US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV1085

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAL, KWBG, GZ, IS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: GAZANS, FOR VARYING REASONS, FAVOR PA CABINET OF 
"TECHNOCRATS" 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 0695 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Norm Olsen for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Summary: Prominent Gazans expressed, for varying 
reasons, a strong preference for a cabinet of technocrats in 
conversations with Poloff February 22-23.  Minister of 
Justice candidate and prominent Gaza attorney Sharhabeel 
al-Za'eem said that Gazans view new faces in the ministries 
as a concrete sign of positive change under Abu Mazen; even 
the discussion is generating excitement among a population in 
the strip hitherto extremely skeptical of the prospects for 
any meaningful change.  Marwan Kanafani, head of the PLC 
Political Committee, said that he, too, is adamant that the 
cabinet be one of technocrats, although he did not cite 
technical competence as his reason per se.  Kanafani appeared 
to be more concerned about the inclusion of some PLC members 
over others, prompting his position of "all technocrats or 
none" in the cabinet.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) Questioned about the ongoing crisis in formulating a 
Palestinian government, prominent Gazans, for varying 
reasons, expressed a strong preference for "new faces" in the 
selection of ministerial candidates.  Gaza lawyer Sharhabeel 
al-Za'eem, himself a so-far unsuccessful "technocrat" 
candidate for Minister of Justice, told Poloff February 21 
that he is not campaigning for the position. "Either they 
want technical competence, or they don't," he said. 
Al-Za'eem said his name had been on the proposed cabinet 
list, only to be removed at the last minute in the early 
morning hours February 21.  Regarding the slate of ministers 
presented to the PLC February 21, al-Za'eem accused PM Abu 
Ala'a of failing to think creatively, or even "to think at 
all" in crafting the list, which al Za'eem said contained too 
many names of individuals who have held a series of positions 
in the PA since its establishment in 1994.  Al-Za'eem said 
that the "revolt" in the PLC that has blocked adoption of the 
cabinet thus far is led by new generation Fatah members, 
whose resentment of long-entrenched Fatah politicians has 
reached a climax.  Palestinians, said al-Za'eem, are fed up 
with seeing the same old faces. 
 
3.  (C) His personal, less-than-clear situation 
notwithstanding, al-Za'eem did not express frustration with 
the ongoing, messy political process.  On the contrary, he 
fairly gushed with enthusiasm at the public discussion and 
political energy of the process, adding that this feeling is 
shared by increasing numbers in Gaza.  Until now, he said, 
Gazans have been reticent in expressing any hopes, high or 
otherwise, for the future, preferring to adopt a "wait and 
see" attitude borne of repeated disappointments.  Speculating 
on what may have tipped the balance, al-Za'eem said that the 
hope of seeing some fresh faces in the government seems to 
have at last sparked people's interest.  That, said 
al-Za'eem, is the main factor convincing people that Abu 
Mazen does, indeed, stand for change.  Abu Ala'a, he said, is 
increasingly being viewed as a block to progress. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Same Answer, Different Reasoning 
-------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Marwan Kanafani, Head of the PLC Political Committee, 
told Poloff February 23 that he, too, favors a cabinet of 
technocrats, although he did not cite a desire for 
technically competent ministers as his reason per se. 
Kanafani said he opposes any cabinet that includes PLC 
members or other non-technocrats: "How can we support the 
inclusion of some PLC members and not others?"  Specifically, 
Kanafani said he strongly opposed the inclusion of either 
Sa'eb Erekat or Nabil Sha'ath, as both are members of the 
PLC.  Kanafani predicted that a proposed cabinet that 
included them would fail again, although he doubted whether 
Abu Ala'a himself would be replaced for failing to form a 
government. 
 
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Looking to a Future in the PLC? 
------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Al-Za'eem, who said he is untroubled as to whether he 
enters the government or not, confided that he intends to run 
in the PLC elections in July regardless.  Saying he will run 
as an independent, al-Za'eem described the process of 
registration as quite simple, requiring only that a potential 
candidate present a petition with 500 signatures to the 
electoral committee.  He added that "many people" are 
thinking of running, and called the heightened interest yet 
more evidence that people may be starting to believe that 
things are changing for the better under Abu Mazen. 
 
 
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