US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV654

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000654 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KWBG, IS, SY, U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS, PEACE PROCESS, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, GOI EXTERNAL 
SUBJECT: URI SAGUY ON NEED FOR U.S. LEADERSHIP IN THE 
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN TRACK, AND FOR ISRAELI ENGAGEMENT WITH 
SYRIA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
. 
 
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No Israel-PA Progress Without U.S. Leadership 
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1. (C) Retired IDF intelligence chief MG (ret) Uri Saguy told 
the Ambassador February 2 that Israel needs active U.S. 
involvement "desperately" to move forward with the 
Palestinians after disengagement because the Israeli 
political system is "stuck," and the current coalition is 
heading toward a "deadlock."  While he was not optimistic 
that Israel and the PA could bridge the vast gap between them 
any time soon, he stressed that the two parties, led by the 
United States, must nevertheless work to narrow their 
differences.  As the parties will not make progress on their 
own, he contended, the U.S. must "dictate" its views. 
 
2. (C) Saguy said he believed that most Israelis would 
welcome U.S. statements giving greater depth to the U.S. 
vision of a final status agreement.  Israeli prime ministers, 
he said, pay great deference to U.S. views, especially when 
forcefully delivered.  Ordinary Israelis, for their part, 
would accept U.S. advocacy of final status arrangements, 
e.g., along the lines of the Clinton parameters, because 
"most reasonable people" are looking for a solution to the 
conflict with the Palestinians that would allow them to lead 
normal lives.  Saguy cautioned, however, that he was not 
confident about his ability to read Israeli public opinion. 
As a seventh-generation native of the land, he said that he 
is now part of a "minority, WASP" class that is no longer 
influential in Israeli political life.  He said his pragmatic 
views do not resonate with many fellow Israelis, such as 
settlers, who "get very emotional about national rights."  To 
make such Israelis "rational," the "polite" outside influence 
of the United States is necessary. 
 
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Dealing with Syria: "Hatred is not a policy" 
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3. (C) While allowing that he does not like the Syrian regime 
and that Syria must "pay a penalty" for its recent behavior, 
Saguy said that no good is served by driving the SARG "into a 
corner."  Peace for Israel ultimately requires resolving all 
territorial disputes with the Arab world.  Israel's long-term 
interests thus require it to seek ways to build towards good 
relations with Syria, even though the GOI has no impetus to 
negotiate with Syria now.  "Hatred is no policy," he said. 
An Israeli dialogue with Syria could serve to "enlighten" the 
SARG, and to get it to use whatever influence it has on Iran 
to improve Iranian behavior. 
 
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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
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KURTZER