US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV6626

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 006626 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, EFIN, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, ECONOMY AND FINANCE, COUNTERTERRORISM 
SUBJECT: U.S. TREASURY DISCUSSES WITH GOI ESTABLISHMENT OF 
PALESTINIAN FIU 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Israeli military intelligence officials 
headed by Brigidier-General Kuperwasser met with Treasury 
policy advisor Lebenson, Post's Defense Attach and econoff 
to discuss a U.S. Treasury initiative to establish a 
Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) or Financial Follow-up Unit 
(FFU), as suggested by the Palestinians, in order to combat 
money laundering and terrorism financing in the Palestinian 
territories.  These officials told Lebenson that the GOI is 
not optimistic about the Palestinians' commitment in fighting 
terrorism financing because terror money still flows into the 
territories every month from neighboring countries. They 
cited historic instances where the Palestinians failed to 
cooperate to fight terrorism financing and cannot see why 
things would be different now.  Despite the Israeli 
officials' skepticism, they expressed support for the concept 
and said that they would be willing to support the FIU and 
engage in information exchange with the Palestinians. 
Lebenson also met with Yehuda Shaffer, director of the 
Israeli Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition 
Authority (IMPA) who said that the Palestinians need to take 
considerable steps in order to establish an FIU that is 
credible and legitimate.  He said the global network of FIUs 
could provide framework where the Palestinians could network 
and take steps to formulate a plan that will allow them to 
develop an FIU that is functional. 
 
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Ministry of Defense 
------------------- 
 
2. (C) On November 17, Rachel Lebenson, policy advisor in the 
Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes in the 
Department of Treasury, accompanied by the Post Defense 
Attach Colonel William Clark and econoff, met with MoD 
officials Brigadier-General Joseph Kuperwasser, Head of the 
Production Division in the Military Intelligence Department; 
Lieutenant (Lt) Nir Lasri, Palestinian Authority Analyst; 
Major Ilan Lukof, Terrorism Finance Analyst; GOI-NSC official 
Lt. Eyal Pascovich, Terrorist Finance Coordinator in the 
Counterterrorism Bureau; and Amiram Vardi, Middle East 
Economic Advisor to discuss the MoD's perspective on the 
possible establishment of a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) 
in the Palestinian territories. 
 
3. (C) Kuperwasser said the PA is not serious about combating 
terrorism financing.  He indicated that an FIU in the 
territories under the purview of the PA, or Palestinian 
Monetary Authority (PMA) would need to carry out its mission 
in order to be considered a serious player.  He characterized 
the PA's response to terrorism financing as "less than 
adequate." 
 
4. (C) He claimed that every month millions of dollars enter 
the territories from countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and 
Saudi Arabia and end up in terrorist hands.  He said that 
some U.S. financial institutions like Western Union are also 
involved in facilitating financial transactions between 
different terror groups.  He said the GOI has expressed 
concern to U.S. authorities, but nothing has been done. 
 
5. (C) Kuperwasser cited previous instances when the GOI 
acted alone because the PA failed to take action to curb 
terrorist activity.  He said Operation Defensive Shield, 
which uncovered documents disclosing terrorism financing 
links, and a bank raid by the GOI in Ramallah in February 
2004, both resulted from the PA's inability to control terror 
elements, forcing the GOI to act alone.  He said Salam Fayyad 
contacted the GOI expressing concern that Israeli officials 
did not contact him before raiding the bank, but he added 
that Fayyad would not have acted even if Israeli officials 
had informed him of this operation. 
 
6. (C) Although Kuperwasser and other Israeli officials 
expressed skepticism as to whether the Palestinians would be 
able to create a functioning FIU, they agreed that they would 
be interested in supporting it.  Kuperwasser indicated that 
it was up to the Palestinians to decide which channels of 
communication the FIU would use to fulfill its duties, 
agreeing that discrete communication through the FIUs 
probably made more sense. 
 
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Ministry of Justice 
------------------- 
 
7. (C) Lebenson and econoff met with Yehuda Shaffer, Director 
of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing 
Prohibition Authority (IMPA) in the Ministry of Justice. 
Note: IMPA provides case support information to requesting 
customers.  It receives data from banks, insurance companies, 
portfolio managers, stock brokers, currency service 
providers, customs, internal revenue service and others 
dealing with financial transactions.  It processes this 
information and provides intelligence to the Israel tax 
authorities, the Israel National Police (INP), and other 
foreign FIUs.  End Note. 
 
8. (C) Shaffer said the Palestinians could consider 
participating in the Egmont Group's annual meetings, such as 
the FIU directors' and professionals' meetings, which he said 
the PA financial officials could use to link up with key 
financial investigators from other countries.  (Note: The 
Egmont Group is an umbrella organization for FIUs from around 
the world who exchange information, conduct financial 
intelligence training, and work towards combating money 
laundering and terrorism financing.  It is not clear in what 
capacity the PA could attend these meetings, as an observer 
or otherwise. End Note.)  He said the Palestinians have a 
long way to go before establishing a legitimate FIU that is 
willing to fight terrorism financing, but he said it is 
doable. 
 
9. (U) This cable was cleared by Treasury Policy Advisor 
Lebenson. 
 
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