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OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHRN
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DE RUEHJI #0168/01 1291522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091522Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1314
INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 8339
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 4526
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 2727
RUEHIC/OIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0037
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0181
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDTA/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0077

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000168 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, IO, S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KISL KPAL WBG SA
SUBJECT: OIC SECRETARY GENERAL LETTER TO SECRETARY CLINTON 
URGING PRESSURE ON ISRAEL TO END SETTLEMENT EXPANSION AND 
HOME DEMOLITIONS; OIC SENDS AID CONVOY TO GAZA 
 
JEDDAH 00000168  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post received a letter from OIC Secretary 
General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu to Secretary Clinton voicing 
strong concerns over increased Israeli settlement activities 
as well as the demolition of Palestinian houses. Letter asks 
the United States to place pressure on Israel to cease the 
above activities.  Meanwhile, the OIC has just announced a 
third major aid convoy to Gaza with clear support from the 
Saudi Arabian Government.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Post received by fax the following letter from OIC 
Secretary General Ihsanoglu to Secretary Clinton dated May 6, 
2009: 
 
COVER MESSAGE BEGIN TEXT 
 
The General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference presents its compliments to the Consulate General 
of the United States of America in Jeddah and has the honour 
to enclose herewith letter No. OIC/PAL - 02/08/2009/002927 
dated 06 May 2009, addressed to Her Excellency Hillary Rodham 
Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States of America, 
by Mr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the 
Organization of the Islamic Conference, for onward 
transmission to its high addressee. 
 
The General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the 
Consulate General of the United States of America the 
assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
Encl: As stated above 
 
COVER MESSAGE END TEXT 
 
¶3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER 
 
Excellency, 
 
Please allow me at the outset to express my confidence that 
your dedication and determination to make the change 
envisaged by the new US Administration will help you achieve 
brilliant success in your mission. The peoples of the Middle 
East and the Muslim World at large pin genuine hopes on the 
new Administration and believe that your direct and 
constructive engagement in the peace process would bring 
about positive results towards reaching everlasting and 
comprehensive settlement of the thorny Arab-Israeli conflict. 
 
Nevertheless, the hopes of the nations in the regions are 
challenged by serious concerns over the ongoing developments 
in East Jerusalem especially the Israeli settlement 
activities which have manifestly escalated during the past 
few months. Of special concern for the Organization of the 
Islamic Conference and its 57 member states have been the 
massive settlement construction and expansion in addition to 
the large-scale home demolition of Palestinian-owned 
buildings which seek to de-populate East Jerusalem of its 
indigenous Palestinian inhabitants while at the same time 
bring more Israeli settlers to the occupied City. 
 
The Israeli act of demolishing Palestinian homes in occupied 
East Jerusalem is a systematic violation of the relevant 
provisions of international law, particularly the Fourth 
Geneva Convention, and relevant United Nations resolutions. 
In addition to its illegal nature, Israel's plan has harmful 
consequences for peace and security in the region. I do 
believe that these acts violate the principles of the Middle 
East Peace Process, unilaterally prejudice the future of East 
Jerusalem and jeopardize the prospects of the two-state 
solution, not to mention putting at stake international 
efforts to establish peace in the Middle East. 
 
There is no doubt that when President Obama and yourself are 
exerting strenuous efforts to emphasize justice and 
lawfulness as components of the new US foreign policy, and 
when you are laying the ground for a new partnership and 
engagement with the Islamic World, continuation of these 
illegal settlement activities in the Occupied East Jerusalem 
in violation of international law and peace commitments will 
not help achieve our ultimate and common goal of peace and 
 
JEDDAH 00000168  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
security. Therefore, I would like to call upon you to use 
your good offices to bring pressure to bear on the Israeli 
government to stop its settlement activities, halt its plan 
to demolish Palestinian homes and to refrain from carrying 
out such illegal acts. I avail myself of this opportunity to 
renew to Your Excellency my highest consideration. 
 
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu 
 
In handwriting: with my cordial sentiments and best regards 
 
END TEXT OF LETTER 
 
¶3. (SBU) OIC SENDS AID CONVOY TO GAZA WITH SAG SUPPORT: The 
OIC has launched an aid convoy to Gaza consisting of 
medicine, equipment, food, clothing and other items. On May 6 
a ceremony was held in Jeddah to mark the launch of a 
humanitarian convoy and was presided over by Governor of 
Jeddah, H.R.H. Prince Mish'al bin Majed bin Abdul Aziz on 
behalf of H.R.H. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of the 
Mecca Region. Chairman of the JCCI, Sheikh Mohammed 
Abdulqader Alfadel, was among several hundred attending the 
event.  According to the OIC website, this is the third 
humanitarian convoy dispatched to Gaza by the OIC since 
hostilities began late last year. This latest shipment 
consists of over 43 truckloads.  OIC wesbite notes a plan to 
hold a forthcoming conference in Riyadh with the objective of 
raising more than 100 million dollars. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: OIC officials hope to send a high level 
delegation to visit the U.S. this summer. It is likely that 
the issues raised in the letter will be on their agenda. 
Post will continue to monitor OIC response to regional 
events. END COMMENT. 
QUINN