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 000427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PREL KPAL IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS PEACE PROCESS ISRAELI SOCIETY
SUBJECT: CHIEF SEPHARDIC RABBI SEES INTERRELIGIOUS BRIDGE 
AS BEST HOPE FOR PEACE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: Chief Sephardic Rabbi Schlomo Amar 
highlighted the importance of promoting dialogue between 
Jewish and Muslim religious leaders as a means to resolve the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a January 26 meeting with the 
Ambassador.  Rabbi Amar emphasized that the GOI should 
encourage greater cooperation between Jewish and Muslim 
religious leaders.  Upon hearing the breaking news of the 
overwhelming Hamas victory in the Palestinian elections 
during the meeting, Rabbi Amar commented that it is better to 
have happened "today than tomorrow" and that "Hamas would 
have to change."  Amar questioned whether the disengagement 
plan had emboldened Palestinian terrorists to continue 
violence.  End summary. 
 
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Promote Understanding of Israel 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Israeli Chief Rabbinate is led by Sephardic 
Chief Rabbi Schlomo Amar and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona 
Metzger.  It is Israel's official religious authority.  Chief 
Sephardic Rabbi Schlomo Amar, accompanied by Director-General 
of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Oded Wiener, began the 
meeting by expressing his hope for "a real peace" for Israel. 
  Amar said that while he does not wish to involve himself in 
the political arena, he is concerned that, from his 
perspective, the international community, and particularly 
the Arab world, is more aware of and has shown more sympathy 
toward Palestinian suffering than Israeli suffering.  He 
asked the Ambassador to promote greater awareness and 
understanding of Israel's suffering.  The Ambassador agreed 
that this perception does exist in countries and commented 
that the Palestinian people have also suffered because of 
actions by their own leadership. 
 
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Rabbi on Hamas, Disengagement 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Reacting to breaking news about the Hamas victory in 
the January 25 Palestinian Legislative Council elections, 
Rabbi Amar commented that it is better that the Hamas victory 
"happen today, than tomorrow."  The Rabbi said that Hamas 
would have to change.  He then expressed concern that the 
disengagement plan, which he described as a "gift to have 
more peace" to the Palestinians, would "toughen" the 
terrorists and embolden them to continue violence.  The 
Ambassador said that if terrorists believe this, they will be 
proven wrong. 
 
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Life is More Important Than Land 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Rabbi Amar maintained that the purpose of the 
separation barrier is to save lives.  To highlight his view 
on the overall sanctity of life, Amar said that there is a 
story in the Torah about two Jewish tribes that wanted to 
settle in Jordan, claiming they had a lot of property.  They 
asked Moses for his permission for them to remain there with 
their families to protect the land.  Moses responded that 
they could not stay, since his priority is to protect life, 
not property.  The Ambassador said that placing greater 
importance on life than property reflects the USG view.  Amar 
said that he can see that "President Bush fights hard for 
life," and he praised President Bush for his fight against 
terrorism.  "History will remember him for this," Amar said. 
 
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Interreligious Cooperation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's query as to what 
role religion can play to promote peace, Director-General 
Wiener noted that Rabbi Amar and Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona 
Metzger visited the Vatican and met with Pope John Paul II in 
January 2004 and with Pope Benedict XVI in September 2005. 
Wiener said that the Chief Rabbis have been involved in 
conferences to promote dialogue between religions, including 
the January 3 conference at Bar Ilan University entitled, 
"Bridging the Worlds Judaism and Islam." 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's query, Rabbi Amar 
stressed his belief that dialogue between Muslim and Jewish 
leaders is "the only thing that might help" resolve the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  He underlined his view that 
the GOI should encourage and facilitate Israeli and 
Palestinian religious leaders to engage in dialogue.  He said 
that some religious leaders, particularly Muslim leaders, are 
"afraid" of reprisals if they engage in such dialogue. 
"Someone should give hints to the GOI" to invest in this 
effort, Amar said. 
 
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