VZCZCXRO3768
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDO #0026 0210847
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 210847Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9643
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000026 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2020 
TAGS: PREL KPAL WBG EG IS QA
SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR GIVES READOUT ON ABBAS-AMIR 
MEETING 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
-------------- 
(C) KEY POINTS 
-------------- 
 
-- At a January 14 meeting with Ambassador, Palestinian 
Ambassador Ghanim gave details of the January 5 meeting 
between Palestinian President Abbas and the Amir of Qatar. 
 
-- According to Ghanim, the Amir noted Hamas' fears that the 
outcome of elections could be influenced by Israeli troops 
and Palestinian forces trained by General Dayton and loyal to 
Abbas.  Abbas offered to allow Hamas to choose whoever it 
wished to monitor the polling, and he would help them. 
 
-- Ghanim said that Abbas expressed his willingness to talk 
with Israeli PM Netanyahu, if Israel agrees to stop all 
settlement activity, to include Jerusalem, and states clearly 
that it will work toward a withdrawal from Palestinian lands. 
 The withdrawal must be based upon pre-1967 lines, with the 
slight modifications as mentioned at Camp David 2 and during 
the Taba discussions. 
 
 
End Key Points. 
 
¶1. (C) At a January 14 meeting with Ambassador, Palestinian 
Ambassador Mounir Abdullah Ghanim recounted the conversation 
that took place between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 
and Amir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani during Abbas's January 5 
visit to Doha.  The conversation focused on elections in the 
Palestinian territories and reconciliation between Hamas and 
Fatah. 
 
¶2. (C) According to Ghanim, who was present at the meeting, 
the Amir said that Hamas is opposed to holding elections 
because it fears that Israeli forces on the West Bank and 
Palestinian security forces trained by General Dayton that 
are loyal to Fatah would influence the outcome.  Abbas 
replied "Let anyone Hamas wants to monitor the elections 
come. help them."  The Amir responded by asking "What happens 
if Hamas wins and the world refuses to deal with its 
leaders?"  Abbas replied that the world is composed of 
sovereign states and each would choose its own policy toward 
a possible Hamas-led government. 
 
¶3. (C) The Amir then turned his attention to Abbas's recent 
visit to Cairo, where he met with Egyptian President Hosni 
Mubarak, Ghanim said.  The Amir noted that Israeli Prime 
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had visited Cairo a few day 
before Abbas, and asked Abbas whether he and Mubarak had 
discussed the Netanyahu visit.  Mubarak informed Abbas that 
Netanyahu had asked him for help in getting a resumption of 
the peace process. 
 
¶4. (C) Ghanim said that the Amir then asked Abbas directly: 
Are you ready to talk with Netanyahu?  Abbas replied "Yes, we 
are ready to go back to the table, just as we informed 
Special Envoy Mitchell: If Israel agrees to stop all 
settlement activity, including those settlements in 
Jerusalem, and states clearly its willingness to work toward 
a withdrawal from Palestinian lands.  The withdrawal must be 
based upon pre-1967 lines, with the slight modifications as 
mentioned at Camp David 2 and during the Taba discussions." 
Abbas said the Israelis could take all the guarantees they 
liked, and he would work to get the Arab states to agree. 
 
¶5. (C) Ambassador asked Ghanim whether he thought there were 
any differences of opinion between the Amir and PM Hamad bin 
Jassim Al Thani on Middle East peace issues.  The Palestinian 
Ambassador said that on the issues of reconciliationand the 
resumption of talks, their position was "exactly the same." 
 
¶6. (C) Ghanim said that Abbas had proposed to the Amir that 
Qatar assist in the construction of a desalination plantin 
Gaza and that the Amir agreed.  Ghanim gave the impression 
that the U.S. encouragement of the project would behelpful. 
¶7. (C) Ambassador asked Ghanim whether he believed the Amir 
supports Hamas against Fatah.  Ghanim replied he did not 
believe this to be the case, adding that the Amir wishes 
Fatah would adopt a position more favorable to Hamas with 
regard to reconciliation.  He stated that the Amir always 
defended the position of Hamas, though the Amir would deny 
this. 
LeBaron