US embassy cable - 02AMMAN3716

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 003716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PRM AND NEA; PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2012 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, EAID, KPAL, KWBG, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: UNRWA BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS USD 55.7 MILLION IN NEW 
NEEDS, HINTS AT INCREASED ISRAELI COOPERATION ON 
HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 
 
REF: AMMAN 2999 
 
Classified By: DCM GREG BERRY, PER 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  On July 2, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner 
General Karen AbuZayd briefed donors on UNRWA's USD 55.7 
million in new financial needs following the March-April 
military operations in the West Bank and Gaza.  UNRWA warned 
that its 2002 emergency appeal remains severely underfunded, 
with pledges of only USD 53.2 million of the original USD 117 
million appeal.  Without significant new contributions, UNRWA 
warned that it will be unable to implement emergency programs 
after September 30.  UNRWA also reported that it has seen 
signs that Israel may be attempting to resolve the agency's 
longstanding humanitarian access difficulties; following 
meetings with IDF and MATAK officials (held at their 
request), UNRWA finally received permission to deliver to 
Gaza 42 tons of medical supplies that had been held at 
UNRWA's Jerusalem warehouse for the last 22 months.  UNRWA 
West Bank Director Cook also reported that MATAK has asked 
UNRWA to institute regularly scheduled meetings to resolve 
such disputes.  While our interlocutors found the news 
encouraging, some skeptics questioned the Israelis' motives 
-- especially given recent Israeli government statements 
critical of UNRWA.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U) On July 2, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner General Karen 
AbuZayd briefed donors in Jerusalem and Amman on UNRWA's USD 
55.7 million in new financial needs following the March-April 
military operations in the West Bank and Gaza.  AbuZayd was 
accompanied by West Bank Director Richard Cook and Gaza 
Deputy Director Kris Nordahl, who provided detailed updates 
on the humanitarian situation in their respective fields. 
Regional refugee coordinator and refugee assistant attended 
the Amman briefing. 
 
GRIM FINANCIAL PICTURE 
---------------------- 
 
3.  (U) Deputy ComGen Karen AbuZayd reported that UNRWA's 
original 2002 emergency appeal remains severely underfunded, 
with pledges to date of only USD 53.2 million of the original 
USD 117 million appeal.  Without significant new pledges, she 
warned, UNRWA will be unable to implement emergency programs 
after September 30.  Due to both limited financial resources 
and the curfews and closures in the West Bank, UNRWA has been 
able to implement only 22 percent of its job creation 
programs, one-third of its community works programs, 28 
percent of its emergency health programs and one of its two 
scheduled food distributions in the West Bank.  In Gaza, 
UNRWA's short-term employment programs can continue through 
October, but the agency will be unable to distribute 
emergency food assistance after September. 
 
MADE STILL WORSE BY ADDITIONAL NEEDS 
------------------------------------ 
 
4.  (SBU) In a supplemental appeal issued on June 20, UNRWA 
reported that it faces USD 55.7 million in additional 
financial needs resulting from the March-April military 
operations in the West Bank and Gaza.  The majority of these 
new needs, some USD 28 million, is required to rebuild Jenin 
refugee camp.  West Bank Director Cook reported that these 
reconstruction expenses (which include infrastructure and 
administrative support costs) should be covered by a still 
unconfirmed USD 30 million pledge by the UAE.  (UNRWA still 
is negotiating with the UAE over the expenses that will be 
covered by the donation.  The UAE insists that only 
construction costs should be covered, while UNRWA is pushing 
for social services costs as well.)  Other significant new 
needs include USD 6.9 million in additional shelter 
reconstruction in Gaza; USD 2.5 million in West Bank shelter 
reconstruction and repairs outside Jenin camp; USD 2.4 
million in non-Jenin infrastructure repairs in the West Bank 
and USD 1.25 million in additional emergency food aid for the 
West Bank. 
 
SITUATION IN WEST BANK "VERY, VERY DIFFICULT" 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) UNRWA West Bank Director Richard Cook told donors 
that although the intensity of fighting had diminished in the 
West Bank, the situation is still "very, very difficult," as 
the West Bank is undergoing the "tightest, most intense and 
prolonged closure" UNRWA has ever known.  Due to daily IDF 
incursions and curfews throughout the West Bank, it is nearly 
impossible for UNRWA's 4,200 Palestinian staff to move around 
the West Bank or report to the Jerusalem field office.  Cook 
added that the 392 Jerusalem permits required for UNRWA's 
West Bank field office staff still have not been renewed. 
Nevertheless, an average of ten staff per day manage to reach 
the field office from the West Bank, in violation of Israeli 
laws and at great personal risk.  To manage operations 
without those who are unable to reach Jerusalem, UNRWA has 
set up internet workstations in some of its West Bank 
installations, enabling employees to telecommute where 
possible.  To lead convoys and conduct food distributions, 
the West Bank field still is relying on 12 international 
drivers provided by the Swedish consulate. 
 
6.  (SBU) Cook said the continued closures are affecting 
"every aspect of life" in the West Bank.  Although UNRWA had 
made plans to extend the school year by 10 to 30 days in the 
West Bank, to make up for the tens of thousands of teacher 
days lost to closures, the continued tight closures and 
curfews are making it impossible for teachers to reach their 
schools.  In response to a donor question, Cook said that 
UNRWA probably will be able to make up for lost classroom 
time in the next school year -- assuming the school year 
proceeds without significant closures or curfews -- but that 
the lost classroom time will have a significant, 
unrecoverable effect on students if such disruptions continue 
beyond this summer. 
 
7.  (SBU) In the health sector, Cook reported that the 
continued closures are having a particularly difficult effect 
on refugees with chronic illnesses such as cancer, kidney 
failure or heart disease who require regular treatments.  In 
the last seven days of June, for example, 33 of UNRWA's 34 
West Bank health centers were closed for at least one day. 
UNRWA also is coping with an increased number of refugees in 
need of physical therapy.  Cook reported that 80 refugees 
resident in the West Bank are in need of life-time physical 
rehabilitation care following the March-April incursions, 
including 46 in Jenin camp. 
 
JENIN CAMP UPDATE 
----------------- 
 
8.  (SBU) Due to the continuing problems of unexploded 
ordnance (UXO) and ongoing IDF incursions into Jenin, UNRWA's 
reconstruction efforts are proceeding slowly, often only at 
three to four-hour intervals per day.  At this rate, and 
without the necessary UXO removal equipment (ref), UNRWA 
estimates that it will take at least nine months to remove 
all of the rubble from Jenin refugee camp.  In the meantime, 
a total of 35 Palestinian refugees have been wounded and two 
killed by UXO since mid-April. 
 
GAZA CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE 
----------------------------- 
 
9.  (SBU) UNRWA's Deputy Gaza Director Kris Nordahl reported 
that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to 
deteriorate.  215 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 
March 1, and the demolition and bulldozing of Palestinian 
refugees' property continues.  516 Palestinian refugee 
shelters have been demolished since September 2000, including 
418 families still in need of new shelter.  From early March 
until early May, the Gaza Strip was trisected by Israeli 
checkpoints and 750 UNRWA employees were unable to report to 
work.  As a result, the Gaza Men's and Women's Training 
Centers were closed for 60 days.  UNRWA's medical specialists 
(cardiologists, ob/gyns and opthamologists), who work in 
clinics throughout Gaza, also were unable to work for 60 
days.  Now that Gaza is only bisected by checkpoints, UNRWA 
staff and Training Center students are able to move through 
the Strip, although it can take four to seven hours to make a 
one-way journey.  Nordahl reported that UNRWA's food 
distribution program was severely delayed by the closures, as 
UNRWA was not allowed to import commodities until May 29. 
Due to the internal closures, UNRWA still is not allowed to 
distribute food to the impoverished southern al-Mawassi 
enclave.  Nordahl reported also that Gaza's already weakened 
economy deteriorated still further following the March-May 
closures, as even internal construction projects Gaza ground 
to a halt.  UNRWA has increased its selective cash assistance 
in Gaza by 45 percent to combat growing unemployment, and 
seeks an additional USD 1 million in emergency funding to 
further increase this assistance. 
 
SOME SIGNS ACCESS MAY BE IMPROVING, BUT PROBLEMS REMAIN 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
10.  (C) UNRWA reported that it has seen some signs that 
Israel may be attempting to resolve the agency's longstanding 
access difficulties.  During the week of June 24, former 
MATAK commander General Spiegel met with UNRWA officials as 
part of the Israeli Government's ongoing review of IDF 
actions during Operation Defensive Shield.  West Bank 
Director Richard Cook reported that Spiegel listened 
carefully to UNRWA's complaints, took notes, and made no 
attempt to argue or defend IDF actions that violated UNRWA's 
immunities or mandate.  UNRWA's regular IDF liaison and the 
MATAK West Bank Commander then followed up with separate 
requests for briefings and regularly scheduled meetings with 
UNRWA officials.  Cook told donors that he has had more 
contact with MATAK and the IDF in the last few days than he 
had had during his previous five years of service in the West 
Bank.  He also reported that, as a result of these meetings, 
Israeli authorities finally granted UNRWA permission to 
deliver to Gaza the 42 tons of medical supplies held in 
UNRWA's Jerusalem warehouse since September 2000 due to 
Israeli security restrictions.  In Gaza, although UNRWA 
continues to have internal distribution and staff access 
problems, UNRWA reported that Israeli authorities have opened 
Sufa crossing exclusively for UNRWA containers.  According to 
Gaza Deputy Director Nordahl, the Israelis have not allowed 
any other organization to import containers into Gaza. 
 
11.  (C) While our interlocutors at the briefing found the 
reports of increased Israeli cooperation on humanitarian 
access issues encouraging, some skeptics questioned Israeli 
motives -- especially given recent Israeli government 
statements critical of UNRWA.  Following the briefing, for 
example, one host country representative speculated to 
refcoord that perhaps the Israelis were easing restrictions 
on UNRWA as part of their master plan to displace Arafat -- 
as it would be impossible for the Palestinians (and Israel) 
to weather such a political crisis without a fully 
functioning international relief system. 
Gnehm