US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV2169

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KWBG, OREP, PGOV, IS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, COUNTERTERRORISM, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: UZI LANDAU TO CODEL SAXTON:  DISENGAGEMENT WILL 
ALLOW AL QAEDA TO MOVE INTO GAZA 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Knesset member and former Minister of 
Internal Security Uzi Landau told Codel Saxton that 
disengagement will allow al-Qaeda to move into Gaza.  Landau 
proposed a joint working group between Congress and the 
Knesset to devise ways to combat international terrorism 
while still maintaining civil liberties and individual 
rights.  He said he has "no trust in (PA President) Abbas" 
and thinks the U.S. and Europe should tie financial support 
for the Palestinians to PA success at stopping terror.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) In a March 31 meeting in Tel Aviv, Likud Knesset 
member and former Minister of Internal Security Uzi Landau 
met with Congressmen Jim Saxton and Geoff Davis to discuss 
terrorism and the disengagement plan.  House staff member Tom 
Hawley joined the meeting, as did Emboffs, and a military 
escort from the Codel. 
 
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Disengagement 
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3. (C) Noting that he used to support PM Sharon, Landau said 
he believes that Sharon's plan for disengagement from Gaza is 
a "major, major mistake" and will strengthen terrorist 
organizations.  He commented that, just as Hizballah "pushed 
us out of Lebanon," Hamas will now be able to claim the same 
achievement in Gaza.  If Israel allows this trend to 
continue, it will be pushed "all the way to Jerusalem." 
Landau said he feels betrayed by the GOI, because 
disengagement was not the policy he voted for.  He supported 
the idea of a referendum on disengagement, and blamed the 
Labor party's support for PM Sharon for the failure of a 
referendum initiative. 
 
4. (C) Landau predicted that Israel's departure from Gaza 
will leave al-Qaeda an opening to move in, a problem for both 
Israel and the U.S.  In response to staffer Hawley's 
skepticism that al-Qaeda would "set up in Israel," Landau 
commented that Gaza would no longer be "Israel" after 
disengagement.  He cited an article by a former IDG general 
that he said shows that "excellent conditions" will exist for 
al-Qaeda to move into Gaza once Israel ends its security 
activities there.  This "process will not lead to peace," 
Landau said. 
 
5. (C) Landau predicted that the next session of the Knesset 
(scheduled to begin May 16) would be "politically hot."  He 
contended that many Israelis view the territories as "our 
land."  He recalled that the withdrawal of Israeli settlers 
from the Sinai created turmoil in Israel.  In Landau's 
estimation, Israel is 8now moving Jews from their own place." 
 
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Financial Support to Abbas 
-------------------------- 
 
6. (C) Landau expressed concern that the U.S. and Europe are 
now, in his view, offering the Palestinians generous 
financial support without any requirement for reforms, even 
after four years of terror that resulted in the deaths of 
more than 1,000 Israelis.  He called for financial 
consequences if the Palestinians do not stop terror, and for 
linkage between international financial support for the PA 
and PA performance. 
 
7. (C) Landau asserted, and Congressmen Saxton concurred, 
that the U.S. and Israel need to demonstrate signs of resolve 
to terrorist organizations.  The Israeli withdrawals from 
Lebanon and Gaza "leave the door open" to terror.  The U.S. 
and Israel, Landau said, are now conveying a message that 
they will "break if organizations use terror" against them. 
 
---------------- 
Opinion of Abbas 
---------------- 
 
8. (C) In response to Congressman Saxton's request for a 
personal assessment of Abbas, Landau said Abbas is "like 
Arafat, but with a western suit and shaved... and (with) less 
personal charisma."  He has "no trust in Abbas," citing what 
he said were Abbas' close relationship with Arafat since 
1960, role as financier of the Munich Olympics massacre, and 
Holocaust denials.  Abbas, he charged, has said he objects to 
violence only because it has not worked for the Palestians; 
he could therefore change his mind at any time. 
 
9. (C) When asked by Congressman Saxton about the level of 
tension between Abbas and Hamas, Landau responded that 
tension exists both as a political rivalry and in 
disagreements over "how to run the war."  While expressing 
astonishment that "terrorist organizations" are allowed to 
run in the Palestinian elections, Landau acknowledged that 
Hamas administers the programs that "care for the people." 
He claimed that Abbas has promised the terrorist groups not 
to collect their weapons, and that the groups are now trying 
to bring in more weapons.  Landau predicted that the current 
state of relative calm between Israelis and Palestinians 
would prove to be only the "silence before the storm." 
Congressman Saxton responded that Israel's adversaries have 
seemed to use periods of calm throughout Israeli history as a 
strategy to get concessions. 
 
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Congress/Knesset Working Group 
------------------------------ 
 
10. (C) Landau suggested the creation of a joint working 
group between Congress and the Knesset to focus on fighting 
international terror while maintaining civil liberties.  He 
called for greater intelligence sharing about terrorism among 
affected governments.  Congressman Davis compared the 
proposed working group to the Cold War-era ACE Mobile force, 
which linked special force units from various countries 
together.  He said everyone understood then that "an attack 
on one was an attack on all."  Congressman Saxton called 
Landau's proposal an "excellent suggestion." 
 
11.(U) Codel staff did not clear this message. 
 
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