ISRAELI ACTIVITIES IN ALEXANDRIA AND THE DELTA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ALEXANDRIA 01240

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL IS EG
SUBJECT: ISRAELI ACTIVITIES IN ALEXANDRIA AND THE DELTA

REF: ALEXANDRIA 805


1. (CONFIDENTIAL-ENTIRE TEXT.)
-

2. SUMMARY: ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL WAS PLEASED WITH
RESULTS OF HIS AMBASSADOR'S RECENT (AND, SURPRISINGLY,
HIS FIRST) "OFFICIAL" VISIT TO ALEXANDRIA. IN WAKE
OF SEPTEMBER SUMMIT, INCREASED INTEREST IN TOURISM WAS
EXPRESSED, BUT LOCAL ISRAELIS DO NOT EXPECT ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. ZIM LINES IS DOING ADEQUATE
BUSINESS WITH ALEXANDRIA'S PORT, DESPITE TRADE
SLOWDOWN GENERALLY. SMALL ISRAELI AGRICULTURAL
ACTIVITY CONTINUES IN DELTA, RECENTLY EXPANDED BY
NEW, GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT JOINT VENTURE NEAR
GIANCLIS. ISRAELI CONGEN IS MUM ABOUT RUMORS HE
WILL BE REPLACED EARLY NEXT YEAR. END SUMMARY.


SASSON'S "OFFICIAL" VISIT TO ALEXANDRIA:
--------------

3. AT AN OCTOBER 28 MEETING, ISRAELI CONGEN TUVAL
AND I SHARED PERPSECTIVES ON RECENT VISITS BY OUR
RESPECTIVE AMBASSADORS TO ALEXANDRIA. AFTER
DESCRIBING THE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES ENGAGED IN BY
AMBASSADOR AND MRS. WISNER AND THE ENTHUSIASTIC
RECEPTION THEY RECEIVED, I ASKED TUVAL HOW SASSON'S
OWN OCTOBER 16 VISIT HAD GONE.


4. TO MY ASTONISHMENT, TUVAL SAID THIS WAS SASSON'S
FIRST "OFFICIAL" VISIT TO ALEXANDRIA IN THE OVER
FIVE YEARS HE HAS BEEN ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR TO CAIRO.
HE SAID SASSON HAD VISITED THE CITY IN CONNECTION
WITH BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH THE PRESIDENT AND
FOREIGN MINISTER, OR TO ACCOMPANY DELEGATIONS.
HOWEVER, HE HAD NEVER CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR OR MET
WITH ALEXANDRIAN PERSONALITIES. IN ANY EVENT, BOTH
HE AND SASSON WERE PLEASED WITH THE VISIT.


5. TUVAL SAID THE MEETING WITH GOVERNOR GAWSAQI
HAD GONE WELL. I PROBED HIM A LITTLE ON THIS
POINT, AND HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS FRIENDLY,
EVINCED SUPPORT FOR GOOD EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS,
AND BASICALLY RESPONDED "INSHALLAH" (GOD WILLING) TO
THE ISRAELIS' EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN EXPANDED
TRADE AND TOURISM. AT A BUFFET LUNCH, TUVAL
INTRODUCED HIS AMBASSADOR TO OVER 40 LOCAL BUSINESSMEN,
TRAVEL AGENTS, ACADEMICS, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
IN CUSTOMS AND THE JUDICIARY WITH WHOM HE HAS HAD
OFFICIAL DEALINGS. HE SAID HE WAS PLEASED BY BOTH
THE TURNOUT AND THE ENSUING DISCUSSIONS. NOTING
THAT HE HAS DIFFERED FREQUENTLY IN THE PAST WITH
SASSON'S OFTEN DOUR DEPICTION OF EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI
RELATIONS, TUVAL SAID HIS AMBASSADOR HAD CONCEDED
THAT ALEXANDRIANS GENERALLY SEEM TO BE READIER TO
ACCEPT NORMALIZATION (OR AT LEAST TO MEET WITH
ISRAELIS) THAN MANY IN CAIRO. TUVAL ACCEPTED
MY POINT THAT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF ALEXANDRIAN
SOCIETY (NOTABLY THE ISLAMIC RIGHT) PROBABLY DO NOT
SHARE THIS VIEW. HOWEVER, HE SAID HE FEELS A
BROADER AND MORE REPRESENTATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON
EGYPTIAN ATTITUDES IS AVAILABLE IN ALEXANDRIA, AND
HE HOPES OTHER ISRAELI EMBASSY OFFICERS WILL VISIT
THE CITY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE.


6. COMMENT: ABOVE NOTWITHSTANDING, TUVAL COMPLAINED
ON NOVEMBER 4 ABOUT THE REFUSAL OF SENIOR GOVERNORATE
OFFICIALS TO ATTEND HIS FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING THE ONE
FOR SASSON. HE ALLEGED THAT CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
EZZAT KADDOUS HAD TOLD HIM UNOFFICIALLY SOME TIME
AGO THAT THIS IS DONE TO "SIYASSAT AL-IMTINA'", AN
OFFICIALLY CONDONED "ABSTENTION POLICY." END COMMENT.


7. AT HIS MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR, TUVAL SAID
HE RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE TWO ISRAELI SAILORS
WHO WERE DETAINED IN EGYPT (RELEASED ON THEIR OWN
RECOGNIZANCE) IN FEBRUARY 1986 WHILE THEIR CASE
(ALLEGED HASHISH SMUGGLING) WAS CONSIDERED BY THE
LOCAL COURTS (SEE REFTEL). THEY WERE FOUND "NOT
GUILTY" IN EARLY OCTOBER BUT ARE STILL UNABLE TO
LEAVE EGYPT UNTIL THE DECISION IS REVIEWED. TUVAL
ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO INTERVENE OR AT LEAST USE
HIS GOOD OFFICES TO EXPEDITE MATTERS, BUT THE
LATTER DECLINED. HE EVINCED IRRITATION THAT GAWSAQI,
WHO IS A JUDGE BY TRAINING, WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A
CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE VERDICT
REVIEW PROCESS. AT NOVEMBER 4 DINNER, TUVAL WAS
EVEN MORE PERPLEXED THAT THE SAILORS HAD STILL NOT
BEEN REMOVED FROM THE DEPARTURE "BLACKLIST" BECAUSE OF
CONTINUING BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS. HE EXPRESSED THE
HOPE THE CASE WOULD NOT BECOME A BILATERAL ISSUE.


POST SUMMIT DEVELOPMENTS:
--------------

8. I ASKED TUVAL IF HE HAD DETECTED ANY CHANGES IN
LOCAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ISRAEL SINCE THE SEPTEMBER
SUMMIT. HE SAID HE FOUND THE FEW GOVERNORATE
OFFICIALS HE MEETS REGULARLY TO BE SOMEWHAT MORE
RELAXED IN HIS PRESENCE. ALSO, HIS CONSULATE HAS
RECEIVED A RECENT INCREASE IN INQUIRIES FROM LOCAL
TRAVEL AGENTS ABOUT TOURISM, AND HE HAS MET WITH
ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM A LOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY.
HOWEVER, TUVAL SAID HE DOES NOT EXPECT ANY UPSURGE
IN EGYPTIAN SIGHTSEERS. HE IS HOPEFUL, HOWEVER,
THAT A LARGER NUMBER OF JEWISH PILGRIMS WILL ATTEND
THIS YEAR'S COMMEMORATIVE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AT
THE TOMB OF THE VENERATED 19TH CENTURY RABBI YACOUB
ABU HASIRAH NEAR DAMANHOUR.


ZIM LINES:
--------------

9. ZIM CONTINUES TO DO ADEQUATELY IN ALEXANDRIA,
DESPITE EGYPT'S CURRENT ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND
THE FALLOFF IN TRADE. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT RAISE THIS
SUBJECT WITH TUVAL, THE COMPANY'S LOCAL AGENT SAID
RECENTLY THAT ZIM NOW OFFERS A CONTAINER SERVICE
TWICE MONTHLY. BUSINESS WITH EAST ASIA IS PARTICULARLY
GOOD. EACH SHIP IS ALSO ABLE TO PICK UP FROM 50 TO 60
CONTAINERS ON EACH OUTWARD VOYAGE, AN ACHIEVEMENT THE
AGENT IS ESPECIALLY PROUD OF. LEADING EXPORTS
CARRIED BY ZIM INCLUDE COTTON AND TEXTILES, USUALLY OF
ASIAN OR EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS.


DELTA AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES:
--------------

10. TUVAL SAID ISRAEL HAS TWO ONGOING AGRICULTURAL
ACTIVITIES IN THE DELTA. THE OLDEST IS THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROJECT UNDERTAKEN BY AN EXPERT NAMED
KEIDAR (RESIDENT IN CAIRO) AT A FARM NEAR TANTA.
(THERE IS ONE ZVI KEIDAR ON THE ISRAELI EMBASSY
DIP LIST WHO MAY BE THE EXPERT MENTIONED.) A VERY
RECENT UNDERTAKING IS A JOINT GOVERNMENT-TO-
GOVERNMENT AGRICULTURAL VENTURE NEAR THE DELTA TOWN
OF GIANCLIS. TUVAL SAID THIS PROJECT IS ALSO
GOING WELL AND THAT A RESIDENT EXPERT IS PRESENT,
BUT HE DID NOT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS. (COMMENT:
I ASKED IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO VISIT THESE
TWO PROJECTS SOME DAY AS BOTH ARE IN MY CONSULAR
DISTRICT. TUVAL SAID NO. EVEN HE AND OTHER
ISRAELIS ARE NOT NORMALLY ALLOWED TO VISIT THE SITES
IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEIR "LOW PROFILE" NATURE.
HOWEVER, TUVAL SAID HE HOPES TO VISIT THEM WITH
AMBASSADOR SASSON IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WOULD BRIEF
ME AT THAT TIME. END COMMENT.)


11. ANOTHER AGRICULTURALLY-REALTED PROJECT WE ARE
AWARE OF IS PURELY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND IS
DIRECTED BY ONE BENNY DUMAI (PHONETIC),A RESIDENT
OF CAIRO, WHO HAS HAD SOME SUCCESS IN INTRODUCING
ISRAELI DRIP IRRIGATION TECHNIQUES TO PRIVATE
EGYPTIAN ENTREPRENEURS. ONE SUCH ENTREPRENEUR IS
AN ALEXANDRIAN WHO HAS USED DUMAI'S TECHNOLOGY TO
IMPROVE THE CULTIVATION OF PEARS AND OTHER FRUIT
ON HIS FARM IN THE CITY'S SUBURBS. THIS EGYPTIAN
WAS FULSOME IN HIS PRAISE FOR DUMAI, HIS TECHNOLOGY,
AND WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR HIS FARM. AT THE SAME TIME,
HE NOTED THAT DUMAI WORKS VERY QUIETLY AND WITHOUT
MUCH PUBLICITY (TUVAL SAID HE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE
NAME). THE EGYPTIAN LIKEWISE FEELS HE MUST BE
DISCREET IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE ISRAELIS (HE WORKS
AT AIN SHAMS UNIVERSITY). HE HAS EVEN TAKEN THE
PRECAUTION OF PUTTING A WALL AROUND THE MAIN CONTROL
UNIT FOR HIS IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO PREVENT OUTSIDERS
FROM SEEING THE HEBREW LETTERING ON THE MACHINERY.


COTTON:
--------------


12. THE ISRAELIS ARE APPARENTLY INVOLVED IN SOME
COTTON DEALINGS HERE AS WELL. TUVAL IS HAZY ON THE
DETAILS BUT HE RECALLS THAT SOMEONE FROM EILAT (PERHAPS
NAMED "MUKKI;" TUVAL SAID HE WOULD TRY TO CHECK)
BEING INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH AN ALEXANDRIA-
BASED PUBLIC SECTOR COTTON COMPANY TO TRADE OR SELL
ISRAELI SHORT FIBER COTTON IN EXCHANGE FOR EGYPT'S
MUCH PRIZED LONG FIBER VARIETY. (COMMENT: U.S.
COTTON PRODUCERS HAVE A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT WHICH IS
PROFITABLE AND ADVANTAGEOUS FOR BOTH OF THE PARTIES
INVOLVED. WE WILL REPORT ON DETAILS ABOUT THE
ISRAELI ARRANGEMENTS AS AVAILABLE. END COMMENT.)

ISRAELI CONGEN ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE ALEXANDRIA:
--------------

13. TUVAL'S CONSULAR DISTRICT INCLUDES FOR PROVINCES:
ALEXANDRIA, BUHAYRA, KAFR AL-SHAYKH, AND DAQAHILIYAH
(MANSURA). THUS FAR, HE HAS ONLY VISITED THE
BUHAYRA IN THE HINTERLAND, PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE THE
GOVERNORS OF KAFR AL-SHAYKH AND DAQAHILIYAH HAVE
NEVER RESPONDED TO REQUESTS FOR APPOINTMENTS. HE
SAID HE PLANS TO TRY TO CALL ON THEM WITHOUT
APPOINTMENTS SOMETIME BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.


TUVAL'S FUTURE:
--------------

14. TUVAL'S SUBORDINATES HAVE MENTIONED RECENTLY
TO FRIENDS ON CONGEN STAFF THAT TUVAL WILL BE
LEAVING HIS POST IN EARLY 1987. ISRAELI MFA IS
ALLEGED TO BE LOOKING FOR A SUCCESSOR WHO IS
"PUBLIC RELATIONS MINDED." THE ZIM LINE AGENT HAS
ALSO TOLD US THAT TUVAL MAY BE DEPARTING "SOON."
TUVAL HIMSELF IS MUM ON THE SUBJECT. ASKED NOVEMBER 4
HOW LONG A NORMAL TOUR OF DUTY IS, TUVAL (WHO ARRIVED
IN 1984) REPLIED "THREE TO FOUR YEARS."


15. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH I SEE TUVAL ON A REGULAR
BASIS, AND WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP, THE MEETINGS
ARE USUALLY AT MY INITIATIVE. TUVAL IS NOT AS ACTIVE
AS HIS PREDECESSOR AND PROBABLY HAS NOT OPENED AS
MANY DOORS AS HE MIGHT HAVE DONE. THE SEPARATION
FROM HIS FAMILY (RESIDENT IN JERUSALEM FOR SCHOOLING)
HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL IN THIS REGARD. ON THE OTHER HAND,
HE IS PLEASANT, NOT PUSHY, AND HAS GONE OUT OF HIS
WAY TO UNDERSTAND EGYPTIAN VIEWPOINTS AND PUT DOMESTIC
EVENTS IN EGYPT INTO A BROADER CONTEXT. IT IS
APPARENT THAT HE IS NEITHER HELPED NOR ENCOURAGED BY
HIS EMBASSY IN CAIRO IN HIS VARIOUS UNDERTAKINGS.
HE CONSULTS REGULARLY, BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE KEPT
IN THE INFORMATION LOOP. WITHOUT HIS AMBASSADOR'S
FULL UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT, IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE
HOW HE CAN BE EXPECTED TO DO MUCH BETTER AS A
WELL-INFORMED AND EFFECTIVE PROPONENT OF IMPROVED
EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI TIES. TUVAL IS ASSISTED IN HIS


HAMBLEY