VZCZCXRO2064
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1285 1721445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211445Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8132
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001285 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAL KWBG PGOV PREL PTER IS
SUBJECT: HAMAS TRYING TO HOLD ON TO LEGITIMACY, SEEKING 
SECURITY IN GAZA 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  HAMAS leaders in the Gaza Strip - including 
Former Prime Minister Haniyah and several HAMAS PLC members - 
have publicly questioned President Abbas's authority to 
dismiss the government and claim to represent the legitimate 
Palestinian Authority government.  Abbas's office says HAMAS 
leaders in Gaza are focused on security and resuming 
government work at ministries. 
 
HAMAS CHALLENGES LEGITIMACY OF THE NEW PA GOVERNMENT 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Mushir al-Masri, a HAMAS PLC member, in press June 20 
criticized President Mahmud Abbas's (Abu Mazen) dismissal of 
the national unity government (NUG) and establishment of a 
new government.  Acting Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) 
speaker Ahmad Bahar said Abbas acted illegally in declaring a 
state of emergency and the NUG remains the legal government 
until the PLC ratifies the new cabinet.  HAMAS PLC member 
Khalil al-Hayya rejected Abbas's decree outlawing the group's 
Executive Force (EF). 
 
¶3.  (U) Former Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah in an interview 
ruled out a Gaza-based Palestinian state, saying Gaza belongs 
to all the Palestinian people, not just HAMAS."  Speaking to 
the press, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmud al-Zahar 
blamed Abbas for the competition between governing 
administrations in the Palestinian territories.  Al-Hayya in 
a June 19 press conference urged Fatah leaders to join HAMAS 
in a serious dialogue to "protect Palestinian institutions 
and property."  Al-Hayya contrasted Fatah's willingness to 
engage with Israel with Fatah's refusal to deal with HAMAS 
and warned Fatah against attempting to separate Gaza from the 
West Bank. 
 
HAMAS FOCUSED ON SECURITY IN GAZA, HOPING TO SECURE SUPPORT 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Haniyah began consolidating HAMAS's control in Gaza 
by "dismissing" senior security officials, including MOI 
Director General Rashid Abu Shabak and Chief of Civil Police 
Kamal al-Shaykh, according to information from President's 
office.  (NOTE:  Abu Shabak and al-Shaykh are both in 
Ramallah, so Haniyah's "dismissal" of them has no practical 
effect.)  Haniyah appointed a new Security Council to oversee 
the security services.  Tawfiq Jabr is the head of this 
council, which includes Khadder Abbas (a retired PLA member) 
and Hassan al-Ajrami. 
 
¶5. (U) On June 19, Haniyah convened members of his former 
cabinet in Gaza in what HAMAS called a government session 
primarily to discuss the security situation, according to a 
HAMAS-issued press statement.  The Security Council 
instructed all security personnel in the Gaza Strip to report 
to work (in contrast to orders from the Fatah leadership that 
all security personnel stay home).  As of June 20, the EU 
Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah (currently located in 
Ashkelon) reported that in Rafah hundreds of EF and civil 
police are patrolling the streets.  They are guarding 
universities and food warehouses, and conducting traffic. 
Haniyah banned security personnel from wearing masks, which 
EUBAM said is a requirement that is being enforced.  EF 
Spokesman Islam Shahwan told the press that the EF and civil 
police already conducted a joint operation against a Gaza 
City drug dealer and that the EF is dealing with other 
criminal activity consistent with HAMAS's commitment to end 
lawlessness.  Zahar in an interview praised HAMAS's ability 
to prevent chaos in Gaza and belittled Fatah's efforts to 
maintain security in the West Bank. 
 
¶6.  (U) HAMAS appeared to have control of media outlets in 
Gaza, a USAID partner staff member reported to the Consulate. 
 Newspapers printed in Ramallah and Jerusalem are not 
crossing into Gaza and only the HAMAS newspaper Felesteen is 
available on the streets.  Two Fatah radio stations and a 
PFLP station have been closed.  Only two radio stations are 
operating in the Gaza Strip:  HAMAS's "al-Aqsa" and Palestine 
Islamic Jihad's (PIJ) "al-Quds".  The HAMAS-affiliated 
"al-Aqsa" TV is broadcasting, although satellite TV is 
available from Ramallah. 
WALLES