US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV4974

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 004974 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2010 
TAGS: KWBG, PGOV, IS, EG, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: GAZA CONTACT SEES IMPROVED SECURITY, DIMINISHED 
HAMAS 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Gene A. Cretz for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
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FATAH DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT HAMAS IN DECLINE 
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1.  (C) Longtime Gaza contact and PA Interior Ministry civil 
servant Abdul Samia Efrangi told DCM and POL/C August 10 that 
Nasser Yusif's consolidation of security services and 
improvements on the street have Gazans feeling better about 
security and diminishing their view of Hamas, even though 
Fatah remains dysfunctional.  Efrangi claimed that the one 
negative element is the Preventive Security Organization 
(PSO), which he claimed is trying to "cause troubles" between 
Hamas and Fatah, including by criticizing both Nasser Yusif 
and Efrangi's brother Abdullah, a senior Fatah official 
charged with rebuilding the movement in the Gaza Strip. 
Fatah and Hamas can reach an accord on their roles and 
governance, he said, if the PSO would stop interfering.  The 
PSO wants to be "the master of the game," he said, and "to 
keep everything in their hands," including control of 
monopolies and other graft," and "complains all the time 
about Nasser Yusif. 
 
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EGYPT: POSITIVE ROLE 
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2.  (C) Efrangi said the Egyptians are playing an entirely 
positive role in Gaza, with training and their "good 
influence" with Hamas.  Hamas, he predicted, will attempt to 
move into some abandoned Israeli settlements "to show they 
are there," and he termed probable Israeli destruction of 
settlement buildings "good," in that it would deny Hamas the 
opportunity to profit from the situation.  Hamas, he said, 
has been losing support since its last attacks on Israeli 
settlements.  Gazans, he said, are asking why anyone should 
be firing on settlers, who are evacuating the Strip.  Hamas's 
whole reason for existing is being lost with the settlers' 
departure, he added. 
 
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YUSIF UP, DAHLAN DOWN 
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3.  (C) Efrangi, previously a supporter of Mohammed Dahlan, 
said Dahlan's power in the Strip, which he characterized as 
never as great as reputed, has declined as people see the 
enormity of his corruption.  Among other visible acts that 
are stirring public resentment, he claimed, Dahlan is 
securing control of some 10,000 dunams of Gaza land through 
other people, including his brother, Jamil.  Nasir Yusif, on 
the other hand, who has been a subject of ridicule, is 
getting improved marks for his efforts to reform the security 
services.  While chaos characterizes the situation on the 
street, a police force is steadily showing a presence and 
offering some encouragement to Gazans. 
 
4.  (C) Asked about the recent abductions of foreigners, 
Efrangi claimed that supporters of Farouk Qaddoumi are 
responsible for at least some abductions, and that their aim 
is to harm the Palestinian Authority.  Noting that Qaddoumi's 
efforts are a last-ditch effort, Efrangi described Qaddoumi 
as someone who "goes on the Haj after everyone else has come 
home." 
 
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FINALIZING THE QATARI DEAL 
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5.  (C) Efrangi said he is in the process of trying to 
arrange a donation from the Qatari government to the PA, for 
the Interior Ministry, of some 350 vehicles, including what 
he portrayed as the equivalent of two-and-a-half-ton trucks 
and some smaller personnel-carrying vehicles.  He was 
optimistic that the Qataris would give final approval soon, 
but asked for USG assistance to give the Qataris "a push" to 
provide the assistance.  He said he was visiting Tel Aviv to 
determine whether some of the vehicles to be funded could be 
procured locally. 
 
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KURTZER