This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

101706Z May 06

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 001843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2016 
TAGS: PREL PTER ECON KWBG KPAL ASEC EG IS GOI EXTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: OLMERT TO SEEK U.S. VIEWS ON CONVERGENCE PLAN IN 
WASHINGTON 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 1730 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 ¶1. (S) Summary:  According to Brig. Gen. (res.) Baruch 
Spiegel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has a large agenda for 
his discussions in Washington scheduled for May 23, including 
the so-called convergence plan.  Spiegel claimed that the 
&plan8 is less a detailed strategy, than a general policy. 
He indicated that Olmert will seek Washington,s feedback on 
convergence.  Spiegel said Olmert will likely raise U.S. 
funding for scanners and other assistance for the crossings 
if the funding is still being blocked by the time he goes to 
Washington.  The GOI still has not reached a decision 
regarding contacts with PA officials working in entities 
under Mahmud Abbas, although the new minister of defense Amir 
Peretz is likely to decide on his position following a May 11 
meeting that will also deal with the status of the crossings, 
Spiegel said.  In Spiegel,s view, Defense Minister Peretz 
will take a more humanitarian approach than did former 
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, and MOD officials will feel 
more confident in voicing their views.  If Olmert really will 
be seeking U.S. views, this may be a good opportunity to 
encourage engagement with Abbas and influence Olmert's own 
views on unilateral disengagement from the West Bank.  End 
summary and comment. 
 
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OLMERT TRIP TO WASHINGTON 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (S) Brig. Gen. (res.) Baruch Spiegel on May 8 briefed 
Embassy Political and Economic counselors on preparations for 
PM Olmert,s trip to Washington. Spiegel said that Olmert 
would have a big agenda for his discussions with the 
President.  Topics included convergence, Iran, Syria, 
Palestinians, the EU, the separation barrier, health issues, 
and global terrorism.  Spiegel doubted that Olmert will have 
specific details of a convergence plan, and said that, to his 
knowledge, no detailed plans have been formulated.  (Note: 
Deputy head of the national Security Council Eran Etzion 
separately told Econ counselor  that no interagency team 
below the level of minister has met to plot out specific 
parameters of a convergence plan.  End note.)  He predicted 
that Olmert will instead share his general policy on 
withdrawal from the West Bank.  Spiegel said that he has 
prepared detailed briefing material for Olmert on crossings, 
Gaza humanitarian issues, Mahmud Abbas, and other issues and 
there will be a preparation meeting for the PM prior to his 
departure. 
 
¶3.  (C) Spiegel said that it was clear from his recent trip 
to Washington that the U.S. is taking a potentially harder 
line than Israel on assistance.  For example, he said, the 
U.S. is opposed to paying salaries of health care workers or 
other civil servants.  The GOI still does not have a 
position.  In addition, Spiegel said, the funding for 
scanners and other assistance linked to the crossings has 
been blocked along with assistance projects for the PA. 
While the aid for the crossings will be reevaluated, he said, 
the GOI had hoped that this assistance would not be lumped 
with the other.  Spiegel said that if this issue is not 
solved before Olmert,s trip, the PM will likely raise it in 
Washington. 
 
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GOI CONTACT WITH ABBAS 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Spiegel said that he is still waiting for 
instructions regarding contact with PA officials, including 
those working in entities under the president.  Spiegel noted 
that Saeb Erekat wanted to meet prior to his trip to Moscow. 
(Note:  Erekat called Spiegel during the May 8 meeting.  End 
note.)  Spiegel stressed, however, that no meeting is 
possible without official instructions from the GOI political 
level.  He said this affects GOI participation in the 
security working group, mentioned in the Agreement on 
Movement and Access.  He said the current GOI policy is not 
to have a &double-headed government8 approach to the PA 
where it is permissible to talk to Abbas, but not to Hamas. 
Spiegel revealed that there are differing ideas on which 
approach to take with the PA, with Olmert, FM Livni, and 
others each having their own views.  He said that FM Livni is 
not supportive of cooperating with Mahmud Abbas.  Spiegel 
said that there will be an internal meeting on May 10 with 
new MOD Peretz where the status of the crossings and the 
relationship with PA officials will be discussed.  After the 
MOD has a position, then it can be discussed further at the 
highest level.  Spiegel said he hopes the government would 
make a policy decision on contacts before Olmert,s trip to 
the U.S. 
 
¶5. (S) Spiegel speculated that Peretz will be different from 
Mofaz.  He said that Peretz has a more open social and 
humanitarian agenda that encompasses both Israelis and 
Palestinians.  Spiegel cited as an example Peretz, decision 
to implement a plan, developed earlier this year, to allow 
8,000 workers from the West Bank to enter Israel, although he 
noted that Mofaz likely would have signed the order except 
for the recent terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.  Because of this 
change in ministers, he said, COGAT Head Gen. Mishlev may 
receive more support from the Ministry, and others would 
likely be braver in voicing their views.  Spiegel did not 
expect, however, to receive clear instructions regarding 
closures and access until Olmert returns from Washington. 
 
-------------------------------- 
CONVERGENCE PLAN/OUTPOSTS/HEBRON 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (S) Spiegel said that the label &convergence plan8 is a 
misnomer, because there is no specific detailed plan on 
pulling back from parts of the West Bank.  He said the 
government is looking at the size and location of the 
settlement blocks.  One proposal, he said, would involve 
moving 60,000-70,000 settlers.  Spiegel said he prepares and 
continually updates all the information about the settlements 
that the government needs to reach its decision.  He said 
that he had written a recommendation that his job be split, 
with COGAT responsible for the crossings and a special 
administrative unit, possibly headed by a civilian, to cover 
closures.  He had also recommended that a special interagency 
team work on convergence and use the data he compiles as a 
reference.  Olmert will seek feedback on the convergence idea 
during his trip to Washington, Spiegel said. 
 
¶7. (C) Regarding the recent removal of three settler families 
from a house in Hebron, Spiegel said that the operation had 
gone relatively smoothly, because the GOI had learned from 
its experience in Amona.  He said that in Hebron there had 
been more dialogue, including with settler leaders, and less 
physical force used.  He said the GOI took the decision to 
remove the families immediately after the court had found 
that they were there illegally.  He said the settlers would 
not be allowed to return. 
 
---------------- 
CUSTOMS PROTOCOL 
---------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Spiegel said that EU-BAM Head of Mission General 
Pietro Pistolese had recently passed him a report of a 
meeting on Rafah with Saeb Erekat, which mentions that Erekat 
has signed the letter regarding the customs protocol. 
Spiegel noted that FM Livni "informally" had received a 
letter regarding the customs protocol from the Ambassador. 
According to Spiegel, a customs protocol will be a practical 
benefit to all the crossings, if both sides are able to sign. 
 It would eventually permit imports through Rafah and would 
help clear up the bottleneck at Karni.  Spiegel applauded 
General Dayton,s efforts to improve security at the 
crossings and work with the Palestinians to prevent kassam 
attacks. 
 
------------------------ 
TUNNEL DETECTION SYSTEMS 
------------------------ 
 
¶9. (C) Spiegel said he regretted not having the opportunity 
to visit a location with a tunnel detection system during his 
recent trip to Washington.  He mentioned that the IDF Chief 
of Engineers is planning a visit to the U.S. and would like 
to view such a system.  Spiegel said the Israeli defense 
attach and consul are the points of contact for this issue 
(reftel).  He hoped that the U.S. security expert who will be 
traveling to the region this month will be able to visit 
Israel. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (C) If Spiegel is correct that Olmert will be listening 
as well as transmitting during his first visit to Washington 
as Prime Minister, then the U.S. has a good opportunity still 
to influence his thinking about unilateral disengagement from 
the West Bank and to encourage Israeli engagement with Mahmud 
Abbas and officials under him. 
 
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