US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4232

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004232 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CAIRO FOR REFCOORD GERARD CHEYNE 
AMMAN FOR REFCOORD CLAIRE KANESHIRO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 
TAGS: PREF, KPAL, PHUM, PINS, IZ, JO, SY, KCRS 
SUBJECT: 19 IRAQI PALESTINIANS IN NO MAN'S LAND AT AL 
WALEED FORESHADOW FURTHER FLIGHTS 
 
REF: KANESHIRO-HILL EMAIL OF 10/10/2005 
 
Classified By: Counselor for Political Affairs Robert S. 
Ford for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Christian Peacemakers Team (CPT) told 
RefCoord and PolOff that the 19 Palestinians in the No 
Man's Land between the Iraqi and Syrian land borders fled 
because of an upsurge in abuse of Palestinians by the ITG 
and the general public.  CPT was unable to provide specific 
details on alleged incidents.  RefCoord cautioned CPT that 
resettlement outside of Syria is unlikely.  More of Iraq's 
23,000 Palestinians may try to flee by the same route, 
especially if the 19 are successful in getting into Syria. 
End Summary. 
 
(C) From Baghdad to Al Waleed 
----------------------------- 
 
2. (C) On October 11, Beth Pyles of Christian Peacemakers 
Team (CPT) discussed the plight of the 19 Palestinians 
currently located in the No Man's Land between the Iraqi 
and Syrian land borders with RefCoord and PolOff.  The 
group includes 7 men, 5 women, and 7 children between the 
ages of 1 and 13.  CPT members accompanied these 
Palestinians from Baghdad across Al Anbar province to the 
Al Waleed border point.  They did not encounter any 
military along the road to the border as their route passed 
to the South of the Western Euphrates River Valley 
operation that was ongoing at the time.  The group 
subsequently obtained tents and has been camping between 
the borders for about a week.  The Syrians have to date 
refused to admit the Palestinians.  Per the Amman RefCoord, 
UNRWA and UNHCR Syria are engaging the SARG on this issue 
(ref). 
 
(C) Motivation for the Move 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (C) According to Pyles, an alleged recent increase in 
abuse was the last straw motivating these Palestinians to 
decide they could no longer stay in Iraq.  Pyles said the 
group felt they were better off anywhere else, and they 
were not prepared to delay their trip to investigate 
available alternatives.  Pyles said the Palestinians have 
no one to turn to for help since UNHCR relocated to Amman. 
PolOff requested specific details about the dates, 
circumstances, and victims of the alleged abuse, which 
Pyles was unable to provide.  Post will seek to meet with 
Palestinian representatives to obtain more precise 
information about these as-yet unsubstantiated reports of 
abuse (septel). 
 
4.  (SBU)  A UNHCR note to the file dated October 13 states 
that the reason for the move is reported to be intimidation 
and growing pressure against the Plestinains in Baghdad. 
According to information available to UNHCR, Palestinians 
have been targeted by state and non-state actors since the 
fall of the former regime and suffer increasingly difficult 
conditions including harassment, physical attacks, and 
murders, arbitrary detention, gun shooting in their houses, 
false accusations in the media, kidnapping, as well as 
additional difficulties resulting from their uncertain 
legal status in Iraq. 
 
(SBU) Anywhere But Iraq 
----------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Pyles indicated that the group was interested in a 
durable solution outside of Iraq.  Pyles said the group had 
heard favorable reports about life for Palestinians in 
Syria.  However, she acknowledged that, if they are allowed 
into Syria, these Palestinians will probably approach UNHCR 
about resettlement.  RefCoord advised Pyles that UNHCR 
Syria and UNRWA are the proper authorities to assist these 
Palestinians, and they are already engaged on the issue. 
RefCoord also cautioned Pyles that resettlement outside of 
Syria is unlikely, as no country has yet been willing to 
accept the similarly-situated Palestinians currently in the 
Ruweished refugee camp in Jordan. 
 
(SBU) Foreshadowing Future Flights 
---------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Pyles mentioned that the Iraqi Palestinians at the 
border are in phone contact with an unknown number of 
others who had planned to make the trip but changed their 
minds at the last minute due to security concerns.  These 
individuals reportedly regret the decision to stay behind, 
and intend to follow at a later date. 
 
7.  (SBU  UNHCR's October 13 Note to the File indicates 
that UNAMI Baghdad has suggested talking points to the SRSG 
to raise with the Prime Minister of Iraq the situation of 
the 19 Palestinians blocked at the Iraqi-Syrian border and 
call for urgent action to protect the Palestinian community 
to stop them from leaving Iraq.  According to the note, the 
matter will also be pursued by UNAMI Humanitarian and Human 
Rights Offices with various ministries in Iraq. 
 
(SBU) Comment 
------------- 
 
8. (C) Begin comment:  If UNHCR Syria and UNRWA succeed in 
convincing the SARG to admit these 19 Palestinians, others 
are likely to follow in their footsteps.  Unless the SARG 
is willing to tolerate a steady flow of new Palestinian 
refugees, we may soon face the same sort of humanitarian 
crisis we previously faced with the Al Tash Iranian Kurds 
and Iraqi Palestinians stuck in the No Man's Land between 
Iraq and Jordan.  RefCoord will consult with UNAMI, UNHCR 
Iraq, and MODM's Office of Palestinian Affairs to explore 
protection concerns of this vulnerable population (septel). 
Khalilzad