DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW'S MEETINGS WITH UNRWA

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000332


SIPDIS

DEPT FOR D - JBUTTE-DAHL; NEA FOR IPA AND SEMEP; AID FOR
SBORODIN, NSC FOR KUMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020
TAGS: PREF PGOV KPAL KWBG IS LE
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW'S MEETINGS WITH UNRWA
COMMISSIONER GRANDI AND GAZA NGO REPRESENTATIVES

Classified By: CG Daniel Rubinstein, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) During his February 19 visit to the Jalazone refugee
camp in the West Bank, Deputy Secretary Jacob J. Lew toured
the camp's UNRWA health clinic and discussed UNRWA's
operations with UNRWA Commissioner General Filippo Grandi,
Deputy Commissioner General Margot Ellis, Deputy Director for
Gaza Aidan O'Leary, and Director for the West Bank Barbara
Shenstone. Separately, the Deputy Secretary met with
representatives of humanitarian NGOs, who expressed concern
about the situation in Gaza as well as Israeli policy
regarding visas for humanitarian workers. End Summary.

U.S. Assistance to UNRWA
--------------


2. (C) UNRWA Commissioner General Grandi thanked Deputy
Secretary Lew for U.S. support to UNRWA, noting that the USG
is not only supportive as a donor, (as UNRWA's largest
bilateral donor),but also as an advocate for improved access
for materials and staff into Gaza and the West Bank. Deputy
Director for Gaza O'Leary said that USG support was
particularly helpful in convincing the GOI to allow into Gaza
materials needed to operate summer camps in 2008. O'Leary
suggested that additional USG advocacy is needed, noting that
two water/sanitation projects -- one in Rafah and one in Khan
Younis -- have remained pending for over two years.


3. (C) Grandi said that both Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime
Minister Fayyad and President Abbas have acknowledged that
UNRWA shares an important burden with the PA in providing
health and education to 4.7 million Palestinian refugees
throughout the region. UNRWA's facilities in the region
include 700 schools where nearly 500,000 Palestinian children
study, and 140 clinics providing primary health services to
the majority of registered refugees. Grandi pointed out that
UNRWA is unique among UN agencies as a direct service
provider. UNRWA is also perceived as the symbol of the
international commitment to the refugee issues until a
political solution is found, he said.

Neutrality and Anti-Incitement
--------------


4. (C) Grandi said the agency is very conscious of U.S.
concerns about neutrality, stressing that "we try hard to be
responsible users of U.S. Government funds." He said UNRWA
makes every effort to ensure the integrity of its programs,
particularly in education and in the distribution of food and
other relief assistance. One way UNRWA accomplishes this is
through the U.S.-funded Operation Support Office, staffed
with international officers who conduct inspections to ensure
the neutrality of UNRWA installations and programs. O'Leary
stated that UNRWA "must be impartial, or we fail. Everyone
watches us: the Palestinian factions, Israel, Egypt, the
donors." He said that UNRWA has a zero tolerance policy
towards staff conduct. If staff participate in political
conferences or rallies, regardless of party affiliation,
UNRWA will terminate their employment, O'Leary added.


5. (C) On the education curriculum, O'Leary emphasized that
the GOI distributes the same textbooks used by UNRWA to
Arabic-medium public schools in East Jerusalem, noting that
if the GOI had concerns about incitement within those books,
it would not do so. Director for the West Bank Shenstone
said that the PA textbooks, used by UNRWA, have been examined
closely by international organizations. The two historical
narratives taught on the Israeli and Palestinian sides differ
significantly, she noted, but no overt incitement was found.
Although the refugee narrative is very present in the
Palestinians' lives and homes, it is not taught in the
schools, she said.


6. (C) O'Leary noted that UNRWA/Gaza has developed a special
human rights curriculum, expanding on UNRWA's regular Human
Rights and Tolerance Education program. He said that the
special curriculum builds on the 1948 Declaration of Human
Rights, Gandhi's anti-colonial movement in India, Mandela's
anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and the U.S. Civil
Rights movement to teach children about non-violence, human

rights, and the responsibilities and obligations that come
with those rights.

UNRWA's Relationship with the GOI
--------------


7. (C) Grandi suggested that UNRWA's relationship with the
GOI is constructive; "we both need each other," he said. The
relationship is also sometimes fraught with conflict over
day-to-day operational issues. Like other UN agencies,
UNRWA's access to the GOI is mostly limited to Coordination
of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the
director general-level of GOI ministries, he said. However,
decisions are not made at this level, said Grandi, who added
that he is working with UN sister agencies to arrange
ministerial-level meetings.


8. (C) In response to reports that UNRWA's presence
perpetuates the cycle of poverty in the camps, Grandi said
that the reality is that there is no alternative. The
refugees remain refugees because of the lack of a political
solution. Grandi maintained that, if UNRWA were to cease to
exist, the refugees would be stateless people adrift in the
region, at risk of radicalization. He said that through the
provision of health, education and social services, UNRWA
helps to keep the refugee population from further extremism.
He admitted that UNRWA could do more to promote
self-reliance, but is constrained by lack of resources as
well as by the ongoing conflict. Grandi said that he
discussed with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora last week the
issue of granting more rights to refugees in Lebanon,
particularly the right to work. Siniora reportedly agreed,
but said it would have to be done quietly.


Gaza NGOs: Siege is Weakening Moderates and Civil Society
-------------- --------------


9. (SBU) In their meeting with Deputy Secretary Lew on Gaza
issues, representatives of international NGOs CARE, CHF, CRS,
and ARD asserted that the Israeli siege on Gaza is
counterproductive because it strengthens Hamas and more
radical elements within Gaza. Moderate elements, including
independent civil society organizations and the private
sector, are grower weaker day by day, they said. NGOs also
drew attention to the new Israeli visa regime for
humanitarian workers, which makes it illegal for
international NGO personnel to work in East Jerusalem. They
expressed concern that the new restrictions would negatively
impact their ability to provide humanitarian assistance to
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. (Note: This issue
was subsequently raised by Deputy Secretary Lew in his
meeting with Israeli Minister for Regional Cooperation Silvan
Shalom and will be reported by Embassy Tel Aviv septel.)


10. (SBU) Although they recognized USG efforts to increase
the range of goods allowed into Gaza, the NGOs pleaded for a
more aggressive approach. NGO representatives expressed
concern that USG contact policy (which prohibits all
communication with public sector institutions in Gaza, except
at the lowest administrative level) puts them "at risk" and
makes an already challenging operating environment even more
difficult. NGO representatives asked that the contact policy
be changed or interpreted to allow for basic communication at
the lowest technical level, to give them slightly more room
to operate and to align with a more common position among
donors and NGOs in Gaza. They noted that there is a
tremendous need for assistance in Gaza, and Gazans appreciate
the assistance the USG provides.


11. (SBU) Deputy Secretary Lew expressed appreciation for the
work that the international NGOs are doing, and explained
that there is an extraordinary amount of scrutiny on USG
assistance to Gaza, and how it is implemented. He stressed
that the USG has been working hard to increase the range of
goods entering Gaza, at many levels, and will continue to do
so. He made clear that while he recognized the challenges
that U.S. contact policy presented for our implementing
partners, it was critical to our ability to continue
providing assistance in Gaza and would remain in place,
without modification.

RUBINSTEIN