VZCZCXRO9061
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHDM #0706/01 2741233
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011233Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6885
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1739

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 000706 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR NOBLES; LONDON FOR LORD; DESK PLEASE PASS TO PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SY
SUBJECT: SYRIAN FIRST LADY JOINS IN INAUGURATION OF 
USG-FUNDED PROJECTS FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES 
 
Classified By: CDA Charles Hunter, Reasons 1.4 b and d. 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY.  CDA participated in the inauguration of the 
new Ein al-Tal Palestinian refugee camp near Aleppo on 
September 28 and the Salhiyeh/Balad El-Sheikh School in the 
Sbeineh Palestinian refugee camp outside Damascus on 
September 29.  The United Nations Relief and Works Agency 
(UNRWA)-sponsored events highlighted USG assistance to the 
two projects, which included nearly $1.2 million for the Ein 
al-Tal project and $675,000 for the school in Sbeineh.  First 
Lady Asma al-Asad attended the Ein al-Tal ceremony and proved 
to be the event's star attraction.  Palestinian refugees 
living in the camps expressed gratitude for the assistance 
but stressed that more is needed to meet their needs.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
SYRIAN FIRST LADY IS STAR ATTRACTION AT PALESTINIAN CAMP 
 
¶2. (SBU) First Lady Asma al-Asad made a surprise appearance 
at the September 28 inauguration of the new Ein al-Tal 
Palestinian refugee camp near Aleppo, which was constructed 
with USG assistance.  Though not mentioned in the printed 
materials announcing the event, the First Lady proved the 
star attraction at the event. The inauguration was also 
attended by the CDA and representatives of other donor 
countries including the Swiss Ambassador and the Canadian DCM. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The First Lady arrived at the refugee camp behind 
the wheel of a silver Audi sedan.  During the event's main 
ceremony, refugee children ran up to the First Lady at 
intervals to greet her and make requests.  One determined 
woman who had already made a plea to the Minister of Social 
Affairs and Labor was prevented from speaking to the First 
Lady.  Camp residents gathered on the periphery of the 
ceremony, cheering at every mention of her or her husband's 
name (echoing the similarly reactive applause of the invited 
guests), and schoolchildren occasionally broke into rhythmic 
slogans pledging loyalty to Bashar al-Asad.  A small group of 
men began chanting that Americans were unwelcome when the CDA 
was introduced to give remarks, but the First Lady looked 
with annoyance in their direction and aides quickly quieted 
them.  Before departing the ceremony, she warmly thanked 
diplomats for their countries' contributions to meeting 
refugee needs and asked UNRWA representatives to keep her 
informed of work on the next phase of the project. 
 
¶4. (U) The construction of the Ein al-Tal camp is Phase One 
of the larger Neirab Rehabilitation Project, meant to move 
some Palestinian refugees out of the overcrowded Neirab camp 
nearby.  The new camp boasts new homes for 300 refugee 
families.  The September 28 event was the culmination of 
seven years of work.  The total cost of Phase One was about 
$35 million.  The USG has contributed nearly $3 million to 
the Neirab Rehabilitation Project, $1.2 million of which went 
towards Phase One. Other donors include the Swiss, Canadians, 
Germans, and the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent.  Phase 
Two will include the renovation and reconstruction of 
schools, clinics, and some shelters in the Neirab camp to 
improve living conditions for the refugees.  In his remarks 
at the Ein al-Tal ceremony, the CDA noted that the USG is 
UNRWA's largest bilateral donor and has contributed $267 
million this year. 
 
USG-FUNDED SCHOOL OPENED IN SBEINEH CAMP 
 
¶5. (SBU) On September 29, the CDA participated in the 
inauguration of the Salhiyeh/Balad El-Sheikh School in the 
Sbeineh Palestinian refugee camp, a densely inhabited camp 
about 45 minutes south of Damascus.  The German ambassador 
also attended the joint ceremony marking the opening of the 
US-funded Salhiyeh School and the Ma'thar/Saffouriyeh School, 
reconstructed with German funds.  The new school buildings 
will benefit over 3,000 students living in the Sbeineh camp, 
which houses over 19,000 Palestinian refugees. 
 
¶6. (U) While touring the compound, the CDA participated in 
media interviews with several outlets in English and Arabic, 
including Syrian television and "Al-Quds" television.  All of 
Syria's major dailies - "Al Watan," "Al Baath," "Tishreen," 
and "Al Thawra" - carried stories based on SANA's press 
release that highlighted USG support. 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Director General of the General Administration for 
Palestinian Refugees (GAPAR) Ali Mustapha represented the 
SARG in the Sbeineh ceremonies, delivering a speech highly 
critical of Israel.  Praising "our great leader President 
Asad," Mustapha called on the United Nations to "intervene 
immediately to put an end to the unjust siege, murder, 
 
DAMASCUS 00000706  002 OF 002 
 
 
destruction, and attempts at starvation and to stop Israeli 
aggression in all its forms."  Mustapha's remarks received 
enthusiastic applause from an audience comprised mostly of 
SARG officials, school officials, and students attending the 
schools. 
 
REFUGEES EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR ASSISTANCE, STRESS MORE IS 
NEEDED 
 
¶8. (C) Schoolchildren at the Sbeineh schools told Emboffs 
privately that they were excited about attending classes in 
the newly renovated schools.  Some students stated they hoped 
to learn English in the schools, and several young boys 
practiced their English with the CDA.  On the crowded streets 
of the Sbeineh camp leading to the schools' entrance, 
refugees gathered hoping to catch a glimpse of the SARG 
officials and foreign visitors.  "I heard the wife of the 
president is here," one woman said. (NOTE: AIO was mistaken 
upon arrival for the First Lady, and refugee children ran up 
to her attempting to greet her and touch her.  END NOTE)  "We 
don't see visitors from America very often," another woman 
told Emboff enthusiastically. 
 
¶9. (C) While the First Lady did not attend, several refugees 
told Emboff they were happy that foreign diplomats were 
visiting the camp.  "They are here to talk about assistance?" 
one elderly woman asked.  "Good. God willing we will get it. 
Look around you, everyone here is poor," she added, pointing 
to the rundown storefronts facing the schools.  A young man 
stressed that more assistance is needed to meet the needs of 
the camp's refugees.  "People come here and talk about 
projects, but we need ten times these projects to improve the 
situation here," he said.  A policeman listening to the 
conversation promptly asked the man to leave and directed 
Emboff inside the school's gates. 
 
¶10. (C) COMMENT.  Though the GAPAR head's remarks on the 
right of return and Palestinian suffering were lengthier and 
more strident at the schools than at the camp inauguration, 
neither event veered into strident anti-Americanism.  On the 
contrary, there was unmistakably a strong desire for 
continued US support for improving the refugees' living 
conditions. END COMMENT. 
HUNTER