US embassy cable - 05CAIRO5546

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 005546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, PTER, EG, IS 
SUBJECT: MFA COMMENTS ON HAMAS-PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TENSION 
 
Classified by: ECPO Counselor John Desrocher for reasons 
1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  In a meeting with poloff on July 17, MFA's Desk 
Officer for Palestinian Affairs Randa Labib highlighted 
concerns over the prospect of a peaceful disengagement from 
Gaza and the Hamas-Palestinian Authority (PA) dispute.  She 
said that she had not yet seen an official report in her 
channels on the progress by the Egyptian General Intelligence 
Service (EGIS) delegation sent to broker peace between Hamas 
and the Palestinian Authority (PA), but she noted that any 
agreement to stop Qassem launches would, in her opinion, 
remain extremely fragile. 
 
2.  (C)  On Abu Mazen's ability to control Hamas, Labib said 
that Abu Mazen cannot win.  She noted that the PA is still 
not properly armed and thus cannot collect all of the Qassem 
rockets.  In addition, even if Hamas and the PA reach an 
agreement, reporting from Hamas contacts indicates that there 
are elements who do not want a cease fire and want the IDF to 
have to withdraw from Gaza under fire.  Labib added that 
elements in other groups, such as the PIJ, also oppose a 
cease fire.  For example, she offered, according to her 
reports, a rogue PIJ element carried out the Netanya bombing. 
 Any of these elements can, if they choose, fire Qassem 
rockets from random rooftops and thereby spark more violence. 
 A bigger hurdle, in Labib's view, is that Hamas contacts 
allege that they are not required to hold fire because the 
Israelis have continued their attacks and arrests. 
 
3.  (C)  Commenting on prospects for long term Hamas-PA 
cooperation, Labib said although Hamas alleged they will not 
participate in a unity government, it may still be possible 
to broker an agreement allowing them to participate in 
decision making.  But, she said, Hamas contacts insist that 
they want a date certain for elections because they believe 
the PA has delayed holding elections out of fear of a loss to 
Hamas.  Labib speculated that the PA may believe that by 
delaying the elections until January, disengagement might be 
far enough along that foreign money will be flowing into 
Gaza, thereby giving them an opportunity to take credit for 
the disengagement and perhaps, take away the edge Hamas 
currently enjoys. 
 
 
 
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CORBIN