US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV6606

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 006606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, MARR, PTER, PBTS, MOPS, PINS, KPKO, LE, COUNTERTERRORISM, GOI EXTERNAL 
SUBJECT: UNSCO DE SOTO URGING ISRAELIS TO TURN OVER 
HIZBALLAH DEAD IN EXCHANGE FOR CALM 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones.  Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
1. (C) In a discussion about recent Hizballah-IDF clashes 
along the Israel-Lebanon border, UN Special Coordinator 
(UNSCO) Alvara de Soto told the Ambassador at mid-day 
November 22 that: 
 
-- he has helped to broker a "fragile cease-fire" that has 
led to a momentary calm along the Israel-Lebanon border; 
 
-- he told his GOI and IDF contacts last night that Hizballah 
attaches a high priority to recovering the bodies of four 
Hizballah fighters killed in clashes with the IDF the night 
of November 21; 
 
-- if a turnover of the bodies could be arranged, there is a 
"chance for continued calm"; 
 
-- UNIFIL commander MGEN Alain Pellegrini called de Soto the 
morning of November 22 from Camp Naqoura in Lebanon and said 
a meeting on the turnover of bodies has been scheduled for 
1730 local time; 
 
-- De Soto then called his IDF contacts and urged them to 
meet earlier , if possible, so that a turnover could take 
place in daylight; 
 
-- De Soto would be grateful if the Ambassador would ask his 
GOI and IDF contacts to push up the turnover.  He will ask 
the same of resident French Ambassador Araud later on the 
22nd. 
 
2. (C) Ambassador Jones responded that he would ask his IDF 
contacts in a meeting later on the 22nd what the IDF's plans 
are for turning over the bodies.  He cautioned de Soto that 
the GOI and IDF prefer to talk directly to the GOL and have 
indicated to the USG that they have no intention of 
bargaining with Hizballah.  The Ambassador observed that in 
their current mood, the Israelis might be inclined to set 
conditions on the turnover of Hizballah bodies with whomever 
they ultimately deal with. 
 
3. (C) Ambassador Jones raised the issue separately with MOD 
advisers BGEN Eitan Dangott and Amos Gilad.  Neither was 
aware of any planned meetings in Camp Naqoura.  Gilad doubted 
that the bodies of the Hizballah fighters had even been 
collected from the battlefield area. 
 
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JONES