UN
Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near
East (UNRWA),met Ambassador Rice prior to AbuZayd's Jan. 27
appearance before the Security Council and described the
humanitarian situation in Gaza as very bad. She stated that
the US has a vital role to play in supporting relief and
recovery initiatives. While UNRWA and other aid agencies
continue efforts to meet basic humanitarian needs such as
food, health care, shelter and water, planning for early
recovery has taken center stage. Adequate supplies of food
and medical items appear to be in the pipeline. However,
UNRWA's work to provide emergency and recovery assistance
remains stymied by Israeli-imposed restrictions on the
movement of critical relief and recovery supplies. AbuZayd
requested USG assistance in convincing Israel to
significantly expand the use of border crossings to permit
adequate levels of aid and much-needed commercial goods to
reach Gaza. She also asked for support in getting Israel to
lift restrictions on commodities that are vital to the
recovery effort, especially building materials such as
concrete to repair the thousands of homes damaged or
destroyed by the Israeli offensive.


2. (C) On the political side, AbuZayd pinpointed the need for
Palestinian unity in order for relief and recovery efforts to
succeed and opined that moderate elements of Hamas might
choose a pragmatic path and work with Fatah. Noting that the
USG normally provides one-quarter of UNRWA's funding
requirements, the Commissioner-General expressed hope for a
generous US response to the upcoming Flash Appeal for Gaza,
roughly an additional $60 million. When asked about Israeli
bombardment of UNRWA facilities, AbuZayd could not explain
how this occurred since UNRWA staff had been in constant
contact with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and provided
them with the coordinates of UNRWA facilities in order to
avoid such attacks. End summary.


3. (C) AbuZayd, accompanied by the director of the UNRWA
office in New York, Andrew Whitley, described the
humanitarian situation in Gaza as very bad. Noting progress
in the delivery of food and medical care to Gaza's stricken
population, she outlined longer-term challenges in dealing
with the huge quantity of housing stock destroyed by Israel's
bombardments and psycho-social trauma suffered by civilians
caught between the warring parties. UNRWA and other aid
agencies involved in humanitarian relief and early recovery
efforts find it difficult to move forward due to Israel's
routine closure of border crossings as well as strict
prohibitions on the movement of needed relief and recovery
commodities.


4. (C) According to AbuZayd, to maintain its operations under
normal circumstances, UNRWA requires the movement of 400
trucks into Gaza on a daily basis. Since the start of the
conflict in late December, no more than 200 trucks per day
have been allowed to enter Gaza from Israel. Israeli
authorities prohibit or limit many supplies required by UNRWA
for early recovery initiatives, especially building materials
such as cement and glass. AbuZayd expressed frustration that
recovery projects may not be implemented even with generous
contributions from donors due to Israel's tight restrictions
on the movement of recovery commodities into Gaza. She asked
for USG support in convincing Israel to significantly improve
humanitarian access into Gaza for both relief and recovery
supplies as well as humanitarian personnel.


5. (C) Aside from core humanitarian needs, Gazans also need
employment and access to cash to provide for their daily
needs. Israel continues to severely limit the transfer of
currency into Gaza, leaving the civilian population with no
means to conduct transactions. UNRWA has been able to access
cash for payments to its staff. If recovery supplies,
particularly construction materials, can flow into Gaza,
UNRWA and other aid agencies can begin projects that will
provide much-needed employment opportunities to idle Gazans.
Currently, $93 million worth of UNRWA projects have been
suspended due to Israel's limitations on the movement of
building materials into the territory.


6. (C) AbuZayd believes that the rift between Fatah and Hamas

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will hamper assistance to Gaza. Only a unity government will
allow speedy progress in recovery efforts. Moderates within
Hamas who do not see an advantage in returning to war with
Israel will be willing to join Fatah as a matter of
pragmatism.


7. (C) AbuZayd noted that she had good relations with
Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the
Territories (COGAT). However she could not understand how
Israeli forces managed to fire upon a number of UNRWA
facilities in Gaza leaving scores of civilians dead and
wounded. She remarked that UNRWA staff had been in constant
contact with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and provided
them with the coordinates of their buildings and compounds in
order to avoid such tragedies.


8. (C) On the funding side, UNRWA will seek $345 million for
emergency and early recovery assistance as part of a $600 -
$800 million UN Flash Appeal for Gaza to be launched in
Geneva on February 2nd. AbuZayd visited Riyadh this week and
left with no clear commitment from the Saudi government which
plans to announce its contribution at an upcoming pledging
conference. She worried about asking the Saudis for a sizable
donation if UNRWA lacks the ability to implement programs due
to Israeli-imposed restrictions on relief and recovery
supplies entering Gaza.


9. (C) Noting that State/PRM provides one-quarter of UNRWA's
budget, AbuZayd expressed hope that the U.S. total
contribution to UNRWA's emergency and early recovery program
for Gaza will expand beyond the $25 million already committed
to reach a total of $85 million.
Rice