US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV379

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 000379 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2015 
TAGS: IS, KPAL, PREL, GOI EXTERNAL, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: FM DEFENDS BREAK WITH PA, DENOUNCES IRAN AND SYRIA 
BEFORE DIP CORPS 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  At a political/diplomatic briefing for 
foreign ambassadors, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom defended 
Prime Minister Sharon's decision to suspend contacts with the 
Palestinian Authority until the PA takes action against 
terrorist infrastructure in the territories.  Shalom said 
that Abu Mazen had the capability to stop attacks on 
Israelis, but questioned the new PA President's will to do 
so.  Shalom stated that Israel was willing to make painful 
concessions but would not negotiate while under attack.  He 
said that Israel was willing to return to September 2000 
positions and follow the roadmap, but the PA had to fulfill 
its Phase I commitments.  He claimed complicity of PA 
security forces in the recent attack at the Karni Crossing. 
Shalom denounced Syria for hosting Hizballah and Islamic 
Jihad, and called for concrete goodwill gestures by Syrian 
President Asad.  He asked the assembled envoys to urge a 
complete cessation of Iran's nuclear program.  The FM praised 
the broad support for this month's special UN session 
commemorating the liberation of the concentration camps, and 
asked for senior representation at commemorations at Yad 
Vashem in March.  End Summary. 
 
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Israeli - Palestinian Relations 
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2. (C) At a briefing for foreign ambassadors at the MFA 
January 17, FM Shalom defended Prime Minister Sharon's 
decision to suspend contacts with PA officials following the 
January 13 attack at Karni.  He said that Prime Minister 
Sharon was committed to disengagement, but not under fire. 
Israel was willing to coordinate on disengagement and 
incitement whenever the PA was willing to oppose terrorism. 
Israel went along with burial of Arafat in Ramallah rather 
than in Gaza, and had cooperated with the PA and 
international observers on the recent elections.  Abu Mazen 
had a very clear mandate and the time for excuses was coming 
to an end. 
 
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"Abu Mazen has the capability -- but does he have the will?" 
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3. (C) Shalom said that despite doubts to the contrary, PA 
President Abu Mazen possessed the capability to crack down on 
Palestinian terrorists.  He questioned whether Abu Mazen had 
the will to do so.  Israel was very unhappy with Abu Mazen's 
campaign statements and believed "he means what he said." 
"Arafat made a very extreme speech at the White House in 1993 
at the time of the Oslo Accords and never moved an inch from 
what he said."  Israel could not accept statements like 
"Israel is the Zionist enemy."  Abandoning terrorism is a 
Phase I commitment under the roadmap.  Abu Mazen had said 
that Qassams and the Intifada were against the interests of 
the Palestinians -- but he didn't say that they were wrong. 
The terrorists were not just hurting Israelis; they were 
hurting Palestinians too.  Shalom asked his audience of 
ambassadors to urge the PA to fully implement Phase I of the 
roadmap.  That meant rooting out the infrastructure of 
terrorism, not just a ceasefire.  It also required a range of 
reforms, including civil, budgetary and security, and 
reduction of the number of security structures to three from 
"14 or 20."  Israel was in favor of the London Conference as 
a means to assist the PA in meeting its Phase I commitments. 
Shalom called for the countries represented to help rebuild 
Gaza and the West Bank, noting that he had asked the Japanese 
Foreign Minister to reestablish the committee on the 
environment to address related infrastructure, sewage and 
water issues. 
 
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Comments on Resettlement, Arab World 
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4. (C) Shalom asked that other countries assist Palestinian 
refugees.  He said that some wanted to move the Palestinian 
Diaspora to Israel rather than to their own country.  "They 
must have other intentions; no one will accept it."  He asked 
his audience to ask Arab countries to assist the refugees, 
and mentioned some of Israel's recent efforts to intensify 
consultations with Egypt and Jordan.  He noted a "change in 
the Arab world," with Saddam and Arafat gone, and Qaddafi 
showing a change in attitude.  Only the threats of Iran and 
Al-Qaeda were left, he said. 
 
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No "Two Tracks of Terrorism and Talks" 
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5. (C) Prime Minister Sharon had declared that there would be 
no talks until Israel saw concrete actions by the PA.  Israel 
could not accept two tracks of "terrorism and talks."  It 
needed the Palestinians to show that the era of Arafat is 
over.  Israel could not accept daily missile attacks.  Sderot 
had lost seven people in recent weeks.  PM Sharon had a new 
and more stable coalition and a huge majority in the Cabinet 
in favor of the disengagement plan.  It was time to show the 
world that the Palestinians were able to take over. 
Terrorists could not fire missiles from the West Bank because 
Israeli forces had been there since 2002.  The recent attack 
at the Karni Crossing could not have taken place without the 
assistance of PA security forces, Shalom claimed, because the 
terrorists could not have moved kilos of bomb material 
through the crossing gate without assistance.  He called 2005 
a "year of hope" for disengagement and PA reforms, and said 
that if those processes succeeded it would be possible to 
move to implementation of the roadmap.  Because of the 
Intifada, there was no confidence and trust.  As the sides 
disagreed on all final status issues, it was impossible to 
jump right to negotiations.  Depending on the PA's actions, 
Israel was willing to withdraw to September 2000 positions. 
 
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Terrorism "Not Just Israel's Problem" 
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6. (C) Elaborating on the subject of terrorism, Shalom said 
the world had come to understand that terrorism was not just 
Israel's problem.  He then stated that "all those committing 
terrorist acts are Muslims, but most Muslims are moderates 
and want better relations with the West and Israel."  (Note: 
In the later question and answer period, the Egyptian charge' 
took issue with Shalom's characterization of all terrorists 
as Muslims.  End note).  He characterized Al-Qaeda, Islamic 
Jihad, Hizballah and Hamas as extremists driven by the idea 
that Islam should rule the world.  Israel was working to 
improve its relations with the Muslim world and trying to 
isolate such extremists. 
 
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Comments on Iran and Syria 
-------------------------- 
7. (C) Shalom said it was especially important to recognize 
the role of Iran and Syria in supporting terrorism.  He 
called Iran "the enemy of all of us" and said Iran was behind 
25 percent of the attacks against Israel.  Although Israel 
had been able to prevent 22 attacks by Hizballah, Hizballah 
had carried out 64 successful attacks and was increasing its 
efforts since Arafat's passing.  (Note:  Shalom did not give 
a time frame for these figures.  End Note).  Countries 
shouldn't try to distinguish between Hizballah's political 
and armed efforts, Shalom said, asking "Do you know a party 
with 12,000 missiles, a party that carries out attacks 
against civilians?"  He urged all countries represented at 
the briefing to include Hizballah in their lists of terrorist 
organizations.  He said there were fewer attacks by Hamas due 
to cutoffs of funds, and funds to Hizballah needed to be cut 
as well. 
 
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FM Calls for Iran to Cease All Nuclear Development 
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8. (C) Turning to Iran's "development of a nuclear bomb," 
Shalom said that the international community was talking 
about using carrots and sticks, but he saw "only carrots." 
He said Iran would never abandon efforts to develop a nuclear 
bomb.  Any "suspension" of efforts was by definition 
temporary, and the UNSC should address the problem if Iran 
was unwilling to fully halt its nuclear development program. 
The FM said that some of the countries represented at the 
briefing had their own intelligence on Iran's efforts, and 
Israel had provided its intelligence to other countries.  He 
concluded his remarks on Iran by saying, "Before, Iran was 
Israel's problem, but now Paris, Berlin, London and the south 
of Russia are within range of the missiles Iran is 
developing." 
 
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Syria:  President Asad Needs to Match Words with Deeds 
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9. (C) Shalom said not only was Syria hosting the 
headquarters of Hizballah and Islamic Jihad, but missiles 
from Iran intended for attacks against Israel were transiting 
Damascus and the port of Latakiya.  President Asad had been 
saying he wanted better relations with Israel, but "there was 
a big gap between words and deeds."  Asad was now facing 
pressure from the U.S. and the UN Security Council.  The 1976 
occupation should come to an end.  Lebanon could have been 
the second Arab country with diplomatic relations with 
Israel, but Syria had blocked that possibility.  Syria should 
make concrete gestures towards Israel, including returning 
the remains of Israeli spy Eli Cohen and providing 
information on an Israeli soldier who had disappeared near 
the Syrian border. 
 
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Ambassadors Ask Israel to Give Abu Mazen Time 
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10. (C) The ambassadors or charges from the Netherlands, 
South Africa, Egypt and the Czech Republic spoke during the 
question and answer period.  The Dutch representative asked 
whether Israel's unwillingness to withdraw from Gaza under 
fire wasn't giving a veto to the terrorists.  Shalom replied 
that Abu Mazen and the leaders of his security forces could 
stop attacks "in a moment."  They needed to move against the 
terrorist infrastructure as Arafat had done in 1996 when 
pressured.  The South African ambassador suggested that 
suspending talks weakened "the elements for peace."  Shalom 
replied that Israel was willing to make "very painful 
concessions" for the sake of peace, and Abu Mazen would 
actually be strengthened by moving against perpetrators of 
terror.  The Egyptian charge' took issue with Shalom's 
statement that all terrorists are Muslims.  Shalom replied 
with a restatement of Israel's efforts to engage with the 
Arab World, and noted that there were mosque sermons in Gaza 
that called Jews "animals" and worse.  He said that Israel 
was simply asking Abu Mazen for "best efforts."  In response 
to a question from the Czech representative about actions 
Israel could take, Shalom said that Israel had quietly 
removed over 100 illegal outposts and repeated that Israel 
was prepared to withdraw to September 2000 positions 
following steps on security by the PA.  (Note:  GOI data 
contradict Shalom's claim on outpost removals.  Data show 
only 29 outposts removed since early 2003; the total number 
of outposts has gone from 146 in 2003 to 117 today.  End 
Note).  He said that without PA action against terrorist 
infrastructure, "every aircraft" taking off from Ben Gurion 
Airport could be targeted if Israel withdrew from the West 
Bank prematurely.  In closing remarks, the Dean of the Corps 
praised Israel's support for the recent elections and asked 
that Israel continue to support Abu Mazen as the leader of 
the Palestinians. 
 
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Atmospherics:  Foreign COMs Deputized as Israeli Ambassadors 
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11. (C)  Shalom began his remarks by asking his audience of 
COM's to "be Ambassadors of Israel," saying they and their 
families recognized the reality of terrorist attacks in 
Israel.  He expressed his condolences to the families of 
Tsunami victims, noting that Israel had been trying to assist 
 
SIPDIS 
within its limited resources.  Shalom thanked those countries 
that supported the UN special session to commemorate the 60th 
anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps 
scheduled for January 24.  He asked the ambassadors to urge 
high-level representation from their countries at the special 
session and at March commemorations at Yad Vashem in Israel. 
He said that anti-Semitism was still flourishing in Europe, 
but praised France and other European governments for their 
recent efforts to combat anti-Semitism. 
 
 
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