VZCZCXRO3616
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0100/01 0091839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091839Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3795
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0163
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2803

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000100 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA, PRM FOR FRONT OFFICE AND PRM/ANE; 
NSC FOR PASCUAL/PRATT; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR 
KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN/NANDY/LAUDATO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF EAID KWBG KPAL ASEC IS
SUBJECT: UNRWA AND ICRC SUSPEND MOVEMENT IN GAZA FOLLOWING LETHAL 
INCIDENTS WITH THE IDF 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  On January 8, the UN Relief and Works Agency for 
Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and International Committee for the Red 
Cross (ICRC) decided to suspend movements inside Gaza following 
several security incidents involving IDF strikes on UN and ICRC 
staff, vehicles, and facilities.  UNRWA and ICRC will continue some 
operations in Gaza that do not require IDF coordination.  On January 
9, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner General Filippo Grandi told RefCoord 
that UNRWA will resume movement inside Gaza only with "full 
guarantees" from the GOI that staff can move safely.  ICRC is 
seeking a new, more reliable coordination mechanism before it 
resumes movements.  End Summary. 
 
UNRWA Suspends Movement in Gaza 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On January 8, UNRWA Director for Gaza Operations John Ging 
suspended movement inside Gaza following several security incidents 
involving IDF strikes on UN vehicles and staff.  UNRWA will continue 
to operate 27 emergency shelters housing 20,000 displaced people, 
distribute food from seven pre-positioned locations, and operate its 
primary health clinics.  UNRWA will not, however, move its staff, 
coordinate the transfer of goods from the crossings, or deliver 
supplies from warehouses to distribution points. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On January 9, UNRWA Deputy Director Aidan O'Leary detailed 
the security incidents that led to UNRWA's suspension of movements. 
These incidents demonstrated a pattern of IDF conduct that risked 
the lives of UN staff and contractors and vehicles, he said. 
O'Leary noted that all of the incidents occurred despite prior 
coordination with the IDF.  UNRWA Deputy Commissioner General 
Filippo Grandi said UNRWA would only resume movement inside Gaza 
after "full guarantees" from the GOI that staff can move safely. 
 
¶4. (SBU) O'Leary detailed the incidents as follows: 
 
- On January 8, UNRWA provided UN escort (at IDF request) for 
Palestinian transport workers to Erez crossing in order to bring in 
commercial goods.  One of the transport workers was shot and killed 
and another critically wounded while driving in a UN-marked vehicle 
and with prior coordination with the IDF/COGAT. 
 
- On January 8, during the 3-hour "humanitarian pause," two UNRWA 
international staff traveled in an armored vehicle convoy (including 
an ambulance) to the Ezbet Abed-Rabou area of Gaza City to retrieve 
the body of an UNRWA staff member killed in the fighting.  According 
to Ging, despite prior coordination with the IDF/COGAT, IDF soldiers 
opened fire on the convoy.  Two bullets hit the armored vehicle, and 
the convoy returned to the Gaza field office. 
 
- On January 7, an IDF tank fired rounds roughly 70 meters in front 
of the lead truck of a UN convoy heading to Kerem Shalom crossing. 
After the convoy stopped, another round was fired above it.  The 
convoy was ultimately allowed to proceed. 
 
- On January 6, UN transport contractors were driving fuel tankers 
from Nahal Oz crossing to the Gaza power plant when artillery rounds 
were fired toward the tankers. 
 
- On January 6, UNRWA's primary health clinic in Bureij Camp was 
struck by the IAF, wounding 6 UNRWA health workers. 
 
- On January 6, IDF artillery struck the periphery of an UNRWA 
facility being used as an emergency shelter for 350 people, 
resulting in 40 fatalities and 55 injuries. 
 
- On January 5, a UN convoy traveling to Kerem Shalom was held at an 
IDF checkpoint for 90 minutes and, on return to Gaza City, was held 
at an IDF checkpoint for 2 hours.  As a result of nearby artillery 
shelling, 3,000 MT of flour was destroyed. 
 
- On January 4 and 5, the compound of a Palestinian transport 
company contracted by the GOI and the UN was struck by IDF 
artillery, resulting in the deaths of three employees and several 
injured. 
 
ICRC Suspends Most Movements in Gaza 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) On January 8, ICRC Head of Office Katharina Ritz told 
RefCoord that the ICRC would suspend most operational movements 
inside Gaza because of repeated problems in coordinating movements 
with the IDF.  She said that an ICRC truck, which was carrying 
 
JERUSALEM 00000100  002 OF 002 
 
 
medical supplies and escorting 13 ambulances on January 8, stopped 
short of an IDF tank.  After a green light to proceed from 
IDF/COGAT, the convoy  was fired on.  A bullet through the 
windshield narrowly missed the ICRC driver. 
 
¶6. (SBU) On January 9, Ritz reported that the ICRC would return to 
the Zaytun area of Gaza City to evacuate stranded residents.  ICRC 
also intended to assess the medical situation in Rafah January 9, 
but might do this via telephone to avoid moving staff inside Gaza. 
Ritz also suggested that ICRC would resume movements inside Gaza 
only after the GOI agreed to a new mechanism, such as direct contact 
with the IDF operational command to provide more reliable, rapid 
coordination on the ground. 
 
WALLES