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Viewing cable 08TELAVIV204, CODEL Voinovich Discusses the Way Forward in Gaza with

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08TELAVIV204 2008-01-24 15:10 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tel Aviv
VZCZCXRO0062
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHTV #0204 0241510
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241510Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5140
INFO RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 8919
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASH DC
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000204 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR OREP IS
SUBJECT: CODEL Voinovich Discusses the Way Forward in Gaza with 
Minister Dicter 
on Jan 2 
 
 
1.  Summary:  On January 2, 2008 Codel Voinovich met with 
Israeli Minister of Internal Security, Avraham QAvi 
Dicter, at the Knesset in Jerusalem.  Senator Voinovich was 
accompanied by Representatives Rob Bishop (R, Utah); Phil 
Gingrey (R, Georgia); Steve Pearce (R, New Mexico) and 
Michael Turner (R, Ohio) as well as by the Charge and 
emboff note taker.  The 45 minute meeting centered on 
EgyptQs security patrol of the Gaza Strip border, the 
recent Army Corps of EngineerQs Report on smuggling routes 
into Gaza, and the lack of Israeli efforts to support the 
government of Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and the Palestinian 
Authority.  The Senator ended the meeting by requesting 
that Minister Dicter review the Army Corps of EngineerQs 
Report.  Minister DicterQs response regarding the report 
was equivocal.  End Summary 
 
2.   Minister Dicter began the meeting by relaying his fear 
that the current state of events would lead to Qthree 
states for two people.Q  Dicter was referring to the fact 
that GazaQs Hamas leadership has been plotting a course 
divergent from that of the West Bank.  He mentioned his 
concern that the Palestinian AuthorityQs government 
apparatus or QarchiveQ had been turned over to Hamas and 
criticized Mahmoud Abbas for not paying enough attention to 
combating terrorism networks functioning under his 
authority. He told Senator Voinovich that the PAQs 
inability to maintain security requires that Israel act 
instead and he cited the recent death of two Israeli 
soldiers in Hebron as an example of IsraelQs cost of doing 
so. 
 
3.  The Senator asked Dicter what Israel was doing to 
assist the PA.  Dicter stated that without any real law 
enforcement efforts under its administration, aid to the PA 
was meaningless.  The Senator countered by saying that 
there would be no security without a two-state solution, 
proper enforcement of the border between Egypt and Gaza, 
and proper enforcement of UN Resolution 1701.  He 
challenged Dicter to review the recent US Army Corps of 
Engineers Report on issues concerning the border between 
Gaza and Egypt and asked Dicter why Israel was not doing 
its part to enforce UN Resolution 1701. 
 
4.  Dicter harshly criticized the Egyptians for failing to 
stem the rampant smuggling of goods and weaponry into the 
Gaza strip from Egyptian territory.  He contended that the 
Egyptians simply lacked the QwillQ to act in the matter, 
stating that any real effort needed to Qstart with a 
decisionQ.  The minister said that as little as 750 
Egyptian soldiers would be able to control the smuggling 
along the Philadelphi Corridor.  The Senator cited the Army 
Corps of EngineersQ report as disagreeing with DicterQs 
assessment and he pointedly contended that all parties 
involved needed a formal, measurable plan to make any 
progress on the issue.  Dicter opined that devising a 
system of measurement would be impossible. 
 
5.  Senator Voinovich remained adamant that failing to 
resolve the crises along the Egyptian-Gazan border would 
prevent any real efforts at a two-state solution for Israel 
and the Palestinians.  Dicter stated that the only way to 
prevent continued rocket fire into Israel from Gaza was to 
create a system of deterrence that would prove to Gazans 
that their efforts would not benefit them.  Dicter stated 
that if Egypt inevitably failed to find a solution to 
deterring rockets and smuggling, Israel would.  Dicter 
reminded the group of the Israeli offensive that was 
launched in 2002 (Note: Dicter was likely alluding to 
IsraelQs 2002 Operation Defensive Shield. End Note) as a 
result of Palestinian militancy and attacks within Israel, 
foreshadowing a possible Israeli reaction to continued 
attack. 
 
6.  Congressman Gingrey relayed to Dicter that, in meetings 
with the codel prior to its arrival in Israel, the 
Egyptians denied that they have the capacity to do what is 
necessary along the border to curtail smuggling.  Dicter 
maintained his belief that the Egyptians have the capacity 
to act and reiterated that only the will was lacking on the 
part of the Egyptians. 
 
7.  Senator Voinovich ended the meeting by asking Dicter to 
promise that he would read the recent US Army Corps of 
EngineersQ report and provide his analysis of the Army 
CorpsQ recommendations.  Dicter was noncommittal but stated 
he would accept the report if sent to him. 
 
8.  This cable has been cleared by Senator Voinovich.