US embassy cable - 04TELAVIV6671

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 006671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, IS, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, COUNTERTERRORISM, GOI EXTERNAL 
SUBJECT: ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER OFFERS CAUTIOUSLY 
OPTIMISTIC ASSESSMENT OF CHANCES FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN 
SECURITY COOPERATION 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer; Reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  During a meeting on December 30, Israeli 
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz gave Senator Lieberman and the 
Ambassador a cautiously optimistic assessment of the chances 
for security cooperation with post-Arafat Palestinian 
leaders.  Mofaz said that disengagement will increase 
Israel's security and permit the government to "start a 
dialogue and implement the road map."  He acknowledged that 
the new Palestinian leaders will need time to dismantle the 
terrorist infrastructure, but insisted that they stop 
incitement and actual terrorist attacks quickly.  Mofaz 
described cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian forces 
in the field as "very good."  He raised Syrian and Iranian 
threats, noting that Syria supports terrorism, headquarters 
Palestinian groups in Damascus, continues to station troops 
in Lebanon, and permits Hizballah to operate against Israel. 
Mofaz urged the U.S. to take the lead with the Europeans and 
pursue all diplomatic solutions, including sanctions and 
thorough inspections, required to halt the Iranian's 
enrichment process.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Mofaz Upbeat on Possible Security Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) In a December 28 meeting with Senator Joseph 
Lieberman, the Ambassador, Senate staff and military escort 
from the CoDel, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz noted 
that Arafat's death has resulted in a "dramatic" change and a 
"historic opportunity."  He expressed hope that the upcoming 
elections will produce a "responsible and effective 
leadership ... to lead the Palestinian people in a new 
direction."  Mofaz said that disengagement will increase 
Israel's security and permit the government to "start a 
dialogue and implement the road map." 
 
3. (C) Senator Lieberman said he had also detected a 
willingness for a "a new beginning" among Palestinian leaders 
and asked Mofaz specifically what steps Israel wanted them to 
take to return to the road map.  Mofaz replied that he thinks 
the new Palestinian leaders are serious about stopping 
terror, but Israel must wait and see how they act after the 
elections.  He expressed hope that a post-election dialogue 
will lead to Israeli-Palestinian coordination on the 
disengagement plan.  He added that the PA must reform its 
security services, reduce the number of independent 
organizations, and unify command.  "We need to see one rule, 
one authority, one gun," he said.  Senator Lieberman 
commented that the Palestinian leaders themselves had 
admitted that their security infrastructure is "chaotic."  He 
asked if the Palestinians would benefit from U.S. training. 
The Defense Minister noted that Egypt has already agreed to 
train PA security officers. 
 
4. (C) Mofaz acknowledged that the new Palestinian leaders 
will need time to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.  He 
insisted, however, that they must stop incitement and actual 
terrorist attacks quickly.  Senator Lieberman asked Mofaz to 
elaborate on the difference between ending attacks and 
dismantling infrastructure.  Mofaz replied that the first 
step is to prevent new attacks.  The longer-term 
dismantlement includes disarming terrorist groups, collecting 
illegal weapons, and preventing re-supply by smugglers. 
 
5. (C) Senator Lieberman asked about the status of 
cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security forces. 
Mofaz noted that the two sides have "very good coordination 
in the field," primarily in the West Bank.  He said Israel 
had worked well with Dahlan when he was security chief, but 
will now have to "wait and see" which Palestinian official 
will command the security forces. 
 
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Mofaz Raises Syrian and Iranian Threats 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) Mofaz complained that Syria supports terrorism, 
headquarters Palestinian groups in Damascus, continues to 
station troops in Lebanon, and permits Hizballah to operate 
against Israel.  He said that "Syria is deeply involved in 
terrorism against U.S. forces in Iraq" and insisted that 
Damascus has "no real intent" to negotiate peace with Israel. 
 Mofaz listed three conditions for serious peace talks: the 
removal of Palestinian terrorist groups from Syrian 
territory; the "dismantlement" of Hizballah (which he said 
supports Palestinian terrorists by channeling to them Syrian, 
Iranian, and Saudi resources); and the return of 
responsibility for southern Lebanon to Lebanese military 
forces.  Senator Lieberman agreed that Syrian peace overtures 
are intended to distract the international community from 
what Syria is doing in Iraq and Lebanon.  He said Congress is 
currently examining its options on how to deal with the 
problem. 
7. (C) Mofaz cautioned that Iran is "very close -- less than 
one year away --" from enriching uranium, which he described 
as a "point of no return" for the Iranian nuclear program. 
This effort is widely supported by the Iranian government and 
Majlis, he said.  Mofaz confided that Israel "does not see 
results" from the EU-3 negotiations with Iran, which he 
described as an effort by Tehran to buy time to complete the 
enrichment process.  He urged the U.S. to take the lead with 
the Europeans and pursue all diplomatic solutions, including 
sanctions and thorough inspections, required to halt the 
Iranian's enrichment process.  He said that such an effort 
could lead to success, but "time is running out."  Mofaz 
described Iran, with its extremist regime, support for 
terrorism, and long-range surface-to-surface missiles, as a 
threat to Europe and the rest of the free world.  Senator 
Lieberman told the Israelis that he believed the U.S. is 
ready to actively participate in the diplomatic and U.N. 
processes to stop the Iranian program, but he expressed 
skepticism that the Europeans and Russia would commit to 
effective sanctions. 
 
8. (U) Mofaz was accompanied by MOD Director General Amos 
Yaron, Director of MOD Director for Military-Political 
Affairs Amos Gilad, Chief of Staff Ami Shafran, Military 
Secretary to the Minister BG Etan Dangott, Media Adviser Eli 
 
SIPDIS 
Kamir, and MFA Director for Congress Meirav Eilon-Shahar. 
Senator Lieberman did not clear this message before his 
departure. 
 
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