US embassy cable - 05CAIRO4597

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MDA: ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL ASKS FOR MORE FAVORABLE ISRAELI ACTION AND CLARIFICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE OF MDA ACTIVITIES

Identifier: 05CAIRO4597
Wikileaks: View 05CAIRO4597 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Cairo
Created: 2005-06-19 15:03:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL PGOV KPAL IS EG
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004597 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAL, IS, EG 
SUBJECT: MDA:  ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL ASKS FOR MORE 
FAVORABLE ISRAELI ACTION AND CLARIFICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC 
SCOPE OF MDA ACTIVITIES 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 4379 
 
     B. CAIRO 4262 (NOTAL) 
     C. AMMAN 4474 (NOTAL) 
     D. STATE 97599 (NOTAL) 
     E. CAIRO 3842 
     F. CAIRO 3752 
     G. CAIRO 3178 (NOTAL) 
     H. CAIRO 2875 (NOTAL) 
     I. CAIRO 2515 (NOTAL) 
     J. CAIRO 2481 
     K. CAIRO 1798 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified by Charge Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  In a June 19 meeting with Arab League Secretary 
General Amre Moussa, the Charge encouraged the Arab League to 
work for acceptance of the Magen David Adom (MDA) society 
into the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. 
Moussa replied it was difficult to consider such a topic 
"while settlements are being built" unless Israel were to 
"give something" to improve the regional atmosphere.  He 
asked rhetorically "what is the hurry?" 
 
2.  (C)  The Charge stressed the humanitarian nature of the 
MDA issue and noted that the time was right for cooperation. 
Moussa responded that the MDA was a humanitarian issue "as 
seen by the Israelis," but not by the Palestinians.  He 
emphasized that the MDA's focus was internal to the state of 
Israel and raised sensitivities if it "moved beyond Israel" 
into the "occupied Palestinian territories."  ("Within 
Israel" meant, in Moussa's view, "within the borders defined 
by UNSCR 242.")  Moussa asserted that, with clarification of 
the MDA's geographic scope, "we could move quickly" and were 
"ready to cooperate." 
 
3.  (C)  The lack of clarification of the MDA's scope of 
operations dissuaded Arab states from cooperation, continued 
Moussa.  "The point of contention is the occupied 
territories," he added, stressing again that if Israel 
clearly confined the MDA "inside Israel, and it had nothing 
to do with the occupied territories," the Arab League might 
be in a better position to help. 
 
 
Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. 
 
GRAY 

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