PLO AND THE INTIFADA

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 10345

E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: KPAL, PGOV, PREL, JO, IS
SUBJECT: PLO AND THE INTIFADA

1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.

2. SUMMARY: DURING A COURTESY CALL ON THE CHARGE
AUGUST 29, RATIB AMAR OF THE MFA'S DEPARTMENT OF
PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, DERIDED THE "INCOMPETENCE" OF THE
PLO AND SAID THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS LARGELY
RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING DISUNITY AND TENSIONS WITHIN
THE VARIOUS PALESTINIAN GROUPS IN THE OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES. HE OUTLINED IN SOME DETAIL DEVELOPMENTS
AMONG THOSE GROUPS. AMAR ADDED THAT THE IDF LACKED
DISCIPLINE AND WAS NOT ADEPT AT PUTTING DOWN
DISTURBANCES. END SUMMARY.

3. RATIB AMAR, A RETIRED ARMY OFFICER AND, ACCORDING TO
SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES, NOW THE GID'S (THE INTELLIGENCE
DEPARTMENT) POINT-MAN IN THE MFA'S DEPARTMENT OF
PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS (FORMERLY THE MINISTRY OF OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES AFFAIRS),CALLED ON THE CHARGE AUGUST 29.
AMAR, WHO HIMSELF IS FROM NEAR HEBRON, MADE NO ATTEMPT
TO HIDE HIS DISDAIN FOR THE PLO. HIS BRIEF INCLUDED THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:

-- THE PLO FACES A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO SHOULDER ITS
RESPONSIBILITY, I.E. DECLARE A PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO PALESTINIANS. IF PAST
EXPERIENCE IS ANY INDICATION, IT WILL LET THE
OPPORTUNITY SLIP. (HE EXPECTS THAT WHEN THE PLO FAILS,
ITS LEADERSHIP WILL BE DESTROYED FROM WITHIN THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES -- BUT THE INSIDERS WILL BE
RADICALS.)

-- THE PLO LEADERSHIP IS UNABLE TO COORDINATE RESISTANCE
ACTIVITY AND ITS INCOMPETENCE HAS CREATED SCHISMS AND
SPLITS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. THE ISRAELIS, AFTER A
BUNGLING START, ARE LEARNING HOW TO EXPLOIT THESE
SPLITS. FOR EXAMPLE, ISRAELI-SPONSORED LEAFLETS ARE
BEGINNING TO APPEAR IN THE NAME OF THE INTIFADA
LEADERSHIP.

-- THE EMERGENCE OF HAMAS (WHICH INCLUDES ISLAMIC
FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS) IS A DANGEROUS TREND. CHRISTIANS
AND MOSLEMS HAVE LIVED PEACEFULLY TOGETHER IN THE WEST
BANK, BUT THE RELIGIOUS FERVOR OF HAMAS COULD DISRUPT
THIS HARMONY.

-- THE EMERGENCE OF HAMAS HAS PROVOKED THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A "CHRISTIAN-RESISTANCE MOVEMENT" (HAMAM) WHICH IS
NOW ACTIVE IN CHRISTIAN AREAS SUCH AS BETHLEHEM AND
RAMALLAH.

-- THE COMMUNISTS ARE ALSO INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVE IN THE
NORTH, JERUSALEM, AND THE CHRISTIAN AREAS AS WELL. THE
PLO HAS BOTCHED ITS ROLE OF COORDINATING THE RESISTANCE.

-- THE PLO WILL BE UNABLE TO FILL THE VACUUM LEFT BY
JORDANIAN WITHDRAWAL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE PEOPLE IN THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES WILL SUFFER SINCE JORDAN NO LONGER
PROVIDES NEEDED SERVICES.

4. AMAR, A RETIRED INFANTRY BRIGADIER, WAS ALSO
CRITICAL OF THE IDF. ACCORDING TO AMAR, THE IDF HAS
MISHANDLED THE DISTURBANCES BY USING WRONG TACTICS AND
EQUIPMENT. AMAR CLEARLY IMPLIED THAT THE JORDANIANS
WOULD HAVE STAMPED OUT A SIMILAR DISTURBANCE MUCH
SOONER. THE JOB CALLS FOR POLICE, NOT SOLDIERS, HE
SAID. AS A FORMER ARMY OFFICER, AMAR WAS PARTICULARLY
UNIMPRESSED WITH THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE AMONG ISRAELI
SOLDIERS. HE SAID THAT THE SLOVENLY APPEARANCE OF IDF
SOLDIERS NOT ONLY DOES NOT INSPIRE ANY RESPECT AMONG THE
POPULATION BUT IN FACT ENCOURAGES FURTHER
DEMONSTRATIONS. AMAR SAID THAT THE ISRAELI ARMY --
ORGANIZED FOR WAR -- HAS BEEN SENT ON A MISSION THAT
SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR THE POLICE. THE EFFECT WILL BE
TO REDUCE THE IDF'S CAPABILITY AS WELL.

5. COMMENT: AMAR IS A CLOSE ASSOCIATE OF LABOR
MINISTER DUDIN (FORMER MINISTER OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
AFFAIRS). AMAR'S PAST CREDENTIALS LEND CREDIBILITY TO
HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION ON THE WEST BANK AND
GAZA. HOWEVER, WE ARE A LITTLE SURPRISED AT THIS
UNSOLICITED BRIEFING (FOR THAT IT WAS) BY A SENIOR GOJ
OFFICIAL.

THEROS