VZCZCXRO4345
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #1127/01 3372159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 022159Z DEC 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5454
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 001127 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KPAL KWBG UNSC IS PA SY
SUBJECT: UNSC: MIDDLE EAST CONSULTATIONS: SOUTH AFRICA AND 
COSTA RICA UNSUCCESSFULLY TRY FOR GAZA PRESS STATEMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 124112 
     ¶B. USUN NEW YORK 967 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: The UN Security Council held its monthly 
briefing and consultations on the Middle East on November 25. 
 Under Secretary-General Pascoe briefed on the "landmark" 
Quartet meeting November 9 with the two parties.  He stressed 
that the biggest challenges to a lasting peace agreement are 
developments on the ground, such as the rocket and mortar 
fire from Palestinian militants which threaten Israel and the 
crossings into Gaza.  He emphasized the need for Israel to 
facilitate movement of humanitarian supplies and UN personnel 
into Gaza.  He noted the progress in the West Bank which is 
undercut by continuing Israeli incursions, obstacles to 
movement, and home demolitions.  Member states largely 
reiterated their same monthly themes on the situation, with 
Libya describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a "crime 
of war" but making no mention of the militants' rocket fire. 
The French called for another Quartet meeting before the end 
of the year.  The South Africans called for a press statement 
on the humanitarian situation in Gaza using language that 
Council members had agreed to for the Council President's 
November 24 statement at the Day of Solidarity with the 
Palestinian People.  The U.S. and Croatia voiced opposition 
since that language had been agreed to use only at the 
November 24 event and did not reflect the totality of the 
situation.  The South African proposal failed to gain 
consensus.  End summary. 
 
U/SYG Pascoe's briefing 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In his November 25 briefing to the Security Council 
during a meeting on the Middle East, Under Secretary-General 
for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe reviewed the "landmark" 
Quartet meeting in Sharm el-Shaykh on November 9 where the 
Quartet principals had been briefed jointly by Israeli FM 
Livni and PA President Abbas.  He said the initiative of the 
two parties to jointly brief the Quartet is an "important 
precedent for more active involvement of the Quartet in the 
future."  While Pascoe noted that the negotiations are 
&substantial and promising,8 he said that domestic Israeli 
and Palestinian politics are complicating negotiation 
efforts.  He highlighted that Livni,s failure to form a 
coalition government was due in part to differences over 
Jerusalem.  He noted the SYG's call on Hamas and all 
Palestinian factions to "work urgently to reunify the Gaza 
Strip and the West Bank within the framework of the 
legitimate PA." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Pascoe stressed throughout his briefing that 
developments on the ground remain the biggest challenge to 
building lasting peace.  Pascoe referred to the 123 rockets 
and 118 mortars fired by Palestinian militants into Gaza or 
at the crossings between Israel and Gaza, repeated the SYG's 
condemnation of rocket and other attacks by Palestinian 
militants on Israeli civilian targets, and urged an end to 
the rocket fire and a respect for the "calm."  He detailed 
the November 18 and 20 discussions between the SYG and Prime 
Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni, respectively, to 
express his concern over the deteriorating humanitarian 
situation in Gaza.  Pascoe said the SYG had repeated his 
condemnation of the rocket fire but stressed that Israel must 
uphold humanitarian principles.  He noted the SYG's November 
14 and 21 public statement urging Israel to facilitate the 
freer movement of urgently needed humanitarian supplies and 
of concerned UN personnel into Gaza, and emphasized that 
"measures that increase the hardship and suffering of the 
civilian population of the Gaza Strip as a whole are 
unacceptable and should cease immediately." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On the West Bank, Pascoe noted the reported arrests 
of over 350 Hamas affiliates in the West Bank and stressed 
that suspects detained on criminal or public security grounds 
be treated with full respect for human rights and the rule of 
law.  Pascoe said that despite the PA,s security efforts in 
the West Bank, the IDF had neither reduced the number of its 
incursions, highlighting the approximately 400 search 
campaigns during the month, nor reduced the 630 obstacles to 
Palestinian movement.  He noted that Israel resumed 
demolitions of Palestinian houses and structures after a 
six-month moratorium in Area C.  He urged a cessation of 
house demolitions and that no unilateral action be taken in 
Jerusalem that would undermine confidence or alter the status 
quo.  On the positive side, he referred to the GOI's November 
2 announcement to cease funding illegal outposts in the West 
Bank.  He addressed Israeli attempts to dismantle outposts 
near Hebron and noted senior Israeli officials' condemnation 
of settler violence. 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001127  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Pascoe did not touch on Lebanon, given the November 
26 Council consultations on UNSCR 1701 (reported septel), but 
did note Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace 
Process Robert Serry's November 24 meeting with Syrian 
officials in Damascus.  He said that Serry discussed regional 
developments and expressed support for the continuation of 
indirect Israel-Syria talks.  Pascoe highlighted recent 
discussions of the Arab Peace Initiative and termed it a 
"vital platform for reaching the goal of a comprehensive 
regional peace."  He commended King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia 
for his efforts that led to the convening of a UNGA 
high-level meeting November 12-13 under the &Culture of 
Peace8 agenda item (septel) and the many Middle Eastern 
leaders who attended.  He also noted the full page 
advertisements placed by the PLO in Israeli newspapers to 
promote the Arab Peace Initiative among the Israel public. 
He stressed the importance of the Quartet continuing to push 
the peace process forward in this time of transition and said 
the SYG has urged President-elect Obama to engage early in 
the Middle East. 
 
Member states reiterate same monthly 
themes during consultations 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) During Security Council consultations that 
followed, most member states reiterated their same monthly 
themes on the situation (see ref B for the previous month's 
readout).  The Libyan DPR, speaking first, described the 
suffering in Gaza as a "crime of war" and a "crime of 
humanity" and made no mention of the Palestinian militants' 
rocket fire on Israel.  The French Political Counselor urged 
a more active role for the Quartet and cited the importance 
of the last Quartet meeting.  He called for another Quartet 
meeting before the end of the year, a call which the Belgian 
representative reiterated.  The South African DPR recognized 
Israel's right to self-defense in response to the rocket 
attacks but said that there should be no disproportionate use 
of force or violation of the rights of innocent civilians. 
The UK DPR specifically called for the reinforcement of the 
period of calm in Gaza, for Hamas to move toward PA President 
Abbas on the Quartet's conditions, and for Israel to re-open 
the crossings to Gaza and permit the sustained delivery of 
humanitarian assistance.  Ambassador Wolff delivered the U.S. 
remarks (drawn from ref A), highlighting the November 9 
Quartet meeting and the briefing by the two parties on their 
bilateral negotiations and stressing that the immediate cause 
for the humanitarian situation in Gaza is Hamas' continued 
instigation of violence towards Israel. 
 
South Africa calls for press statement 
on humanitarian situation in Gaza; 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) South Africa, in response to an approach from the 
Palestinian Ambassador prior to the briefing, proposed that 
the Security Council President (Costa Rica) read out two 
paragraphs to the press from his November 24 speech for the 
Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, specifically 
the paragraphs on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the 
need for a return to the "calm."   (Note: The Security 
Council President gives remarks each year at the Day of 
Solidarity with the Palestinian People.  Those remarks, while 
not considered a Presidential statement, are still negotiated 
within the Council and agreed to by consensus.  End note.) 
Indonesia, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, China, and Costa Rica 
supported the South African proposal.  In his national 
capacity, the Costa Rican President asked how the Council 
could provide a complete speech the day before on a subject 
but not be able to offer a short press statement the 
following day.  Ambassador Wolff was the first to comment 
against the proposal, noting that he could not support a 
selective and partial reading of those remarks.  He 
specifically noted that the remarks were drafted solely for 
the November 24 event and that the U.S. did not join 
consensus as a formal Presidential statement or a press 
statement.  The Croatian PR also spoke specifically against 
the South African proposal, stating that any press statement 
must reflect the totality of the situation, including the 
recent efforts on the peace process, not just the 
humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 
 
Council fails to reach consensus 
on Gaza press statement 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) After all of the statements, the Libyan DPR 
suggested adding a third paragraph to the draft statement 
reiterating that the parties must avoid actions that could 
undermine confidence and could prejudice the outcome of 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001127  003 OF 003 
 
 
negotiations.  The Deputy PolCounselor reiterated Ambassador 
Wolff's earlier comments that, given that the remarks were 
agreed to for a particular purpose, the U.S. would have to 
seek instructions before being able to join consensus on a 
press statement.  The Croatian DPR reiterated Croatia's 
earlier concerns that the draft press statement lacked the 
appropriate focus on the actual peace process.  At the end of 
consultations, the Costa Rican Presidency concluded that 
there was no consensus on a formal press statement but noted 
that the Presidency could exercise its prerogative to answer 
press questions.  After the meeting, PolCounselor spent 
thirty minutes pressing the Costa Rican Charge not to refer 
to the November 24 remarks when answering questions from the 
press.  After receiving instructions from his capital to 
remain silent on the issue, he relented. 
Wolff