Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10TELAVIV107
2010-01-19 13:28:00
SECRET
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

CODEL HASTINGS' MEETING WITH PM NETANYAHU

Tags:  PREL PGOV IR SY KWBG IS 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHTV #0107/01 0191328
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 191328Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5008
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 000107 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR SY KWBG IS
SUBJECT: CODEL HASTINGS' MEETING WITH PM NETANYAHU

REF: A. TEL AVIV 101

B. TEL AVIV 86

Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 000107

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR SY KWBG IS
SUBJECT: CODEL HASTINGS' MEETING WITH PM NETANYAHU

REF: A. TEL AVIV 101

B. TEL AVIV 86

Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (S) Summary. Representative Alcee Hastings met with
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's
office in Jerusalem January 10. Their discussion covered the
CODEL's meetings in the region, Iran, and the PM's views on
starting negotiations with the Palestinians. Netanyahu
expressed interest in Representative Hastings' meeting with
Syrian President Asad. Netanyahu said his first goal is
peace with the Palestinians, while stopping Iran is his
second goal. The two issues are connected but he is pursuing
them separately. Netanyahu complained that the Palestinians
had "wasted nine months" setting preconditions for
negotiations. Now it is time to "get on with it." He
stressed his belief that he has the political capacity to
lead the Israeli people to a final settlement with the
Palestinians. President Obama and President Mubarak are
ready to help, he said, the question is whether Abu Mazen
"has the guts" to do it. Asked for his views on dealing with
Hamas, Netanyahu said he "sees eye to eye" with the PA on
this point, Israel will make peace with the PA, not Hamas.
Hastings said that PA PM Fayyad had told him the Arab states
have done nothing to help the PA. Netanyahu said the Arabs
should help the PA return to negotiations. Netanyahu
explained his view that settlements are not the real issue
with the Palestinians; the PA needs to recognize Israel as
the Jewish state and agree that a peace agreement would mean
the end of the conflict. Israel wants real peace, and will
require arrangements to ensure that there is no flow of
weapons into the Palestinian state. On Iran, Netanyahu said
that if Tehran gets a nuclear bomb, that would end efforts
for peace. The Iranian regime's true nature has been
exposed, so that Americans and Europeans now understand that
it lacks legitimacy. Asked about the negotiations for the
release of Shalit, Netanyahu said Hamas is mulling over
Israel's offer and has not rejected it. He urged Abu Mazen
to get over "stereotypes" about him and get negotiations
moving. End Summary.


2. (U) Representative Alcee Hastings (D, FL) called on Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the PM's private office
January 10. Chief of Staff Lale Mamaux, Policy Advisor Alex
Johnson, and A/DCM accompanied Hastings. Netanyahu was
joined by policy advisor Ron Dermer, Israeli Embassy
Counselor for Congressional Relations Daniel Meron, and an
MFA notetaker.

CODEL Meetings in the Region
--------------


3. (C) Representative Hastings began by thanking the Prime
Minister for Israel's humanitarian assistance to Haiti. He
explained that he had also visited Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and
Egypt on this CODEL and had also met PM Fayyad in Ramallah.
Hastings said he had a good meeting with President Asad in
Syria, who was in an expansive mood. Netanyahu commented
that Syria is not only transferring weapons to Hizballah in
Lebanon but is also storing weapons in Syria for future
transfer. Asad, he claimed, is "not even straddling the
fence" between Iran and the West; he does not want to face
making a choice. Hastings said he agreed but commented that
the Syrian elite is nervous about Syria's relationship with
Iran. More Western visitors to Syria could help keep options
open. Hastings also noted that Arabs are watching the
upcoming Arab Summit in Libya, and are worried that Qadhafi
may hijack it. Hastings added that Asad sees a special role
for Turkey in the region. The Turks share that view, but
Egyptian Foreign Minister Abul Gheit had expressed
reservations about a broader role for Turkey. Observing that
this is a critical time, Hastings asked Netanyahu how he
could be helpful.

First Goal is Peace with Palestinians
--------------


4. (S) Netanyahu said his first goal is peace, and his
second is stopping Iran. The two are connected but he is
pursuing them in parallel. Israel is ready to negotiate with
the PA, Netanyahu stressed, noting that President Peres
advocates going for an interim agreement, which Netanyahu
thought could be as hard to achieve as a final status
agreement. But in any case we have to get started.
Netanyahu complained that the PA has "wasted" nine months.
Israel removed hundreds of roadblocks and obstacles in the
West Bank, the PM had delivered the Bar Ilan address
accepting a demilitarized Palestinian state, and then he had
imposed a temporary freeze on settlement construction. In
contrast, the PA was insisting on a total freeze, even in
Jerusalem. This was a new demand which the PA had set as a

TEL AVIV 00000107 002 OF 003


precondition for negotiations. The PA was also pushing the
Goldstone Report, the implications of which was that Israel
should tolerate terrorists firing from behind civilians at
Israeli civilians. Israel now faces a ring of 60,000 rockets
and missiles and must reserve the right to deal with them
militarily if necessary.


5. (S) Netanyahu stressed that Israel and the Palestinians
need to "get on with it." Netanyahu asserted that he has the
capacity to lead the Israeli people to a final settlement.
President Obama can help a lot by using his credibility in
the Arab world. The question is whether Abu Mazen "has the
guts." Hastings asked what Netanyahu thought should be done
about Hamas. Netanyahu replied that this was one issue on
which he saw "eye to eye" with the PA. Israel will make
peace with the PA in the West Bank and do nothing to engage
Hamas. The time has come to stop negotiating about
negotiations and get the PA into the tent. The problem is
that the Palestinians have become used to the idea that they
can stay out and get more.


6. (S) Hastings noted that he had asked the Algerians and
Moroccans what they had done to help Abu Mazen. He said he
asked PM Fayyad about Arab support and Fayyad said the Arab
states had done nothing to help the PA. Netanyahu said the
best thing the Arabs could do was to back the PA's entry into
negotiations. In response to Hastings' comment that he had
heard complaints about Israeli settlements everywhere he
went, Netanyahu claimed that settlements were not the issue,
since they would be addressed in negotiations and only
covered three percent of the West Bank. The real issue is
that there were attacks on Israel (or the Jewish Yishuv in
Palestine) for fifty years before 1967.


7. (S) Saying that the time had come to "tell the truth,"
Netanyahu said his message to Abu Mazen and Fayyad was they
need to tell him they will accept Israel within "peace
borders." They must recognize Israel as the Jewish state.
Hamas has a clear position, they want to drive Israel into
the sea. The PA needs to say equally clearly that a final
settlement will mean the end of the conflict. Israelis need
to know that the conflict will be over when Israel leaves the
West Bank. This is a huge issue, Netanyahu insisted, with
eighty percent of Israelis supporting his position. The PA
leadership "lacks the guts to say it's over," he reiterated,
noting that he wants to see the Palestinian Sadat or King
Hussein. The other issue is security. What arrangements
will be put in place to ensure that weapons will not flow
into the Palestinian state? There will have to be solid
arrangements on the ground before Israel can withdraw.
Israelis want a real peace, not a fake peace.


8. (S) Netanyahu summarized his position as get
negotiations started without preconditions. Everything will
be open for negotiation, but the approach should not be set
in advance, i.e. there could be a mutual decision to reach an
interim agreement if that would be more achievable. A deal
is possible on the Israeli side, Netanyahu said, adding that
if he reached an agreement with the Palestinians, he would
bring the Israeli public along with him. President Mubarak
and President Obama are ready to help, but we need the
Palestinians to get started. Netanyahu said he values
Mubarak's leadership, but Abu Mazen needs to show similar
leadership. Netanyahu said they could get peace moving if
the Palestinian leadership would "get over" their stereotypes
about him and about Israel.

Iran
--------------


9. (C) The PM restated his well-known view that a nuclear
Iran would mean the end of chances for peace. Netanyahu said
that with the possible exception of Syria, the Arabs agree
with him on this point. The Iranian regime has shown its
true nature by using "goon squads" against their own people.
Well-meaning Americans and Europeans now see the Iranian
regime for what it is, deeply unpopular. Representative
Hastings said he had told President Asad that it had been a
mistake for Iran to reject a visit by Senator Kerry.

Shalit Deal
--------------


10. (C) Noting that he realized how difficult this issue
was, Representative Hastings asked whether there was any
positive movement toward a prisoner exchange with Hamas and
the release of Gilad Shalit. Netanyahu replied that Israel
had received a video tape in return for the release of 20
women prisoners, and therefore established that Shalit was in
"decent shape." Hamas still needs to respond to Israel's
response to their demands. Netanyahu commented that one of
the Palestinian gunmen who murdered a rabbi a few weeks ago

TEL AVIV 00000107 003 OF 003


had been released by Israel in the 2008 deal with Hizballah.
The PM said he did not want those released to kill again.
The GOI wants to bring Shalit home, but they need to know
that the deal they make will not jeopardize more lives.
Netanyahu said there has been no response from Hamas for
three weeks. That is a good sign that they are mulling over
Israel's offer and have not rejected it.


11. (U) CODEL Hastings did not clear this cable.

CUNNINGHAM