This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 001865 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA (MAHER) 
STATE FOR S/CT (AMB. CRUMPTON) 
PENTAGON FOR OSD ISRAEL DESK OFFICER (ANDERSON) 
NSC FOR DAS ROB DANIN 
DHS FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR CRIS ARCOS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2016 
TAGS: PTER PREL PINR KPAL KWBG EG JO IS COUNTERTERRORISM
SUBJECT: ISRAEL COUNTERTERRORISM BUREAU CHIEF REQUESTS HELP 
IN DEVELOPING COOPERATION WITH DHS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones.  Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (S/NF) In a May 10 meeting with Ambassador Jones, Israel 
NSC Counterterrorism Bureau (CTB) Director BGEN Dani Arditi 
reviewed the structure and mission of the CTB, and requested 
the Ambassador's assistance in encouraging the Department of 
Homeland Security to develop operational cooperation with the 
CTB on counterterrorism (CT) issues.  In addition, Arditi 
sought the Ambassador's interpretation of the Quartet's May 9 
statement's meaning with respect to the issue of Palestinian 
Authority civil servant salaries, and asked for the 
Ambassador's thoughts on how the "salary crisis" will play 
out.  Arditi showed the Ambassador a matrix that his office 
has compiled which tracks the status of various aspects of 
Palestinian life influenced by GOI policies, and lays out 
possible means and channels whereby the GOI can address 
problems.  Arditi said that next week the GOI probably will 
authorize payments for Palestinians to receive medical 
treatment in hospitals in Jerusalem, including Augusta 
Victoria hospital.  The Ambassador encouraged Arditi to 
consider how Israel could enhance its CT cooperation with 
Egypt and Jordan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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OVERVIEW OF THE COUNTERTERRORISM BUREAU 
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¶2. (S/NF) Arditi reviewed with the Ambassador the structure 
and mission of the Israeli NSC's Counterterrorism Bureau 
(CTB).  He showed how the CTB coordinates with the Mossad, 
ISA, MOD, INP, and other GOI ministries on CT issues, and 
effectively serves as the Prime Minister's secretariat for 
all CT issues.  Arditi mentioned that part of the NSC staff 
will move to Jerusalem to join the PM's office now that the 
GOI has been formed, but offered no details. 
 
¶3. (S/NF) Arditi said that his CTB focuses on seven CT 
priorities, and is responsible for defining the threat levels 
to be observed at all of Israel's airports, ports, and border 
crossing points and internal checkpoints.  The CTB is now 
focusing on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear 
terror threats, and also has a small team that works on 
terror finance.  Arditi said that on CT issues, he reports 
directly to Mossad Chief Meir Dagan, who then reports 
directly to the Prime Minister.  During his briefing, Arditi 
focused on the following CTB activities: 
 
¶A. Travel Warnings - The CTB's one-man intelligence unit 
integrates information on potential terrorist attacks and 
disseminates information to all of Israel's CT agencies.  It 
submits weekly reports to the Prime Minister, and issues 
travel warnings.  Arditi noted that on May 9, a travel 
warning was issued for Israelis in the Sinai, advising them 
that solid intelligence indicates terrorist groups intend to 
kidnap Israelis along the Red Sea coast and transport them to 
the Gaza Strip. 
 
¶B. Israeli Homeland Security Technologies - The aim is to set 
up a working group that guides the development of such 
technologies.  Arditi described this as a new initiative that 
will be presented to the GOI within a few months, along with 
a request for funding. 
 
¶C. Protection of Transportation and Critical Infrastructure - 
The CTB addresses security gaps for air and sea transport, 
and is in charge of a long-range program to protect critical 
infrastructure.  Arditi said that the GOI approved the 
critical infrastructure program a few months ago, and the CTB 
hopes to begin work on it soon. 
 
¶D. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and 
"Mega-terrorism" - The CTB is responsible for a special 
program to counter five types of "mega-terrorism."  Arditi 
described "mega-terror" attacks as those that cause mass 
casualties, significant economic damage, and/or have 
long-lasting effects.  Arditi clarified that the CTB provides 
staff to the MOD on nonconventional terror, for which the MOD 
has national responsibility. 
 
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REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE ON COOPERATION WITH DHS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4. (C) Arditi said that the Prime Minister tasked the CTB 
over three years ago to develop operational cooperation with 
the Department of Homeland Security.  Arditi expressed some 
frustration with not being able to fulfill this mission, and 
asked the Ambassador for help in encouraging the DHS to 
engage with the Israeli NSC.  Arditi stressed that he was not 
complaining.  He said the main problem for Israel is that DHS 
keeps changing its points of contact, making it impossible to 
plan anything out beyond one year.  Arditi handed over a 
concept paper that he said DHS drew up and shared with the 
NSC via the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. 
Characterizing the paper as a possible basis for re-engaging 
with the DHS, Arditi admitted that not all appropriate GOI 
agencies agreed with its content.  Arditi stressed that the 
Israeli side is not looking for a formal binding agreement 
but rather agreement on four projects that DHS and the NSC 
will cooperate on in 2006-7.  (NOTE:  The DHS concept paper 
will be sent to NEA/IPA via FAX.  END NOTE.) 
 
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CTB GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO ASSIST PALESTINIAN PEOPLE 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5. (S) Arditi also asked the Ambassador to clarify elements 
of the Quartet's May 9 statement that concern direct 
assistance to the Palestinians.  The Ambassador said that, 
contrary to some reports in the Israeli press, the Quartet 
did not call for the creation of a mechanism to pay 
Palestinian Authority (PA) civil service salaries.  The 
Ambassador encouraged Arditi and his staff to think 
creatively about ways to get needed assistance (e.g., medical 
supplies) to the Palestinian people without going through the 
Hamas-led PA.  Responding to Arditi's question about how the 
Ambassador sees the PA "salary crisis" playing out, the 
Ambassador said that the USG does not wish to provoke a civil 
war, but wants to keep pressure on Hamas, and that refusing 
to let if off the hook for payments to civil servants may 
help to turn the people against Hamas.  The Ambassador 
stressed that our approach was similar to the use of "smart 
sanctions" against Saddam so that the Palestinian people were 
not punished for Hamas's uncooperative behavior. 
 
¶6. (S) Arditi indicated that some time next week the GOI will 
authorize payments for medical assistance to Palestinians, to 
include payment for medical treatment at hospitals in 
Jerusalem, including Augusta Victoria.  Arditi seemed open to 
considering the idea of mobilizing tax receipts to pay for 
medical care, with the payments being characterized as 
"stipends" for families.  In this way, Hamas would not be 
able to claim credit for resolving the civil service salary 
crisis. 
 
¶7. (S) Arditi showed the Ambassador a chart that he updates 
regularly that keeps the GOI informed of the state of various 
sectors of Palestinian life in the Occupied Territories for 
which Israel is directly or indirectly responsible.  The 
areas highlighted as problem areas were disease, commerce in 
the territories, and employment in Israel.  Arditi also 
showed the Ambassador another chart that analyzed possible 
options for payment of salaries, and possible channels for 
the payments.  Arditi said that Egypt and Jordan might 
possibly seek to play a role in this area.  (NB: Arditi was 
not advocating salary payments, but attempting to anticipate 
possible events.) 
 
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AMBASSADOR ENCOURAGES EXPANDING CT COOPERATION IN REGION 
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¶8. (S) The Ambassador encouraged Arditi to look at enhancing 
CT cooperation with Egypt and Jordan.  Arditi characterized 
cooperation with Jordan as excellent, but said that Egyptian 
field contacts have been reluctant.  The Ambassador suggested 
that the key is to reach out to the bureaucratic center in 
Cairo -- once it is won over, everything else should fall 
into place.  Arditi noted that he is staying in Israel while 
PM Olmert visits the U.S. in two weeks so that he can be 
present during Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman's 
planned visit to Israel. 
 
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JONES