US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV2803

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002803 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KWBG, IS, GOI EXTERNAL, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
SUBJECT: MFA NORTH AMERICA DIRECTOR DISCUSSES REGIONAL 
POLITICS, SHARON'S DISENGAGEMENT NEEDS WITH NEA DAS DIBBLE 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 02654 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: MFA Deputy Director General for North 
American Affairs Yoram Ben Zeev met with NEA DAS Liz Dibble 
to discuss the future of Hizballah following the partial 
withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon; the upcoming 
Quartet  meeting in Moscow; GOI internal disengagement 
politics; and PA capacity to quell terrorist activity in the 
long term.  On Hezbollah, Ben Zeev said he believes the 
organization is seeking a domestic Lebanese audience, and 
questioned whether Hamas and PIJ elements in Damascus may 
eventually relocate to Beirut.  On the Quartet, Ben Zeev 
expressed concerns that the organization is taking on a 
"momentum of its own" beyond its historical adherence to U.S. 
positions.  On disengagement, he requested that the U.S. give 
PM Sharon the "quiet" he needs to focus solely on 
disengagement, including leaving aside criticisms on 
settlement expansion for the time being.  End Summary. 
 
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Lebanon, Syria, and the Future of Hizballah 
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2.  (C) MFA Deputy Director General for North America Yoram 
Ben Zeev told NEA DAS Liz Dibble May 6 that Israel shares the 
USG,s estimation of possible "worst case scenarios" in 
Lebanon following the withdrawal of Syrian troops, including 
the concern that Syria may continue to cause trouble 
including during the upcoming parliamentary elections.  Ben 
Zeev emphasized his view that Hizballah is now "trying to 
find its mission," working harder to appeal to a domestic 
Lebanese constituency and making "course 
corrections" in its policies.  "Hizballah still needs Syria, 
but not as much as it once did," he said.  Ben Zeev also 
expressed fears that those elements of the Syrian government 
that provide support to Hamas and PIJ may eventually move 
from Damascus to Beirut.  In his view, this would throw into 
chaos the clear protocol Israel and Syria currently maintain, 
in which the catalogue of potential actions and responses is 
predictable and well known to both countries. 
 
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Sharon Needs Quiet from Quartet, U.S., 
to Carry Out Disengagement 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) At the upcoming Quartet meeting, said DAS Dibble, the 
parties will discuss the outcomes of Jim Wolfensohn,s visit 
to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, and the specifics of his 
role as disengagement coordinator.  Ben Zeev expressed the 
GOI's "nervousness" that the Quartet, which has historically 
been kept in check by the U.S., is "gaining a momentum of its 
own."  He said he feared the statement coming out of the 
upcoming Quartet meeting in Moscow could be detrimental to PM 
Sharon's ability to carry out disengagement.  Ben Zeev stated 
in particular that the U.S. must "ensure" the government of 
Russia "leaves PM Sharon alone." 
 
4.  (C) Ben Zeev reported that during  the recent meeting 
between PM Sharon and Senators Frist and Lieberman, the Prime 
Minister asked for "quiet" in which to focus solely on 
disengagement.  The U.S. must protect Sharon from internal 
elements that wish to see his government topple, he said, by 
withholding criticism on settlement activity.  DAS Dibble 
observed that the kind of "noise" from the international 
community Sharon says he wishes to avoid is triggered by 
surprise announcements such as the one regarding E-1.  Ben 
Zeev argued in response that Sharon must give the Israeli 
public "red meat" by talking about expansion of the West Bank 
settlements.  The U.S. should recognize, however, that this 
is primarily talk and very little action, he said.  (Note: 
Other GOI contacts report that planning for the E1 expansion 
of Ma'ale Adumim continues apace, and NGO activists note that 
the plan may be weeks away from public review, a stage of the 
approval process from which it is difficult to backtrack. 
See reftel.  End note.) 
 
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Abbas Still Dissappoints 
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5.  (C) Ben Zeev said that PM Sharon is "very upset" with PA 
President Mahmud Abbas because of the latter's seeming 
inability to carry through with actions to fight terror, 
including seizing weapons and dismantling terrorist 
infrastructure.  Moreover, he said, Sharon believes even 
Abbas' talk is not as firm as it should be.  Ben Zeev 
emphasized that the GOI takes Abbas' words very seriously, 
and has been impressed with some of what he has said, but 
that neither his actions nor words have met GOI expectations. 
 
6.  (C) DAS Dibble cleared this message. 
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