US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE1925

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001925 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, KWBG, IS, NL, PKPAL 
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN SECURITY/NETHERLANDS: DUTCH DONATION 
FOR COMMUNICATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 121751 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (SBU)  Acting POLCOUNS and Poloff discussed reftel 
demarche with the MFA on June 30 and July 7.  Astrid 
Zonneveld (MFA Action Officer for security policy) told 
A/POLCOUNS that the GoNL would provide up to 500,000 euro to 
support the Ward Mission, drawing on the Security Policy 
Bureau's discretionary funds that are not part of Dutch ODA. 
 Zonneveld said her office was working on approval for 
disbursement now and would earmark its funding for 
communications.  Administrative procedures will take about a 
week. The Dutch mission in Ramala is coordinating its 
donation with the working group. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Separately, Angelique Eijpe (MFA, Middle East desk 
officer), told Poloff that the Dutch still need to coordinate 
internally the several requests for assistance coming in from 
several sides.  Meanwhile, they are "watching how things 
develop, nervous about how the fluidity of the situation 
could affect the effectiveness of new contributions,"  she 
said.  In this context, Eijpe said the Dutch will continue a 
program of "threat training."  On materiel requests, she said 
she would check with Ramala, but admitted the Dutch remain 
cautious about Israeli border controls that have made it 
difficult to supply the Palestinians in the past.  Focusing 
specifically on the last line of reftel demarche, she asked 
if the USG could give greater assurances about GOI intentions 
knew to expedite equipment through ports.  Finally, even with 
GOI and USG assurances, she said the GoNL would find it feels 
it is more difficult to give equipment because of political 
sensitivities involved.  Poloff pressed Eijpe to consider a 
more robust Dutch approach, while acknowledging that the 
fluid situation and multiple requests require coordination 
and reflection despite the compressed time line this summer 
for the Gaza withdrawal. 
BLAKEMAN