VZCZCXRO1190
OO RUEHBC RUEHBZ RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUCNDT #0505/01 1720058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210058Z JUN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2112
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAL LE SY IS
SUBJECT: SECURITY COUNCIL SPLIT OVER SUPPORT FOR ABBAS 
 
REF: STATE 85617 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) In the monthly briefing to the Security Council on 
the situation in the Middle East, Michael Williams, the 
recently appointed UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East 
Peace Process, said the Middle East was in a time of crisis. 
Williams focused his briefing on recent events in Gaza and 
offered two priority recommendations: (1) the international 
community should support the new Palestinian government 
formed by Abbas; and (2) immediate action should be taken to 
open the crossings into Gaza to allow delivery of commercial 
and humanitarian supplies.  Council reaction to the situation 
was divided.  Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Qatar, 
Panama and Congo declined to explicitly express support for 
Abbas and his emergency government, while the U.S., U.K., 
Belgium, France, Italy, Slovakia and Peru called on the 
international community to rally around Abbas.  Most members 
of the first group blamed the Quartet, the international 
community, and Israel for actions and policies that 
contributed to the Palestinian infighting.  Most Council 
members, including the Europeans, called for Israel to 
promptly release VAT and customs revenues, and urged 
continued support to the Palestinian people in Gaza.  Many 
delegations also stated a desire for Palestinian unity, and 
called on the Quartet to facilitate a relaunching of the 
peace process.  In response to calls for dialogue between 
Fatah and Hamas, Williams said it would be "not easy to 
overcome the wounds caused by (Hamas') armed insurrection" 
and expressed doubt that there is currently a basis for 
renewed dialogue.  He praised Abbas, however, for sending a 
"strong signal" of inclusion by forming a cabinet of 
independents, technocrats, and Gazans.  Familiar themes on 
Lebanon, including the challenge to the LAF posed by Fatah 
al-Islam, the assassination of parliamentarian Walid Eido, 
and the recent rocket attack against Israel, were also 
discussed. 
 
Williams Calls for Support for Abbas 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) In his first briefing to the Security Council as 
UNSCO, Williams traced the events before and after Abbas 
dissolved the unity government.  He noted SYG Ban convened a 
teleconference of Quartet principals at the height of the 
crisis, which resulted in a statement of support for Abbas's 
decisions as "legitimate actions."  He said the decision by 
the U.S. and E.U. to renew direct assistance to the 
Palestinian Authority "signaled the legitimacy of the new 
government and the fact that President Abbas's positions are 
consistent with those of the Quartet."  Williams called for 
political and financial support to be immediately delivered 
to Abbas.  He welcomed the news that Israel was "examining 
options for the resumption of transfers of VAT and customs 
revenue and was planning to ease substantially movement 
restrictions in the West Bank."  He also stressed the 
immediate need to open crossings.  (Note:  Full text of his 
statement e-mailed to NEA/IPA and IO/UNP June 20.) 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During private consultations of the Council that 
followed his public statement, Williams stated that the 
brutality and violence in Gaza has led to a rupture in the 
Palestinian community, and observed that this political 
rupture is compounded by territorial division.  He stressed 
that Abbas had formed a "good government led by an 
extraordinary man" (Salam Fayyad).  The composition of the 
emergency government including independents, technocrats, 
Gazans and "maybe one Fatah member," sent an important 
message of inclusion.  He concluded: "Despite what has 
happened, Gaza and the West Bank remain one Palestinian 
territory, administered by one Palestinian Authority headed 
by President Abbas." 
 
Council Divided on Abbas 
------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Drawing from reftel, Amb Wolff delivered the U.S. 
statement, casting the situation as a fundamental choice 
between extremism and tolerance, and describing USG actions 
to support Abbas.  He also restated USG support for Lebanese 
Prime Minister Siniora, and expressed concern about Syria's 
role in the region.  Both the U.K. and Belgium called the 
Hamas action in Gaza "unacceptable."  The U.S., U.K., 
Belgium, France, Italy, Slovakia and Peru explicitly endorsed 
Abbas's new government as legitimate. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Russia, China, Indonesia, Qatar, South Africa, 
Panama and Congo did not/not express support for President 
Abbas.  Russia said responsibility for the recent violence in 
Gaza fell on many parties, and blamed the Quartet for not 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000505  002 OF 003 
 
 
supporting implementation of the Mecca Agreement.  Russian 
PermRep Churkin also said that Russia opposed any steps that 
would drive a wedge between the Palestinians.  The Qatari DPR 
blamed the violence on the political and economic "embargo" 
that had been imposed on the previous Palestinian government. 
 The South African blamed the situation on Israeli occupation 
and practices that caused hardship to the Palestinians, 
including a financial "embargo" and restrictions on movement 
and access.  The Indonesian DPR said the international 
community should not be distracted by the core problem, which 
he defined as Israeli withdrawal from the occupied 
territories and establishment of a Palestinian state.  The 
Congolese representative attributed the situation to the 
"consequence of 40 years of occupation of Palestinian 
territories." 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Russia reiterated its desire for an international 
conference on the Middle East.  Qatar recommended a UN 
mission to the territories (no one reacted to this request). 
Most of these delegations expressed support for the June 15 
Arab League statement on the situation. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  All delegations, including the Europeans, expressed 
a desire for Palestinian unity.  Those delegations that 
declined to express support for President Abbas emphasized 
the need for dialogue between Fatah and Hamas.  The 
Indonesian DPR said "steps to exclude Hamas will not lead to 
a solution.  We cannot have one group at the expense of 
others."  The Chinese stated "regret" at the internal armed 
conflict and called for a resolution based on dialogue.  All 
delegations also called for Israel to immediately release VAT 
and custom revenues.  Many urged the Quartet to play a role 
in relaunching the peace process so as to provide a 
"political horizon." 
 
Humanitarian Situation in Gaza 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Williams said the UN's most immediate humanitarian 
concern was the re-opening of crossings, particularly Karni, 
to allow for food and medical supplies to be imported into 
Gaza.  He noted that Gaza relies almost entirely on imports, 
and urged immediate action to prevent a humanitarian crisis. 
He noted that his deputy Kevin Kennedy was in Gaza July 20 
and had been consulting with the GOI on this matter.  Summing 
up, he said the two immediate priorities are supporting 
President Abbas, especially financially, and opening the 
crossings.  He said Hamas had won a victory in Gaza at a 
terrible cost to the Palestinian people and Palestinian 
unity. 
 
Lebanon and Syria 
----------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Discussion of Lebanon was limited, as many 
delegations noted that the Council had other opportunities to 
address that subject.  Those delegations that did raise 
Lebanon echoed Williams's condemnation of the assassination 
of Lebanese parliamentarian Walid Eido and the recent rocket 
attack from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.  Williams 
noted that the incident, though without casualties, was the 
"most serious violation of UNSCR 1701" since last summer.  He 
also reported that Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace 
had increased and that UNIFIL-led talks concerning the 
marking of the Blue Line were continuing. On the Tribunal, he 
said SYG Ban was taking steps to put the court into place in 
consultation with the GOL. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Recalling his recent visit with high-level Syrian 
officials, Williams said the Syrians "impressed on me their 
desire to see the start of negotiations leading to peace with 
Israel."  He also said that Syrian and Israeli interlocutors 
assured him in recent conversations "that there was no 
interest in breaking the decades of calm which have 
prevailed" on the Israeli-Syrian border.  The Panamanian PR 
said the silver lining of the rocket attack from southern 
Lebanon was that it was condemned by both the Siniora 
government and Hizballah.  Williams later corrected him: 
Hizballah did not condemn the attack; rather, Hizballah had 
denied responsibility.  The Qatar DPR said the activities of 
Fatah al-Islam were not in the interests of Palestinians and 
not representative of Islam. 
 
Quartet Meeting 
--------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Noting Council interest in a more proactive Quartet 
role, Williams said there had been difficulty in scheduling a 
meeting of principals, but reported that SYG Ban is working 
toward that end and remains in frequent phone contact with 
his counterparts.  Williams said a meeting of envoys has been 
tentatively scheduled June 26 in Jerusalem. 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000505  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
WOLFF