POLAND/ISRAEL - PM NETANYAHU VISIT REINFORCES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000090 NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IR, NEA/IPA, EUR/CE, EUR/OHI, DRL/SEAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2020 TAGS: PREL PHUM KNNP EFIN PGOV IR IS PL SUBJECT: POLAND/ISRAEL - PM NETANYAHU VISIT REINFORCES STRONG TIES, SOLIDARITY ON IRAN SANCTIONS Classified By: Ambassador Feinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) SUMMARY: Israeli Embassy officials were impressed with the strong personal chemistry between Tusk and Netanyahu during the latter's January 26-27 visit to Poland. The Israeli PM reportedly left with a much deeper understanding of extensive Polish-Israeli security cooperation. Netanyahu focused primarily on Iran -- part of a broader outreach effort to the EU and Russia. In response, Tusk indicated that Poland supports targeted anti-regime sanctions to send a clear message of international support to the opposition. Netanyahu did not raise private property restitution with Tusk -- and only briefly mentioned it to Sikorski -- to the dismay of the Israeli Embassy. END SUMMARY. STRONG PERSONAL CHEMISTRY ¶2. (U) Israeli PM Netanyahu met with Polish PM Tusk and FM Sikorski during a January 26 visit to Warsaw. Tusk and Netanyahu met in 1-plus-3 format for 30 minutes, followed by a larger dinner. Sikorski and Netanyahu met separately for 90 minutes, 30 minutes longer than scheduled. Netanyahu traveled the following day to Oswiecim to speak at ceremonies commemorating the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp (septel). ¶3. (C/NF) In a post-visit readout, the Israeli DCM characterized the visit as a resounding success. He said Netanyahu left with a much deeper understanding of the full extent of Polish-Israeli security cooperation. Although Israeli Embassy officials were not surprised by the strong positive chemistry between Netanyahu and Sikorski -- on the basis of their similar personalities and political views -- they were impressed that Tusk and Netanyahu also "hit it off." Tusk and Netanyahu agreed that the two governments should move forward with long-discussed plans to hold a Polish-Israeli Inter-Governmental Conference (PMs plus 5-6 ministers from each side) in Israel in May or June. FM Lieberman will travel to Warsaw in April to prepare the conference. NETANYAHU ENGAGING EUROPE ON IRAN SANCTIONS ¶4. (C/NF) Netanyahu focused primarily on Iran in both meetings, telling Tusk and Sikorski that he was trying to reach out to Europe to build support for robust sanctions. Netanyahu said his message will be that the Iranian regime is much more divided than it seems, and strong targeted sanctions (primarily oil and gas) will have a positive impact. Tusk and Sikorski told Netanyahu Poland supports another round of targeted UN sanctions, as well as independent autonomous measures. Netanyahu told Tusk he delivered a similar message to German Chancellor Merkel last month. Netanyahu will make the same points in Moscow this month and later this spring in Brussels. GOP SUPPORTS TARGETED ANTI-REGIME SANCTIONS ¶5. (C/NF) Polish Deputy FM Najder also provided Ambassador Feinstein with a read-out. Najder said Tusk told Netanyahu that Poland supports strong sanctions to prevent more severe Western responses (i.e., military action),which would have harmful consequences. Tusk noted that Iranian civil society had sent a clear signal that it is capable of organizing against the regime. Netanyahu replied that the West could help civil society organize by using technology to lift jamming of the Internet. Israeli experts believe this could be done remotely. Tusk stressed that sanctions should be imposed on financial institutions and that Israel and the EU should appeal to India and China (both of which export refined petroleum to Iran) to apply sanctions. ¶6. (C/NF) According to Najder, Tusk drew a parallel with sanctions imposed by the West on communist regimes during the Cold War. Unlike sanctions later imposed against Iraq (which allowed Saddam to enrich himself),sanctions against communist regimes had sent a strong signal that the international community supported the opposition. "I think that that is where we are with Iran," Tusk reportedly told Netanyahu. Najder clarified that Tusk was referring to anti-regime (vice strictly anti-nuclear) sanctions. PRIVATE PROPERTY RESTITUTION ¶7. (C/NF) According to the Israeli DCM, Netanyahu did not ask Tusk about the status of long-promised legislation to provide WARSAW 00000090 002 OF 002 compensation for private property confiscated by the Nazis and the communist government. Netanyahu did raise the issue with Sikorski, who said private property restitution was best handled in the courts and should not be turned into a political issue. Sikorski expressed "impatience with American Jewish lawyers," noting that his father-in-law is an American Jewish lawyer. It was not clear to the Israeli ambassador or Netanyahu's staff whether this was meant as a joke. The Israeli DCM voiced concern that Netanyahu's failure to raise the issue with Tusk might have sent a message that the issue is not important, which could prompt Tusk to postpone -- or shelve entirely -- draft legislation. COMMENT ¶8. (C/NF) Since the fall of Communism in 1989, Poland and Israel have forged a close strategic relationship. In fact, some GOP officials boast that Poland is the most pro-Israel EU member state, pointing out that Poland consistently presses for "balance" in EU and UN fora. FEINSTEIN