US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV6250

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 006250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2015 
TAGS: IS, KPAL, KWBG, PGOV, PREL, SZ, GOI EXTERNAL, HUMANITARIAN AID, ISRAELI SOCIETY 
SUBJECT: GOI LARGELY PLEASED WITH SWISS VISIT ON MDA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1.  (C) MFA DDG for International Organizations Affairs Roni 
Ya'ar told the Ambassador October 31 that GOI meetings with 
visiting Swiss FM Calmy-Rey were productive and remained 
focused entirely on MDA issues.  Ya'ar said that Calmy Rey 
was on "good behavior" during her visit and did not expand 
her dialogue with the Palestinians, or her subsequent press 
statement, beyond the MDA issue.  He said Calmy-Rey told PM 
Sharon that the Swiss intend to convene the diplomatic 
conference December 5, as planned, and want to facilitate a 
coordination agreement between MDA and the PRCS before that 
time.  Ya'ar said that the GOI is willing to support 
practical talks, but does not want any lack of agreement to 
prevent the December 5 conference.  With only four weeks 
until the conference, and the week-long time out for 
Palestinian celebration of the Eid, the GOI wants the Swiss 
to start issuing conference invitations now.  He asked for 
USG intervention with the Swiss to get the conference 
preparations moving and not to make the conference dependent 
on any prospective agreement between MDA and the PRCS, noting 
that the GOI would have to be mindful of Israeli public 
opinion. 
 
2.  (C) Ya'ar added that he does not really see the 
Palestinians as a problem for the conference, but does find 
the Syrian position problematic.  He said the Syrians have 
raised with and via the Swiss some questions about the recent 
statements by MDA Board Chairman Yifrach.  The GOI, he said, 
does not intend to respond to what it sees as a Syrian 
attempt to raise problems and play a spoiler role.  He mused, 
however, that the GOI might be willing to see MDA negotiate 
an agreement with the Syrian Red Crescent Society strictly on 
a humanitarian basis, after it reaches an agreement with the 
PRCS. Such an agreement could, for example, allow MDA to 
transfer to Syrian Red Crescent any individuals seeking care 
in Syria, but he stressed that the GOI "will never" talk 
about Syrian access to the Golan.  Ya'ar asked for USG 
thoughts on any reply to the Swiss to satisfy GOI concerns 
regarding the Syrians, adding that the Swiss understand that 
now is not the time for a serious dalliance with the Syrians. 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* ******************** 
JONES