Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287
Articles
Brazil
Sri Lanka
United Kingdom
Sweden
Global
United States
Latin America
Egypt
Jordan
Yemen
Thailand
Browse latest releases
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Browse by tag
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 05TELAVIV7100, CODEL SPECTER MEETS WITH EHUD BARAK AND SHIMON
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
05TELAVIV7100 | 2005-12-30 14:07 | 2011-08-30 01:44 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Tel Aviv |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 007100
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON IS GOI INTERNAL ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS PEACE PROCESS GOI EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: CODEL SPECTER MEETS WITH EHUD BARAK AND SHIMON
PERES
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
¶1. (C) Summary: Vice Premier Shimon Peres and former Prime
Minister Ehud Barak, in separate meetings, told Senator Arlen
Specter (R-PA) that they are optimistic about the impact of
Kadima on the peace process, and both predicted the Labor
party would be marginalized under the leadership of Amir
Peretz. Peres said that Hamas would not disarm if it has a
strong showing in the next Palestinian elections and will not
be willing to negotiate with the GOI. On regional issues,
Barak encouraged the U.S. to lead the international community
in pressing Syria to remove its remaining intelligence
apparatus from Lebanon. He said pressure should start with
the topic of Syrian operatives in Lebanon and eventually
address Syrian WMD and Iranian nuclear aspirations. Barak
suggested that the U.S. should soon lower its military
profile in Iraq by redeploying from urban centers to remote
bases and focusing on training Iraqi troops. Peres added
that the Jordanians have a vital role to play in the economic
dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. End summary.
--------------------------------------------- -------
PERES AND BARAK BULLISH ON KADIMA, FEARFUL FOR LABOR
--------------------------------------------- -------
¶2. (C) On December 28, Senator Arlen Specter, accompanied by
Joan Specter, staff assistants David DeBruyn and Tim Quest,
and conoff met with former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Iris
Sapir, MFA Counselor. Barak said that Ariel Sharon's actions
in leaving Likud and forming Kadima have "clarified the
dividing lines in the debate" between those who believe in a
two-state solution and those who do not. Barak expressed
concern for the future of his own Labor party under the
leadership of Amir Peretz, and said that union influence on
the Labor platform under Peretz would relegate Labor to the
status of a "niche party."
¶3. (C) In a separate meeting, Senator Arlen Specter,
accompanied by Joan Specter, staff assistants David DeBruyn
and Tim Quest, and conoff met with Vice Premier Shimon Peres;
Jill Marie Reinach, senior strategist; Iris Sapir, MFA
Counselor; and Meir Nitzan, Mayor of Rishon Letzion. Peres
told the Senator that the creation of the Kadima Party
brought about the "death" of the ideological right wing which
would not accept a two-state solution to the conflict with
the Palestinians. He assured Senator Specter that Kadima
would win enough seats in the general election to lead a
coalition government "without the right wing and without the
communists."
¶4. (C) Peres introduced Senator Specter to Meir Nitzan, the
mayor of Rishon Letzion, who recently declared himself a
political independent after working in Labor politics for 25
years. Nitzan explained to the Senator that he was forced
into leaving Labor because, "Peretz stole my party." Peres
and Nitzan then expressed their fears that Peretz was driving
Labor to the extreme ideological left at a time when most
Israelis want pragmatic, centrist political leadership.
--------------------------------------------- ------
PERES ON HAMAS: THE LEOPARD CANNOT CHANGE ITS SPOTS
--------------------------------------------- ------
¶5. (C) Peres said that if Hamas wins in the upcoming
Palestinian elections without surrendering its arms, it would
be a "wasted victory," because it will not bring the
Palestinians closer to statehood. Peres believes that Hamas,
if victorious in the election, will not voluntarily disarm.
He pointed out that Hamas is a religious party, while Fatah
is a political party and commented that while "religious
parties don't compromise, political parties do." Thus, he
said, Israel would prefer any coalition of old and new Fatah
over Hamas.
--------------------------------------------- --------
A MESSAGE FROM BARAK: KEEP THE HEAT ON SYRIA AND IRAN
--------------------------------------------- --------
¶6. (C) Barak asked Senator Specter to convey a message to the
Administration that he believes there is a "great
opportunity" for leverage against the Syrians, Iranians, and
Hizballah. Barak said that Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad
is weak and vulnerable to increased international pressure.
He said that the pressure on Syria must not be limited to the
international investigation of the Hariri assassination in
Lebanon, but should also include the removal of the Syrian
intelligence apparatus from Lebanon. Barak contends that
strong U.S., French and UN support for the Lebanese
government would quicken the Syrian withdrawal and diminish
the threat from Hizballah. Barak further asserted that
Hizballah does not have the popular support of the Lebanese
people and will eventually fold if isolated from Syrian
support. Finally, Barak suggested that such an international
political campaign should focus on the broad range of issues
we have with Syria: its support for Hizballah through its
intelligence presence in Lebanon; Syrian WMD; and its ally
Iran.
--------------------------------------------- ------------
PERES CONCERNED ABOUT SHIA ALLIANCE BETWEEN IRAN AND IRAQ
--------------------------------------------- ------------
¶7. (C) Peres expressed great concern about Iran, and said
that a Shia-dominated Iraq in alliance with Iran would be a
"disaster." He was hopeful that Kurdish and Sunni
participation in the Iraqi government would limit Iranian
influence. He believed that the absence of a firm,
international consensus on Iran's nuclear ambitions was
providing Iran "room to play," and said that the Europeans
are always opposed to military intervention because they have
no army. Peres concluded by saying that, "wars take time and
are difficult, but the alternatives are often worse."
----------------------------------
PERES AND BARAK ON JORDAN AND IRAQ
----------------------------------
¶8. (C) Peres said he believes there is an economic role for
the Jordanians to play in furthering the creation of a
Palestinian state. Peres said that while domestic political
concerns would prevent Jordan from participating in a
three-way political dialogue, it is in the Jordanians'
interest to advance economic cooperation between the Israelis
and Palestinians. He compared the importance of including
the Jordanians in any discussion of the West Bank to the
vital role the Egyptians played in the Israeli evacuation of
the Gaza Strip.
¶9. (C) Barak said he believes that the U.S. should "lower its
profile" by "getting American faces off the streets of Najaf,
Baquba and Baghdad" as soon as possible and "give the new
Iraqi government a chance" to maintain security. He said
that U.S. forces should focus their efforts on training Iraqi
troops, and reinforcing them when necessary from bases in
more remote locations near the Jordanian and Syrian borders.
Barak predicted that the newly elected Iraqi government will
be politically obligated to ask the United States to withdraw
its forces in order to maintain its legitimacy, and this
request, in Barak's view, will afford the U.S. a good
opportunity to redeploy forces.
¶10. (U) CODEL Specter cleared this cable.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
CRETZ