VZCZCXRO8489
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0897 1841945
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021945Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8135
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1463
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0506

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL SCUL KPAL IS CA
SUBJECT: CANADA FACILITATES ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ARCHIVAL COOPERATION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Canadian, Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. 
archivists have agreed to five joint archival projects, subject to 
formal approval of a new Memorandum of Understanding.  The focus 
will be on surveying and digitizing records currently in Israel that 
document the "shared legacy" of the Jewish Israeli and Palestinian 
peoples.  The Palestinian representative, however, warned that 
Palestinian authorities may not approve the MOU until they regain 
access to the Orient House.  End summary. 
 
PROJECTS WILL DIGITIZE RECORDS INACCESSIBLE TO PALESTINIANS 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) At the conclusion of a two-day series of meetings in 
Ottawa, leading archivists from Israel, the Palestinian territories, 
Canada, and the U.S. on June 11 agreed to a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) on five potential joint archival projects, which 
would focus on surveying and digitizing archival records in Israel 
that document the shared history of the Jewish Israeli and 
Palestinian peoples.  Pending formal approvals of the MOU, the 
projects -- under the framework of the International Council on 
Archives with the name the "Israel and Palestine National Archives 
Collaboration" -- would: 
--  place under archival control, digitally reproduce, and make 
available newspapers published in Palestine during and prior to 
1948; 
--  survey and digitize photographs documenting the pre-1948 
cultural life of Mandatory Palestine; 
--  survey and digitize records from the British mandate and Ottoman 
period located in the Israel State Archives; 
--  form a team of experts to inspect and inventory the records 
taken from the Orient House in August 2001; and, 
--  set up records management and archival training programs for the 
Palestine National Archives and the Israel State Archives. 
 
ORIENT HOUSE CONTROVERSY ALMOST DERAILS MEETING 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Palestinian representatives insisted throughout the 
meeting that they needed guaranteed access to the Orient House, the 
former PLO headquarters in Jerusalem that Israeli troops have 
controlled since 2001.  According to the Palestinian delegation, 
"thousands" of Palestinian archives that the Israelis had 
"confiscated" remain inside.  The Palestinian delegation stated that 
the U.S. and Israel had both agreed at the Annapolis summit to 
reopen all Palestinian institutions, including the Orient House, but 
claimed that Israel had failed to follow through on its commitment. 
After much debate, all parties agreed to continue efforts to re-open 
the Orient House, while focusing on small projects first.   A 
Palestinian archivist nonetheless warned that Palestinian 
authorities might not sign the MOU until resolution of this issue. 
 
 
COMMENT 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) This meeting was another concrete example of the ability of 
the U.S. and Canada to work together to facilitate joint projects 
between the Israelis and Palestinians to advance the interests of 
peace in the Middle East. 
WILKINS