VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEGA #6839 3171239
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWCSE6491 3171230
O 131239Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 006839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MEPN KPAL UNSC UNGA ARABL EG IS
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS CALL FOR "LIFTING 
SIEGE" AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL 
AFFAIRS WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (C) FOLLOWING A NOVEMBER 12 EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF ARAB 
LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS HELD IN CAIRO, THE GROUP ISSUED A 
STATEMENT (TEXT BELOW) PLEDGING TO "BREAK THE SIEGE" AGAINST 
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL 
INVESTIGATION OF THE BEIT HANOUN ATTACK, THE SENDING OF 
INTERNATIONAL FORCES TO PROTECT THE PALESTINIANS, AND AN 
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO RESOLVE THE ARAB-ISRAELI 
CONFLICT.  THE STATEMENT MARKS A BREAK FROM THE QUARTETS 
FUNDING BLOCKADE ON THE HAMAS GOVERNMENT.  IT REMAINS UNCLEAR 
WHETHER ANY ARAB STATES OR THE LEAGUE HAVE RELEASED ANY NEW 
FUNDS TO THE PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT IN RESPONSE TO THIS CALL. 
 ACCORDING TO A PALESTINIAN EMBASSY CONTACT IN CAIRO, 
PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AL ZAHAR DEPARTED SHORTLY AFTER 
THE MEETING FOR TEHRAN. 
 
¶2.  (C) ON NOVEMBER 13, TWO SENIOR ARAB LEAGUE STAFF MEMBERS 
DESCRIBED TO POLOFF A COLLECTIVE SENSE OF ARAB FRUSTRATION 
AND ANGER OVER THE USG DECISION TO VETO THE ARAB GROUP'S 
DRAFT RESOLUTION ON GAZA, PRESENTED TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL 
LAST WEEK.  THE U.S. VETO, THEY SAID, PROVIDES POLITICAL 
COVER FOR ISRAEL TO CONTINUE ITS PRACTICE OF COLLECTIVE 
PUNISHMENT AGAINST PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IN THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES.  ARAB GOVERNMENTS, THEY ADDED, WILL CONTINUE 
PRESSING THE ISSUE IN THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND WILL DO 
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PRESS FOR PROGRESS ON THE REGIONAL 
PEACE TRACK. 
 
¶3.  (U) UNOFFICIAL EMBASSY TRANSLATION OF THE NOVEMBER 12 
ARAB LEAGUE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS STATEMENT. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
"ISRAEL,S CONTINUED AGGRESSIONS AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN 
PEOPLE AND METHODS OF DEALING WITH THEM:" 
 
THE LEAGUE COUNCIL, AT THE LEVEL OF MINISTERS, HELD AN 
EMERGENCY MEETING ON NOVEMBER 12, 2006. 
 
AFTER REVIEWING: THE ARAB LEAGUE GENERAL SECRETARIAT,S 
MEMORANDUM AND THE REPORT ON THE ISRAELI MASSACRE IN BEIT 
HANOUN; 
 
THE AL COMMUNIQU ISSUED AT ITS NOVEMBER 6, 2006 EMERGENCY 
SESSION; 
 
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL'S DRAFT RESOLUTION ON THE SITUATION 
IN GAZA, BLOCKED BY THE AMERICAN VETO ON NOVEMBER 11, 2006; 
 
THE PRESENTATION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF 
PALESTINE; 
 
AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE AL SECRETARY GENERAL,S PRESENTATION 
AND DISCUSSIONS BY MINISTERS AND HEADS OF DELEGATIONS; 
 
AND IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARAB CONSENSUS ON THE IMPORTANCE 
OF THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE AND THE NEED FOR A PEACEFUL AND FAIR 
SOLUTION TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT FOR THE SAKE OF THE 
SECURITY AND STABILITY OF THE REGION; 
 
AND AFTER PRAISING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE,S STEADFASTNESS IN 
FACE OF THE ISRAELI AGGRESSION AND ASSURING THEIR RIGHT TO 
LEGITIMATE STRUGGLE TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN 
STATE ON ALL THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES OCCUPIED IN 1967, 
AND AFTER STRESSING THE NEED TO REACH A COMPREHENSIVE AND 
JUST SOLUTION TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT ON THE BASIS OF 
THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTIONS AND THE ARAB PEACE 
INITIATIVE; 
 
THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO: 
 
-- (1) CONDEMN THE CONTINUOUS ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST THE 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, AND DENOUNCE THE ISRAELI CRIMES, THE 
LATEST OF WHICH IS THE BEIT HANOUN CRIME WHICH TARGETED 
UNARMED CIVILIANS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN AND WOMEN.  REGARD 
THESE CRIMES AS WAR CRIMES AS STATED BY THE RULES OF 
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW. 
 
-- (2) EXPRESS EXTREME DISSATISFACTION AT THE UNITED STATES, 
USE OF THE VETO AGAINST THE ARAB DRAFT RESOLUTION AT THE 
SECURITY COUNCIL, WHICH CONSTITUTES AN UNFRIENDLY STANCE 
TOWARDS THE ARAB STATES AND PEOPLES, AND WHICH PREVENTS THE 
SECURITY COUNCIL FROM CARRYING OUT ITS ROLE AND SHOULDERING 
ITS RESPONSIBILITIES, THUS ENCOURAGING ISRAEL TO PROCEED WITH 
ITS AGGRESSION.  MOREOVER, ITS VETO DOES NOT HELP ESTABLISH 
PEACE IN THE REGION AND IT AFFECTS THE CREDIBILITY OF THE 
UNITED STATES IN PLAYING A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF PEACE IN THE REGION. 
 
-- (3) BREAK THE BLOCKADE IMPOSED ON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE 
IMMEDIATELY, AND CALL UPON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO 
LIFT ALL FORMS OF BLOCKADE IMPOSED ON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. 
 
-- (4) CALL UPON ALL PALESTINIAN FACTIONS TO EXPEDITE THE 
FORMATION OF A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT TO CONFRONT THE 
DANGEROUS CHALLENGES FACING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. 
 
-- (5) CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF PALESTINIAN 
PRISONERS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, THE ELDERLY, AND CHILDREN. 
 
-- (6) CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE PALESTINIAN 
GOVERNMENT MEMBERS AND OFFICIALS, AND THE RELEASE OF THE 
ISRAELI SOLDIER. 
 
-- (7) CALL FOR A HALT TO ALL ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATIONS AND 
ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS. 
 
-- (8) EXPRESS EXTREME DISSATISFACTION AT THE VETO FOR 
HAMPERING THE SECURITY COUNCIL ROLE IN DEALING WITH THE 
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT, AND ALSO AT THE 
SILENCE OF THE QUARTET AND ITS FAILURE TO SHOULDER ITS 
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR REVIVING THE PEACE PROCESS. 
 
-- (9) IN LIGHT OF IMPEDING THE SECURITY COUNCIL FROM 
CARRYING OUT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES:  TAKE UP THE ISSUE IN AN 
EMERGENCY SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE 
FRAMEWORK OF "UNITY FOR PEACE."  CALL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL 
INVESTIGATION INTO THE BEIT HANOUN MASSACRE AND THE ISRAELI 
VIOLATIONS AGAINST PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IN THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES, AND FOR SENDING INTERNATIONAL FORCES TO PROVIDE 
PROTECTION FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.  CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY 
SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE ISRAELI 
VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. 
 
-- (10) CALL FOR HOLDING A PEACE CONFERENCE TO BE ATTENDED BY 
ARAB PARTIES, ISRAEL, AND THE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE UN 
SECURITY COUNCIL, TO REACH A JUST AND COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION 
TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT ON ALL TRACKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTIONS AND THE PRINCIPLE OF 
"LAND FOR PEACE." 
 
-- (11) FORM AN ARAB MINISTERIAL DELEGATION OF THE CURRENT 
PRESIDENCY OF THE LEAGUE, THE ARAB MEMBER ON THE UN SECURITY 
COUNCIL, AND THE AL SECRETARY GENERAL TO CONDUCT THE 
NECESSARY CONSULTATIONS AND CONTACTS WITH VARIOUS 
INTERNATIONAL PARTIES, ESPECIALLY THE MEMBERS OF THE QUARTET 
AND PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE UNSC, TO FOLLOW UP ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS RESOLUTION AND CONTINUE EFFORTS TO 
REACTIVATE THE PEACE PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT EACH PARTY 
SHOULDERS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. 
 
-- (12) CALL UPON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO SHOULDER ITS 
RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESUME SENDING ASSISTANCE TO THE 
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THEIR NATIONAL AUTHORITY, AND CALL 
UPON ISRAEL TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL 
AUTHORITY,S TAXATION DUES. 
 
-- (13) CALL UPON THE ARAB COUNTRIES, ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE 
SECTOR COMPANIES, AND CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS TO LAUNCH AN 
IMMEDIATE CAMPAIGN TO RECONSTRUCT WHAT THE RECENT ISRAELI 
AGGRESSION HAS DESTROYED IN BEIT HANOUN AND OTHER PALESTINIAN 
CITIES. 
 
-- (14) STRESS THE ARAB COUNTRIES, COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING 
PROVISION OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL 
AUTHORITY,S BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE TO THE RELEVANT ARAB LEAGUE 
RESOLUTIONS, THE LATEST OF WHICH IS THE 2006 KHARTOUM SUMMIT 
RESOLUTION. 
 
-- (15) KEEP THE COUNCIL IN SESSION TO FOLLOW UP ON LATEST 
DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISSUE. 
 
END TEXT. 
RICCIARDONE