US embassy cable - 02STATE250963

S E C R E T STATE 250963 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/12 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, EFINM, SY, EUN 
SUBJECT: DESIGNATING HAMAS AND HEZBALLAH: APPROACHING EU 
CAPITALS 
 
REF: STATE 65911 
 
CLASSIFIED BY EUR PDAS CHARLES RIES, E.O. 12958 REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. FOR EU MEMBER CAPITALS: 
THE POINTS AT PARAS TWO AND THREE ARE FOR DELIVERY PRIOR 
TO THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING ON 12/9 AND 12/10. 
WE UNDERSTAND THE DANISH PRESIDENCY INTENDS TO FOLLOW UP 
ON THIS WEEK'S DISCUSSION OF FOREIGN TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS AT THE COREPER AND COTER. POSTS MAY ALSO 
WISH TO DRAW UPON THE POINTS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED IN 
REFTELS (REF A IS AN ORAL MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY 
FOCUSED ON CUTTING OFF HAMAS AND HIZBALLAH FUNDRAISING IN 
EU STATES). FOR NORWAY: GIVEN NORWAY'S ACTIVE 
INVOLVEMENT IN PROMOTING MIDDLE EAST PEACE, WE ALSO WANT 
TO INCLUDE NORWAY IN THIS DEMARCHE. POST IS WELCOME TO 
TAILOR POINTS AS APPROPRIATE. 
 
2. (S/REL EUMEM AND NORWAY) ACTION ADDRESSEES ARE 
INSTRUCTED TO DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING TALKING POINTS IN 
APPROACHING EU MEMBER CAPITALS AND OSLO.   THE POINTS AT 
PARA THREE MAY BE LEFT AS A NON-PAPER.   BEGIN TALKING 
POINTS: 
 
-- WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LISTING OF SEVERAL TERRORIST 
GROUPS WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE UPCOMING EU FOREIGN 
MINISTERS' MEETING. EU ACTION ON LISTING THESE GROUPS, 
WHICH IS VITAL TO CURTAILING THEIR ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS 
IN EUROPE, WILL ADVANCE OUR MUTUAL INTEREST IN COMBATING 
TERRORISM AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE EU'S ROLE IN PROMOTING 
MIDDLE EAST PEACE THROUGH THE QUARTET. 
 
-- SUCH ACTION WILL ALSO SERVE THE EU IN ITS BILATERAL 
CONTACTS WITH THE PALESTINIANS AND PARTICULARLY WITH 
ISRAEL, BY REINFORCING EU CREDIBILITY AND DETERMINATION ON 
THE TERRORISM ISSUE. IN 2001, THE EU ITSELF CALLED UPON 
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TO "DISMANTLE THE TERRORIST 
NETWORKS OF HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD, ARREST ALL SUSPECTS, 
AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE" IN IT THE EU'S LAKEN 
DECLARATION. 
 
-- THE EVIDENCE WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPORTS OUR VERY REAL 
CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS IN 
PARTICULAR: HIZBALLAH AND HAMAS. AS SECRETARY POWELL 
URGED EARLIER THIS YEAR, "(C)ITING LEGAL REASONS IN NOT 
MOVING AGAINST (THESE) GROUPS IGNORES KEY MORAL AND 
POLITICAL ISSUES AND SENDS A DANGEROUS SIGNAL . . . . I 
ASK THAT YOU LOOK FOR WAYS TO FREEZE ASSETS AND PREVENT 
THESE GROUPS FROM RAISING FUNDS, INCLUDING THROUGH 
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS." WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER 
THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY AS YOU EVALUATE THE LISTING OF 
THESE GROUPS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS (FTOS) AND 
IN SHAPING YOUR BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES, SUCH 
AS IRAN AND SYRIA, WHICH SUPPORT THEIR ACTIVITIES. 
 
3. (S/REL EUMEM AND GON) BEGIN TEXT OF NON-PAPER: 
 
HIZBALLAH 
 
-- THE UNITED STATES CONSIDERS HIZBALLAH A TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION, ENGAGED IN TERRORIST ACTIONS. WHILE WE 
DON'T OPPOSE HIZBALLAH'S POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, 
 
IT IS NOT CREDIBLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A                       - 
TERRORIST/OPERATIONAL WING OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND A 
POLICY/POLITICAL WING.   TO TRY TO DO SO IS A WHOLELY 
ARTIFICIAL EXERCISE AS HIZBALLAH'S LEADERSHIP OF BOTH IS 
ONE AND THE SAME. 
 
-- THE NOVEMBER 29, 2002 STATEMENT OF HIZBALLAH SECRETARY 
GENERAL HASSAN NASRALLAH CALLING FOR PALESTINIANS TO 
UNDERTAKE SUICIDE BOMBINGS WORLDWIDE UNDERLINES THE GLOBAL 
REACH OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THE INSEPERABLE NATURE OF ITS 
POLITICAL AND OPERATIONAL WINGS, AND THE DESTABILIZING 
IMPACT IT HAS ON THE REGION. 
 
-- WE REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE DETERMINATION AND ABILITY 
OF HIZBALLAH TO MOUNT TERRORIST OPERATIONS. THESE 
ACTIVITIES HAVE A DESTABILIZING EFFECT ON THE ENTIRE 
MIDDLE EAST REGION AND UNDERMINE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO 
ESTABLISH CONDITIONS WHEREBY MEANINGFUL PEACE NEGOTIATIONS 
CAN RESUME. 
 
-- HIZBALLAH CONTINUES TO RECEIVE WEAPONS FROM IRAN. WE 
ARE CONCERNED THIS CONTINUED RE-SUPPLY INCREASES THE 
LIKELIHOOD THAT HIZBALLAH WILL ACQUIRE LONGER-RANGE AND 
MORE ADVANCED ROCKETS OR MISSILES. THE GROWING STOCKPILE 
MAY LIKEWISE ENHANCE HIZBALLAH'S PERCEPTION OF ITS 
DETERRENT CAPACITY AND EMBOLDEN IT TO INCREASE BORDER 
ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL. 
 
-- THE FINANCIAL, TRAINING, AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT THAT 
HIZBALLAH AND IRAN PROVIDE TO PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS ALSO 
GENERATES SIGNIFICANT CONCERN: 
 
- HIZBALLAH AND IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD (IRGC) 
PERSONNEL HAVE CONDUCTED WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES TRAINING 
FOR MEMBERS OF PALESTINIAN GROUPS IN THE BEKAA VALLEY AND 
IN IRAN BEFORE SENDING THEM BACK INTO THE PALESTINIAN 
TERRITORIES 
 
  - HIZBALLAH COORDINATED THE MARCH 12 ATTACK AT SHLOMI IN 
  NORTHERN ISRAEL, IN WHICH SIX ISRAELIS WERE KILLED, 
  INCLUDING FOUR CIVILIANS. 
 
   - HIZBALLAH IS LIKEWISE WORKING TO INFILTRATE ITS OWN 
   OPERATIVES INTO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA TO FACILITATE 
   PALESTINIAN ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAELIS. AN OPERATIVE (A 
   SHIA OF LEBANESE ORIGIN) ARRESTED IN HEBRON LAST SUMMER 
   BY THE ISRAELI SECURITY SERVICE WAS TRAINED IN LEBANON 
   AND SENT TO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA TO ENHANCE 
   PALESTINIAN BOMB PRODUCTION AND HELP PLAN ATTACKS. 

   - HIZBALLAH COOPERATED WITH FATAH PALESTINIANS ON THE 
   JANUARY 2002 KARINE A SHIPMENT. THE SHIP WAS CARRYING 
   ROUGHLY 50 TONS OF MOSTLY IRANIAN-MADE WEAPONS - SUCH AS 
   BATTLEFIELD ROCKETS, NUMEROUS LIGHT AND ANTI-TANK 
   MISSILES, MORTARS, MINES, EXPLOSIVES, AND SMALL ARMS AND 
   MUNITIONS. 
 
   - IN MAY 2001, THE PFLP-GC, WITH HIZBALLAH'S ASSISTANCE, 
   ATTEMPTED TO SMUGGLE 45 SEALED BARRELS OF ARMS BY SEA 
   FROM LEBANON TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. PRESS 
   REPORTS AT THE TIME OF SEIZURE STATED THAT INTERROGATION 
   OF THE CREW SHOWED THE SAME SHIP HAD MADE THREE EARLIER 
   DELIVERIES TO GAZA. 
 
-- HIZBALLAH'S LEADERSHIP HAS CALLED ON ARAB LEADERS TO 
PROVIDE "SERIOUS" MONEY AND WEAPONS TO THE PALESTINIANS. 
IN AN INTERVIEW IN MARCH WITH THE LONDON SUNDAY TIMES, THE 
GENERAL SECRETARY OF HIZBALLAH, HASSAN NASRALLAH, ALSO 
ADMITTED THAT THREE HIZBALLAH MEMBERS HAD BEEN ARRESTED BY 
THE JORDANIANS AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO SMUGGLE A NUMBER OF 
KATYUSHA ROCKETS TO PALESTINIAN FACTIONS. 
 
-- THE EFFECT SUCH SUPPORT AND COORDINATION COULD HAVE ON 
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL IS 
CLEARLY WORRISOME. INCREASED IRANIAN FUNDING AND WEAPONS, 
ALONG WITH TRAINING PROVIDED BY BOTH IRAN AND HIZBALLAH, 
HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCREASED LETHALITY OF THE CURRENT 
INTIFADA. BY NASRALLAH'S OWN ADMISSION, BROADCAST ON 
BEIRUT TELEVISION NOVEMBER 26, HIZBALLAH IS "STRONGER 
TODAY THAN IT WAS AT THE TIME" OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF 
ISRAELI TROOPS FROM LEBANON IN 2000. NASRALLAH HAS 
REPEATEDLY AND PUBLICLY CALLED FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF 
ISRAEL. 
 
 
HAMAS 
 
-- WHILE SOME NATIONS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN HAMAS' POLITICAL 
WING, INCLUDING ITS FUNDRAISING ARM AND ARRAY OF SOCIAL 
SERVICES, AND IZZ AL-DIN AL-QASSAM, ITS OPERATIONAL 
BRANCH, THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT BELIEVE IT IS 
APPROPRIATE TO DO SO BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE 
UNITED STATES VIEWS HAMAS AS A UNIFIED ORGANIZATION WITH 
UNIFIED GOALS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE ELIMINATION OF THE 
STATE OF ISRAEL. 
 
     - HAMAS POLITICAL LEADERS OPENLY LOBBY FOR THE 
     "LIQUIDATION" OF ISRAEL THROUGH VIOLENCE, AS 
     POLITICAL BUREAU CHIEF KHALID MISHA'AL DID IN TEHRAN 
     ON APRIL 24, 2001. HAMAS SPOKESMAN MOUSA ABU MARZOUK 
     VOWED HAMAS WOULD "STEP UP ITS GUERRILLA WAR AGAINST 
     ISRAEL" AND THIS SUMMER ADMITTED ON THE U.S. 
     TELEVISION SHOW "60 MINUTES" THAT HAMAS WAS 
     DEVELOPING, IN GAZA, ADVANCED ROCKETS TO STRIKE 
     TARGETS INSIDE ISRAEL PROPER. DR. ABDEL RANTISI, 
     ANOTHER PROMINENT HAMAS POLITICAL OFFICIAL, SAID 
     SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE "THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR 
     US." RANTISI PUBLICLY ADMITS THAT IZZ AL-DIN AL- 
     QASSAM INITIATES ATTACKS BASED ON CUES HEARD IN 
     PUBLIC STATEMENTS MADE BY HAMAS POLITICAL FIGURES. 
 
     - IN A MAY 2002 STATEMENT POSTED ON A PROMINENT 
     ARABIC INTERNET SITE, HAMAS MILITARY LEADER SALAH 
     SHIHADA, SUBSEQUENTLY KILLED IN AN ISRAELI TARGETED 
     OPERATION THIS FALL, SAID THAT HAMAS' "POLITICAL 
     APPARATUS IS SOVEREIGN OVER THE MILITARY APPARATUS, 
     AND A DECISION OF THE POLITICAL [ECHELON] TAKES 
     PRECEDENCE OVER THE DECISION OF THE MILITARY 
     [ECHELON], WITHOUT INTERVENING IN MILITARY 
     OPERATIONS." 
 
     - IN AUGUST 2002, HAMAS' GAZA-BASED SPIRITUAL LEADER 
     AHMAD YASIN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING, "WHEN WE [HAMAS] 
     MAKE DECISIONS ON THE POLITICAL LEVEL AND CONVEY THEM 
     TO THE MILITARY WING, IT ABIDES BY IT NORMALLY." 
 
-- PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA) LEADERS TELL US HAMAS 
"POLITICAL" LEADERS ARE COMPLICATING THEIR EFFORTS TO 
LIMIT ATTACKS ON ISRAELI TARGETS.   IN JANUARY 2002, A 
PROMINENT ARAB NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT PA LEADERS HAD 
ASKED SYRIA-BASED HAMAS LEADERS IMAD AL-ALAMI, MARZUK AND 
MISHA'AL TO STOP "POURING OIL ON THE FIRE" BY ARMING AND 
FUNDING CELLS IN THE WEST BANK. THE SAME NEWSPAPER 
REPORTED IN JUNE 2002 THAT AL-ALAMI HAD MET WITH 
PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD, HIZBALLAH AND AL-QAEDA 
REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS CONDUCTING "MAJOR MARTYRDOM 
OPERATIONS." 
 
-- HAMAS' NETWORK OF SOCIAL SERVICES SUPPORTS THE 
VIOLENT POLITICAL AMBITIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION, BOTH 
FINANCIALLY AND THROUGH EFFORTS FURTHERING INDOCTRINATION. 
 
     - HAMAS IS SUSPECTED OF DERIVING A LARGE PERCENTAGE 
     OF ITS REVENUE FROM INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE GULF 
     REGION, THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPE. THESE 
     FINANCES UNDERMINE THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS BY 
     PROMOTING HAMAS' PROPAGANDA AND FACILITATING THE 
     RECRUITMENT AND INDOCTRINATION OF HAMAS ACTIVISTS. 
     SOME OF THESE FUNDS MAY ALSO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF 
     "MARTYRS" AND THE EXECUTION OF TERRORIST OPERATIONS. 
 
-- HAMAS CENTERS ITS POLITICAL ACTIVITIES PRIMARILY IN THE 
IMPOVERISHED AREAS OF GAZA AND THE WEST BANK. THERE IT 
OPENLY MAINTAINS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS 
SERVICES, RAISES MONEY, ORGANIZES ACTIVITIES, DISTRIBUTES 
PROPAGANDA AND RECRUITS MEMBERS. SOME RECRUITS ARE 
CLANDESTINELY TRAINED AS SUICIDE BOMBERS FOR SERVICE 
WITHIN IZZ AL-DIN AL-QASSAM, THE GROUP'S TERRORIST WING. 
HAMAS' STRONG INFLUENCE IN MANY PALESTINIAN MOSQUES, 
SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL CLUBS CONTRIBUTES TO THE ORGANIZATION'S 
ATTEMPTS TO INDOCTRINATE THE PALESTINIAN CONSTITUENCY WITH 
ITS VIOLENT IDEOLOGY, PARTICULARLY ITS YOUTH, AND PROVIDES 
RELIGIOUS SANCTION TO VIOLENCE AGAINST ISRAELIS. 
 
     - HAMAS "POLITICAL" LEADER MISHA'AL ON NOVEMBER 16, 
     2000 WAS QUOTED IN THE ARAB DAILY AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT 
     AS SAYING, "HAMAS IS A JIHAD MOVEMENT THAT SERVES THE 
     PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THE CURRENT INTIFADA. 
     EVERYTHING HAMAS OWNS IS USED IN THIS BATTLE." 
 
-- HAMAS POSES AN UNUSUAL AND EXTRAORDINARY THREAT TO THE 
PEACE PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WHICH THE UNITED STATES 
VIEWS AS CRITICAL TO ITS NATIONAL SECURITY, FOREIGN POLICY, 
AND/OR ECONOMIC INTERESTS, THROUGH THE INCITEMENT OF 
TERRORISM AND OVERT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES: 
 
     - THE UNITED STATES HAS INFORMATION INDICATING THAT 
     HAMAS' POLITICAL BUREAU OFTEN HAS FOREKNOWLEDGE OF, 
     IS LINKED TO, AND/OR PROVIDES DIRECTION FOR THE 
     OPERATIONS OF IZZ AL-DIN AL-QASSAM AGAINST ISRAELI 
     TARGETS.   MOST RECENTLY, HAMAS CLAIMED 
     RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE JULY 2002 BOMBING AT 
     JERUSALEM'S HEBREW UNIVERSITY THAT KILLED FOUR 
     ISRAELIS AND FIVE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND THE MARCH 
     2002 SUICIDE BOMBINGS THAT KILLED 25 ISRAELIS ON 
     PASSOVER NIGHT IN NETANYA, ISRAEL, AND 15 ISRAELIS AT 
     A HAIFA CAFE THE SAME WEEK. SIMILARLY DEVASTATING 
     ATTACKS WERE CARRIED OUT IN 2001, SUCH AS THE JUNE 1 
     BOMBING OF A TEL AVIV NIGHTCLUB THAT KILLED 22 
     ISRAELI TEENAGERS, AND THE AUGUST 9 SUICIDE ATTACK ON 
     A JERUSALEM PIZZERIA IN WHICH 15 CIVILIANS DIED. 
     AMERICAN CITIZENS AND OTHER NON-ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN 
     KILLED AND INJURED IN THESE AND OTHER ATTACKS. HAMAS 
     SPOKESMEN, INCLUDING PURPORTED "POLITICAL" LEADERS, 
     CATEGORIZE THESE OPERATIONS AS "SELF-DEFENSE" - PART 
     OF ITS DECLARED POLICY TO CREATE A "BALANCE OF 
     TERROR" WITH ISRAEL. 
 
-- HAMAS IS ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND ITS 
AFFILIATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS CONSTITUTES A THREAT TO AMERICAN AND WESTERN 
INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND: 
 
     - HAMAS OPERATES THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST. FOR 
     PURPOSES OF TRAINING, FUND-RAISING AND CONSULTING 
     WITH FOREIGN OFFICIALS AND OTHER TERRORISTS 
 
     ORGANIZATIONS, HAMAS IS KNOWN OR BELIEVED TO HAVE A 
     PRESENCE IN IRAN, LEBANON, LIBYA, SAUDI ARABIA, 
     SUDAN, YEMEN AND SYRIA (IT MAINTAINS ITS HEADQUARTERS 
     IN DAMASCUS). FOUR OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE LISTED BY 
     THE USG AS STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM.   HAMAS IS 
     ALSO ACTIVE IN OTHER NATIONS.   FURTHER, HAMAS MAY 
     ASPIRE TO DESTABILIZE THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IN 
     THE EVENT OF ARAFAT'S DEATH. 
 
     - HAMAS IS BELIEVED TO COOPERATE WITH OTHER FOREIGN 
     TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OF GLOBAL REACH, INCLUDING 
     HIZBALLAH. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, HAMAS AND 
     HIZBALLAH HAVE COOPERATED ON WEAPONS ENHANCEMENT AND 
     DEVELOPMENT FOR USE WITHIN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN 
     TERRITORIES. HAMAS IS ALSO KNOWN TO MAINTAIN CLOSE 
     TIES WITH IRAN. HAMAS' AFFILIATION WITH THESE 
     TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH ARE TOGETHER 
     RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN 
     CITIZENS, AND IRAN (A STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM) 
     CONSTITUTES A GROWING THREAT TO AMERICAN AND WESTERN 
     INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
 
POWELL