US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV6397

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 006397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/IPA 
PENTAGON FOR OSD (JAMES ANDERSON) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, PGOV, KPAL, KWBG, MARR, MASS, EG, IS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS 
SUBJECT: MOD'S AMOS GILAD SAYS HE WILL PUSH TO GET GAZAN 
HARVEST TO MARKET, OPEN RAFAH CROSSING 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones.  Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) Israeli MOD POL-MIL Bureau Director Amos Gilad told 
the Ambassador November 8 that (a) he will work vigorously to 
ensure that this year's harvest from Gaza is allowed to pass 
through the Qarni crossing between Gaza and Israel so that it 
can be distributed to markets beyond; and (b) he will raise 
with the Egyptians the idea of having Palestinian video feed 
of the Rafah crossing transmitted live to the Israeli side 
via the Egyptian side as a way forward in resolving the video 
issue currently delaying the opening of the Rafah crossing. 
Gilad cautioned that further negotiations with the 
Palestinian side are necessary to secure agreement on how to 
deal with suspected terrorists trying to cross at Rafah.  He 
noted that the Israeli and Palestinian sides reached 
agreement on the passage of goods through Rafah, and the 
procedure whereby cars could transit the Gaza-Egypt border 
via Rafah and Kerem Shalom.  Gilad said work is still 
underway on defining the role of a third party.  Gilad 
lamented what he described as an uncoordinated Palestinian 
Authority.  He noted that PA Civil Affairs Minister Mohammad 
Dahlan has returned and appears eager to produce results, 
attributing his eagerness to a possible "political payoff" 
from PA President Abbas.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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GOI TO PUSH TO GET GAZAN PRODUCE OUT TO MARKET VIA QARNI 
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2. (C) Stressing that he sees the importance of getting 
Gaza's produce to markets in Israel and beyond, Gilad said 
that he will work vigorously to ensure that this year's 
harvest is processed quickly through the Qarni passage 
between Gaza and Israel.  Gilad said the GOI will address the 
Qarni issue on November 10, and that he will press for this 
position.  He noted that the Israeli Transportation Minister 
is responsible for operating Qarni, adding that if the 
defense minister were responsible, the issue would already 
have been resolved.  Gilad said he already told IDF 
commanders at Qarni that, if necessary, they are authorized 
to use emergency powers to expedite the passage of the 
produce through the passage.  "Every time this produce goes 
bad, it feeds Hamas," Gilad emphasized. 
 
3. (C) The Ambassador noted that USAID is in a position to 
provide scanners on an accelerated time schedule to ensure 
that Qarni crossing operates efficiently.  Although 
encouraged by this, Gilad replied that if he has his way, 
Israel will institute a procedure with or without scanners. 
He stressed that "This will not be a lost harvest." 
 
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RAFAH CROSSING: ISRAEL TO SHARE IDEAS ON A WAY AHEAD 
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4. (C) As a possible solution to the video feed problem that 
is delaying the opening of the Rafah passage between Gaza and 
Egypt, Gilad said that he will discuss with the Egyptians on 
November 9 the idea of having live video feed transmitted 
from the Palestinian side to the Israelis via the Egyptian 
side of Rafah.  He admitted that he is not sure whether it is 
operationally possible, but said he wants the USG to know 
about it to (a) make it clear that the video feed issue is a 
real red line for Israel; and (b) demonstrate that he and 
others in the GOI are trying to find a solution that meets 
their security needs and the Palestinians' concern for their 
"honor."  He explained that the video feed issue is causing 
problems with the Palestinians because they interpret the GOI 
position as patronizing.  Gilad said that in his talks 
November 7 with Sa'eb Erekat, PA Civil Affairs Minister 
Mohammed Dahlan and PA Planning Minister Ghassan Al-Khatib, 
he explained that Israel must be able to view people crossing 
via live feed because the Palestinians have a record of 
allowing terrorists into Gaza.  Gilad said that he pointed 
out to his Palestinian interlocutors that the Israelis do not 
demand this from the Egyptians and Jordanians because those 
officials do not allow terrorists to cross into Israel. 
Gilad said he stressed to the Palestinians that the video 
feed process would not be needed if the PA security services 
were effective.  Gilad explained that his proposed solution 
must first be run by MOD experts to ensure that it is 
technically feasible.  If so, it must then be approved by the 
Cabinet before Israel can raise it with the Egyptians.  The 
Ambassador suggested that if the Palestinians reject Gilad's 
proposed solution, Gilad might propose to the Palestinian and 
Egyptian sides that they exchange their video feeds 
reciprocally.  In this way, no one's honor would be offended. 
 
 
5. (C) Gilad said Israel's other red line on Rafah concerns 
its right to refuse entry into Gaza of suspected terrorists. 
Gilad said that he raised the issue with Erekat, Dahlan and 
Khatib, explaining that Israel could use "face" cameras to 
ensure that the process of checking entrants is not 
intrusive.  Gilad said Erekat is "interested" in the idea, 
and that the Palestinian side might accept a dialogue 
procedure in which the Israelis would explain why they insist 
entry be denied, and the Palestinians would have a chance to 
ask questions.  Gilad admitted, however, that from his point 
of view, the Palestinian position on this issue is still not 
entirely clear.  He said he anticipates that more discussion 
on the issue will be necessary.  Gilad said that the Israeli 
side will ask the Egyptian side to help if Israel cannot 
secure agreement from the Palestinian side. 
 
6. (C) Gilad noted that progress was made in other areas on 
Rafah.  He said that the two sides agreed that goods would be 
exported through Rafah, and agreed on a listing of categories 
for passage entrants.  Gilad said that the MOD finished work 
on a set of principles relevant to security involving a third 
party, and that this has been transmitted to Minister Without 
Portfolio Haim Ramon.  He stressed that it is very important 
to reach agreement on the third party's role:  "We want them 
to be active, but not too active." 
 
7. (C) Gilad noted that the Palestinian side called for a 
timetable that would end with the removal of the 
security-related constraints on operations at Rafah.  He said 
the Israeli side made clear that it is adamantly against 
this, and that constraints would only be lifted on the basis 
of demonstrated Palestinian performance. 
 
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AGREEMENT REACHED ON KEREM SHALOM CROSSING 
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8. (C) Gilad said that the Israeli and Palestinian sides 
agreed, in principle, that cars would travel from Rafah to 
Egypt, and from Egypt to Kerem Shalom, provided that the 
Palestinians and Egyptians put in place the infrastructure to 
support thorough inspections. 
 
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GILAD LAMENTS UNCOORDINATED PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY 
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9. (C) Gilad said that he is still troubled by what he 
described as an uncoordinated Palestinian Authority that 
refuses to exert its authority.  He noted that in his 
November 7 meeting, none of his three PA interlocutors shared 
a common view on any issue.  He said he considers Dahlan to 
be the most serious now and the one most desirous of 
achieving something.  As an explanation why, he shared his 
own view that Dahlan has been "bought off" by PA President 
Mahmud Abbas.  He explained his "theory" that in exchange for 
Dahlan's public calls for Israel to release Marwan Barghouti, 
Abbas will give Dahlan and Barghouti important places on the 
party list for the January 2006 elections.  Gilad laughingly 
suggested that nobody within the PA really wants to see 
Barghouti released from his Israeli prison cell:  "He's more 
popular with the Palestinians (as a subject of Israeli 
oppression) than he would be if he were released." 
 
10. (C) Gilad said that, in his view, Abbas's strategy is to 
achieve statehood without taking on roadmap obligations. 
Gilad said he is not sure that Abbas can follow through on 
any promises he makes, and that the PA President changes his 
version of events to suit himself.  Gilad admitted, however, 
that he believes Abbas sees the political route as the best 
way to defeat terrorism. 
 
11. (C) Responding to a comment by the Ambassador about the 
relative absence of terrorist violence inside Israel since 
his arrival, Gilad lamented that this was not because 
terrorists are not trying to stage attacks.  Instead, he 
said, it is because of Israel's operational counterterrorism 
capabilities.  The Ambassador noted that the USG is working 
with the Egyptians on the way ahead concerning the transfer 
of ammunition to Palestinian security services, as approved 
by the GOI, and will keep the Israeli side informed of 
progress. 
 
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...ASKS HOW TO PROCEED ON PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS 
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12. (C) Gilad asked for the Ambassador's views on how to 
address the issue of Hamas running in Palestinian elections 
scheduled for January 2006.  The Ambassador suggested that 
Israel follow the USG approach: make it clear to the 
Palestinians what Israel's principles are (e.g. that it will 
not talk to those who perpetrate or advocate violence), and 
then lay out what the costs of ignoring them will be.  The 
Ambassador stressed that this is a better approach than 
calling for a prohibition on Hamas by name, especially as it 
is sometimes difficult to determine whether specific 
candidates are actually members of Hamas. 
 
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JONES