VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJM #1904 1320952
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120952Z MAY 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2065
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PREL IS
SUBJECT: HAMAS RESPONSE TO QUARTET MEETING 
 
REF: FBIS GMP20060510541004 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The PA government and HAMAS leadership put 
out varied responses to the Quartet's decision to establish a 
mechanism to deliver aid to Palestinians.  Prime Minister 
(PM) Isma'il Hanniyah complained that the international 
community is still placing conditions on the PA.  Foreign 
Minister (FM) Mahmud al-Zahar described the decisions as a 
sign that the "international siege8 against the PA is 
beginning to erode.  Official HAMAS spokesmen Ghazi al-Hamad 
continued his criticism of the Quartet.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------- 
PM Hanniyah Still Skeptical 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) PM Isma'il Hanniyah complained to reporters in a May 
10 statement that the Quartet decision to deliver assistance 
to Palestinians while circumventing the PA had not yet broken 
the "siege" against the Palestinian people saying,  "The 
Quartet is still making conditions that it presents from time 
to time in an attempt to push the government to make more 
concessions which affect Palestinian rights and also 
legitimize the occupation."  Separately, Palestinian media 
sources reported that Hanniyah telephoned Syrian President 
Bashar al-Asad and Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Salih on May 
10 to thank them for their support of the Palestinian people 
(ref A). 
 
---------------------- 
FM al-Zahar Looking to 
Declare a Victory 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) FM Mahmud al-Zahar was unusually upbeat in a May 10 
interview with Palestinian reporters.  Al-Zahar described the 
Quartet decision as the "first sign of a breakthrough8 for 
the &European position8 regarding the HAMAS-led PA over US 
and Israeli policy.  Al-Zahar predicted that the forthcoming 
mechanisms for delivering aid to Palestinians would be 
&useful8 in ending the &siege against the PA.8  (COMMENT: 
FM al-Zahar has previously indicated to reporters that he is 
in touch with unspecified European governments and is likely 
eager to claim a diplomatic "success."  END COMMENT.)  During 
an interview with al-Jazeera television, HAMAS spokesman Sami 
Abu Zuhri struck a similar tone with reporters describing the 
Quartet decision as "a breach of the international siege on 
the Palestinian people." 
 
------------------- 
Official Spokesman 
Continues Criticism 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Government spokesmen Ghazi al-Hamad praised efforts 
by "some members of the Quartet" to provide assistance to 
Palestinians while criticizing the discrepancy between how 
the international community deals with the PA and the GOI. 
Al-Hamad told reporters: "We are hoping that the Quartet will 
become more positive towards the government as the elected 
representative of the Palestinian people."  However, al-Hamad 
criticized the Quartet as "lacking in seriousness" given the 
diplomatic body's refusal to address Israeli abuses and added 
that he "regrets" the Quartet continued to insist on PA 
acceptance of previously signed agreements. 
 
WALLES