US embassy cable - 02JERUSALEM2756

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002756 
 
NSC FOR LEVERETT 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2012 
TAGS: KPAL, KWBG, PGOV, PREL, IS 
SUBJECT: FATAH LEADER ON HAMAS CELL IN JERUSALEM 
 
REF: A) TEL AVIV 4184 B) JERUSALEM 2729 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING PRINCIPAL OFFICER MARY DRAPER, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: A SENIOR FATAH OFFICIAL AND PLC MEMBER 
CRITICIZED HAMAS FOR CONDUCTING OPERATIONS IN JERUSALEM, 
SAYING THIS WAS PART OF A WIDER COMPETITION BETWEEN FATAH AND 
HAMAS OVER WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE THE RESISTANCE.  THE 
DISCOVERY OF A HAMAS CELL IN EAST JERUSALEM WILL COMPLICATE 
THE ONGOING CEASE-FIRE TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, IN HIS 
VIEW.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) HATEM ABDEL QADER, A MEMBER OF THE PALESTINIAN 
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR JERUSALEM AND FATAH'S HIGH COMMITTEE 
FOR THE WEST BANK, TOLD POLCHIEF 8/22 THAT HAMAS OPERATIONS 
INSIDE JERUSALEM VIOLATED AN UNDERSTANDING WITH FATAH NOT TO 
CONDUCT SUCH ACTIVITIES IN JERUSALEM.  RECENT REVELATIONS OF 
A HAMAS CELL IN EAST JERUSALEM COULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE 
PLIGHT OF THE 220,000 PALESTINIANS LIVING IN EAST JERUSALEM, 
AND WOULD CERTAINLY COMPLICATE THE BROADER, ONGOING 
CEASE-FIRE TALKS BETWEEN FATAH AND HAMAS, HE SAID.  FATAH'S 
POLICY ON JERUSALEM, ACCORDING TO ABDEL QADER, HAS BEEN TO 
EMPLOY NON-VIOLENT MEANS TO PRESS THE GOI ON 
JERSULEM-SPECIFIC ISSUES (I.E., HOME DEMOLITIONS, LAND AND ID 
CONFISCATIONS, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE). 
 
3. (C) ABDEL QADER SAID THAT THE PRESENCE OF A HAMAS CELL IN 
JERUSALEM WAS A MANIFESTATION OF A LARGER ONGOING COMPETITION 
BETWEEN FATAH AND HAMAS OVER RESISTANCE TACTICS.  HAMAS WAS 
IDEOLOGICAL AND MAXIMALIST, WHILE FATAH WAS PRAGMATIC AND 
FOCUSED; THAT'S WHY FATAH WAS NOW PURSUING A CEASE-FIRE 
(COMMENT: ALBEIT ONE LIMITED GEOGRAPHICALLY TO INSIDE GREEN 
LINE ISRAEL -- SEE REFTELS).  ON ARAFAT'S ORDERS, FATAH HAD 
HAD TO THREATEN TO EXPEL PARTY MEMBERS FOR TAKING WEAPONS AND 
MONEY FROM HAMAS AND PIJ -- RESOURCES THAT ORIGINATED FROM 
TEHRAN, HE SAID.  IN ADDITION, ABDEL QADER SAID HE WAS 
PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN WHAT HE TERMED "THE BATTLE FOR THE 
CHILDREN" -- A FATAH EFFORT TO COUNTER UNDUE HAMAS INFLUENCE 
IN THE SCHOOLS THAT WAS RADICALIZING PALESTINIAN YOUTH BY 
EXPOSING THEM TO DAILY PROPAGANDA ABOUT ALLEGED ISRAELI 
ATROCITIES.  "THE LAST THING WE WANT IS A RADICAL ISLAMIC 
STATE LIKE IRAN," HE SAID. 
 
4. (C) ABDEL QADER EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT FATAH WOULD 
PREVAIL.  FIRST, THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP ITSELF WAS NOW DIVIDED 
OVER RESISTANCE TACTICS, A RIFT THAT FATAH WOULD ATTEMPT TO 
EXPLOIT, HE SAID.  SECOND, MOST PALESTINIANS WERE NOT 
COMFORTABLE WITH HAMAS' SOCIO-POLITICAL PLATFORM (EVEN IF 
MANY ADMIRED THE PARTY'S "STEADFASTNESS").  "LET US HAVE 
ELECTIONS AND LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES -- YOU 
WILL SEE, WE WILL WIN." 
 
5. (C) COMMENT: EAST JERUSALEM'S PALESTINIANS HAVE 
TRADITIONALLY BEEN HARDER TO RECRUIT FOR TERRORIST OPERATIONS 
BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIVILEGED POSITION VIS-A-VIS WEST BANK 
PALESTINIANS.  NOT SUBJECT TO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, THEY ARE 
ECONOMICALLY BETTER OFF, AND ARE ENTITLED TO ISRAELI SOCIAL 
SERVICES THAT, WHILE SHORT OF WHAT ISRAELI CITIZENS ENJOY, 
ARE SUPERIOR TO THOSE THE PA PROVIDES TO PALESTINIANS IN THE 
WEST BANK AND GAZA.  THAT SAID, THE DISCOVERY OF A HAMAS CELL 
IN JERUSALEM IS A REMINDER THAT VIOLENT RESISTANCE STILL 
RESONATES AMONG SOME HERE, AND A SIGN OF THE CONTINUING 
DISUNITY AMONG PALESTINIAN POLITICAL FACTIONS ON ACCEPTABLE 
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. 
 
 
DRAPER