US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5233

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 005233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015 
TAGS: PTER, KTFN, EFIN, PREL, COUNTERTERRORISM, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: GOI'S EFFORTS AGAINST TERROR FINANCE IN GAZA; GOI 
TO FUND PA SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  MFA and NSC officials briefed econoff and 
poloff August 11 on the GOI's post-disengagement efforts 
against terror finance in Gaza.  An Israeli National Security 
Council official said an alternative to the Hamas social 
service network in Gaza, operated by the Palestinian 
Authority (PA), and supported by the GOI is one way to stop 
terror finance in Gaza.  The NSC official said this would 
strengthen the PA's credibility and broaden its sphere of 
influence as it helps Palestinians get on the road to 
economic recovery.  He asserted that the GOI is working with 
the PA, specifically Finance Minister Salam Fayyad and 
President Mahmud Abbas, to establish and help fund such an 
organization.  He said he would share his thinking with USG 
officials at State, Treasury and the NSC, when he visits the 
U.S. in the coming months.  An MFA official stressed that the 
Israeli withdrawal from Gaza will impede GOI efforts against 
terror finance and that the PA would have to shoulder greater 
responsibility in monitoring and seizing terror money.  He 
also commented on recent plans by the MFA to increase the 
budget and manpower of its counterterrorism department to 
bolster its effort and response capabilities in this area. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
GOI-NSC: TF Efforts In Gaza Post-Disengagement 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2. (C) On August 11, the GOI's National Security Council 
Counterterrorism Finance Bureau Director, Udi Levi, met with 
econoff and poloff regarding efforts against terror finance 
in the Gaza Strip.  Levi said that success after 
disengagement will depend on ensuring that funds going to the 
Palestinian Authority (PA) -- including donations from the 
international community -- are used for legitimate purposes 
to strengthen the PA's authority and popularity among Gaza's 
residents.  Levi said the GOI can approach fighting terrorism 
finance two ways: (1) it can take steps to undermine Hamas, 
which would end up hurting innocent people who receive 
assistance from Hamas, or (2) it can assist the PA in 
building a parallel structure to channel assistance to the 
unemployed and needy.  It is critical that the Palestinian 
people see an alternative to Hamas, stressed Levi.  He 
claimed that efforts are underway by the PA to establish a 
Social Security program in Gaza to meet the needs of Gaza's 
residents. 
 
3. (C) Levi pointed out that the PA has already raised 60 
million NIS for the Social Security program budget.  He 
confided that the GOI has decided in principle to provide an 
additional 300 million NIS for the PA program, but that this 
allocation has not yet been announced.  He envisions a 
situation in the future where the PA would raise 20 million 
NIS every month, and the GOI would match it.  At issue now is 
who will receive this social assistance.  GOI officials are 
discussing with Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad the 
definition of the term "needy."  The GOI does not want the 
Palestinians to see social assistance coming from the GOI, 
the USG or other governments.  Levi emphasized that it is 
important that the credibility of the PA among Palestinians 
remain intact. 
 
4. (C) Israel will have to rely on Palestinian President 
Mahmud Abbas and Fayyad to work this out.  Levi noted that 
Fayyad controls all of the PA's financial institutions, which 
makes it easy to work with the PA, but also potentially 
hazardous, as the GOI's reliance on one man makes it 
vulnerable.  Levi acknowledged that there is an ongoing 
debate in the "Israeli security community" about the future 
of the PA and the fate of Abbas.  Levi remarked that "we have 
to deal with the Palestinians because we do not have any 
alternative.  On the other hand, we are not living in the 
Arafat era.  If Abbas and Fayyad do not work with us, they 
will pay the price as well." 
 
------------------------------------------ 
International Assistance to PA Will be Key 
------------------------------------------ 
 
5. (C) Levi emphasized that success will also hinge on 
ensuring that international donor funds to the PA stay within 
PA structures, and not "leak out" for use by terrorists. 
Levi underscored that this issue has not yet been raised with 
the Europeans or the Gulf states, and he thought that the GOI 
might ask the USG to approach the Gulf states about it in the 
future. 
 
-------------------- 
Hamas Still A Threat 
-------------------- 
 
6. (C) Levi indicated that the NSC is, at the same time, 
nervous that the Europeans might change their attitudes to 
look more favorably towards Hamas after disengagement and 
Palestinian parliamentary elections.  He said that in the 
NSC's view, the Europeans had initially taken significant 
measures against Hamas funds in Europe, but the Israeli MFA 
is now hearing voices in Europe saying that Hamas should be 
regarded as a "political entity worthy of dialogue" after 
disengagement and elections.  Levi commented that, as Europe 
is a source of financing for Hamas, the concern is that the 
flow of funds will be renewed.  To counter this possibility, 
he said, the NSC is now assembling a dossier that will show 
evidence connecting the financial infrastructures of Hamas 
and Al Qaeda.  The goal, he said, is to make it clear that if 
Hamas is allowed to operate freely, Al Qaeda will have 
freedom of movement as well. 
 
----------------- 
Show Me the Money 
----------------- 
 
7. (C) Levi indicated that the GOI is also placing a priority 
on locating and capturing "lost money" that Arafat and his 
cronies hid away in various accounts.  He added that "we've 
got to get to it before anyone else does."  Levi said the GOI 
is also asking the Egyptians to help the PA because some of 
the funding that gets to Hamas transits Egypt.  He said Saudi 
Arabia has stopped most of the funding that went to Hamas 
through its territory. 
 
---------------------- 
Hizballah An Old Enemy 
---------------------- 
 
8. (C) Levi stressed that Hizballah is one of the most 
dangerous enemies facing Israel today.  He added that NSC 
lawyers are working to get the GOI and USG to place 50 
companies and NGOs that are operating internationally on an 
international "blacklist" due to the connections that the GOI 
says those organizations maintain with Hizballah. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
MFA: Fighting TF in Gaza a PA Responsibility 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
9. (C) Econoff and poloff also met on August 11 with Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Nonproliferation and 
Counterterrorism Director Yehuda Yaakov.  Yaakov said that 
after the GOI's withdrawal from Gaza, the PA will have to 
shoulder the responsibility for fighting terrorism finance 
there.  He asserted that it will be difficult for the GOI to 
carry out efforts against terrorism finance in Gaza because 
of the new political paradigm.  He noted that monitoring and 
controlling the Israel-Gaza border is one way the GOI is 
going to fight terrorism finance.  He said the GOI is going 
to ensure that money or assets crossing the border and headed 
for certain organizations, groups or individuals will be 
stopped.  The other way, he said is to work with European 
countries to exchange information and strengthen joint 
activities against terror finance. 
 
10. (C) Yaakov said he was not aware of any cooperative 
effort between the GOI and the PA to fight financing of 
terrorism in Gaza.  He emphasized that the main efforts 
against terror finance in Gaza would take place at the 
borders and in the international arena through cooperative 
engagement and information sharing. 
 
---------------------------- 
Yaakov: MFA CT Restructuring 
---------------------------- 
 
11. (C) Yaakov said that the MFA is re-organizing its 
counterterrorism department and increasing its numbers to 
facilitate a more robust operation.  He underscored the 
importance of Post's cooperation and correspondence regarding 
terror finance designation letters.  He said that the 
increase in the counterterrorism department's budget and 
manpower will allow it to designate an individual who will be 
the responsible counterpart to examine these documents and 
work with the rest of the ministries. 
 
12. (C) Yaakov touched on the European efforts against terror 
finance, noting that the European nations have recently 
increased their efforts, especially against Hamas, and said 
that this is a good sign. 
 
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