US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5941

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005941 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EU, KWBG, KPAL, IS, GOI EXTERNAL, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL/WBG: EU OFFICIAL OUTLINES EXPANDED POLICE 
PROGRAM AND POSSIBLE ROLE IN RAFAH 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (B) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  During a meeting with the Ambassador on 
September 30, EU Special Representative for the Middle East 
Peace Process Marc Otte outlined EU plans to expand its 
police program in the West Bank and Gaza and EU preparations 
for a possible third-party role at the Rafah crossing.  Otte 
also described GOI-EU discussions about preventing 
participation by Hamas in the PLC elections or suspending EU 
assistance if Hamas wins.  Otte was cautiously optimistic on 
the peace process and suggested a number of steps the 
Israelis, Palestinians, and international community could 
take to move forward.  End summary. 
 
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Expanding the EU Police Program 
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2. (C) Otte said the purpose of his current trip to the 
region is to assist an EU team in studying ways to increase 
aid for the Palestinian police.  In coordination with USSC 
General Ward, the EU hopes to expand the scope of its 
security assistance by: 
 
-- adding rule of law programs; 
-- tripling the number of EU police officials in country -- 
Otte noted that seven EU police officials are currently in 
the region, including an officer co-located in the MOI in 
Ramallah and two officers assigned to Gaza; 
-- deploying one or two EU officials in each police district; 
and 
-- focusing the mission more on mentoring than monitoring. 
 
3. (C) Otte said that the EU should have a written "concept 
of operations" completed in the first week in October, which 
would allow recruitment of police officers through 
mid-November and deployment shortly thereafter.  He added 
that Dov Weissglas, senior advisor to PM Sharon, had been 
"very positive" when presented with the plan.  PA President 
Mahmud Abbas and the Egyptians are also on board, although 
Otte admitted that he is having difficulty finding 
working-level interlocutors on the Palestinian side.  When 
asked by the Ambassador about the security of EU personnel, 
Otte replied that EU officials on the ground have "no sense 
of being threatened."  The EU's head of security affairs is 
currently in Gaza reviewing the situation.  Recalling the 
2003 attack which took the lives of three U.S. security 
contractors, the Ambassador cautioned Otte that a higher 
profile EU role in support of the PA might well increase the 
threat of terrorist violence against EU personnel. 
 
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Rafah: EU Preparing for Possible Third-Party Role 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
4. (C) The Ambassador outlined steps the USG has taken to 
restart the Rafah talks.  Otte said he is examining scenarios 
for a possible third-party role monitoring goods -- for 
customs and/or security purposes -- and/or people transiting 
through the Rafah crossing.  He claimed that Weissglas had 
told him on September 29 that "maybe there is no other way." 
Otte added that Vice Premier Shimon Peres had said that the 
EU should expect a request to help in Rafah "soon."  Otte 
said he told the GOI that the EU is not eager to send its 
people to Rafah, but would do so if asked.  He noted that the 
EU would have to look closely at costs and security, 
including the question of deploying EU police or military 
personnel to protect the personnel in Rafah. 
 
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Hamas and the PLC Elections 
--------------------------- 
 
5. (C) Otte noted that during a meeting in New York, Sharon 
had told PM Blair and HighRep Solana that Israel will try to 
prevent Hamas's participation in the PLC elections, and that 
on September 29 Peres had urged the EU to suspend assistance 
to the PA if Hamas wins.  Referring to statements by the 
Quartet and the Secretary, the Ambassador stressed that our 
goal must be to prevent any victory by extremists.  In Otte's 
view, the Palestinians need to have a serious internal debate 
on Hamas and mobilize their own people against extremists. 
He claimed that Gazans are "fed up with the cycle of 
retaliation" and that Palestinians in the West Bank routinely 
urge EU officials not to speak with Hamas. 
 
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Cautiously Optimistic on the Peace Process 
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6. (C) On the peace process, Otte said he was cautiously 
optimistic and: 
 
-- the international community will "need to push the agendas 
of both parties beyond what they are prepared to do;" 
-- the GOI should limit its unilateral moves on the security 
barrier and settlements (the situation in East Jerusalem is 
"becoming very problematic"); 
-- the Wolfensohn team should concentrate on making progress 
on the freedom of movement for Palestinians; 
-- the international community should help the PA build 
governmental structures capable of absorbing assistance and 
showing voters that the PA can ensure security; and 
-- the international community needs to manage expectations 
on both sides ("this is not Oslo; not Camp David"). 
 
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JONES