VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #0930 0851350
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261350Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0218
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1813
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 9693
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0175
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0051
RUWDQAA/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000930 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SMIG PREF ASEC KFRD KCRM KWMN ELAB EG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR SPEAKS AT NGO CONFERENCE, AND OTHER TIP 
ACTIVITIES 
 
¶1. (U) The Ambassador spoke at the "Hear My Voice" conference 
on human trafficking at Tel Aviv University on March 21.  The 
conference, which saw the participation of GOI and law 
enforcement officials, diplomatic representatives from 
eastern European countries, and numerous NGOs, is part of NGO 
Isha L'Isha (Woman to Woman) Feminist Women's Center's "Hear 
My Voice" project that is funded by a G/TIP grant.  The 
Ambassador's comments were very well received, with 
Government officials and several NGOs complimenting his 
keynote address and requesting copies.  The speech is posted 
on the Embassy's unclassified website at 
http://telaviv.usembassy.gov/publish/mission/ amb/032107.html. 
 
 
¶2. (U) DHS/ICE officer Andy Yu also spoke at the conference 
and joined several roundtable discussions, and participants 
expressed appreciation for his insights into U.S. law 
enforcement practices to combat trafficking.  Yu also handed 
out examples of laminated, wallet-sized cards ICE distributes 
to local law enforcement officers in the United States to 
guide them in recognizing and dealing with trafficking 
victims.  These cards were highly sought after by conference 
attendees.  A number of individuals told Embassy TIP 
reporting officer (TRO) during various roundtables that these 
cards were a great resource that they will recommend the GOI 
adapt and adopt.  Several participants also asked for 
additional USG materials -- and more visits by officers like 
Yu with experience in the field -- to help improve their 
anti-trafficking efforts, including education and training. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The conference reinforced Embassy ties with old 
contacts and introduced diplomatic counterparts from Croatia 
and Moldova -- two major trafficking source countries for 
Israel -- that we hope will prove to be valuable allies in 
this struggle.  NGO representatives reiterated familiar 
themes, such as the need for shelters and assistance to labor 
trafficking victims, and agreed with the Ambassador's call 
for an objective, independent and comprehensive estimate of 
the scope of the trafficking problem in Israel.  All NGOs 
that TRO spoke with expressed appreciation of GOI progress -- 
in policy, practice and attitude -- during the past year. 
Those NGOs noted breakthroughs such as the passage of new 
amendments to the trafficking law that criminalize labor 
trafficking, the formation of a national plan to combat 
trafficking, and the appointment of an official national 
anti-trafficking coordinator.  They also spoke of areas that 
they strongly believe still need much work, such as effective 
implantation of the new anti-trafficking statues.  Several 
volunteered that Israel should be removed from the Tier 2 
Watch List.  Although these activists agreed that placing 
Israel on the Watch List helped spur much of the GOI's 
progress in 2006, they voiced their view that failure to 
"reward" the Government for their considerable advances would 
be counterproductive at this point. 
 
¶4. (U) The Ambassador's participation is part of the 
Embassy's ongoing efforts to combat trafficking.  Four large 
trafficking-related grants from G/TIP in the past year, and 
five smaller PD controlled grants in the past three years, 
have helped put the TIP issue into the media spotlight.  PD 
has hosted five DVCs and two speakers and approved seven 
International Visitors on the subject since 2000, and 
distributes DOS TIP materials on a regular basis.  In 
addition to the Ambassador's remarks at this recent 
conference, the Ambassador delivered practical 
recommendations at a critical symposium to address 
trafficking in persons in July 2006 that was attended by 
high-level GOI officials and NGO representatives.  Finally, 
TRO and PD meet often with anti-trafficking officials and 
activists inside and outside of the government. 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
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. 
********************************************* ******************** 
JONES