VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #2456/01 3131451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091451Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4159
INFO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0117
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FORT GEORGE G MEADE MD PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNFB/FBI WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 002456 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KOMC GG IS
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3 
POST-LICENSE/PRE-SHIPMENT END USE CHECK, LICENSES 050171347 
AND 050172400 
 
REF: STATE 88035 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: RPA Port Aviation represents foreign 
airlines cargo services in Israel, including Uzbekistan 
Airways and Georgian Airlines.  According to RPA Port 
Aviation Airport Office Manager Refael Dayan, the company has 
had a long-standing relationship with the Government of 
Georgia.  However, Dayan said RPA Port Aviation has only 
recently started forwarding defense articles, and described 
the company's relationship with Falcon Defense Group as 
relatively new.  Dayan said RPA Port Aviation relies on a 
private cargo security facility at Ben Gurion International 
Airport to store shipments clearing Israeli customs.  While 
Dayan seemingly has a firm grasp of U.S. defense export 
regulations, he could not accurately answer whether RPA Port 
Aviation possesses a U.S. brokering license.  Dayan confirmed 
that RPA Port Aviation is a registered broker in Israel. 
Polmiloff discussed these issues with Dayan on November 9. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Per reftel, polmiloff visited the Tel Aviv offices 
Migdalor Building, 1 Ben Yehuda Street) of RPA Port Aviation 
on November 9.  According to Airport Office Manager Refael 
Dayan, RPA Port Aviation is a subsidiary of RPA Port LTD, 
which has been operating for the last 35 years under owner 
and CEO Dov Rapaport.  In addition to international 
forwarding, Dayan said RPA Port LTD represents several 
foreign airlines' cargo and ticketing services in Israel. 
Besides RPA Port Aviation, RPA Port LTD also consists of RPA 
Port International and RPA Port Panorama.  RPA Port 
International is a forwarding and customs clearing company 
that transports cargo throughout the former Soviet Union. 
According to Dayan, RPA Port International claims expertise 
in customs brokerage, import/export services, and logistics, 
including land transportation, shipping warehousing, 
inspections, ship operations, and chartering.  RPA Port 
Panorama is the ticketing agent for "Uzbekistan Airways" in 
Israel. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Dayan said RPA Port Aviation represents several 
foreign airlines in Israel, and is the general sales agent 
for Uzbekistan Airways and Georgian Airlines cargo air 
freights.  Dayan noted that the company's headquarters is 
based in Haifa (2 Hanamal Street), but maintains offices at 
Ben Gurion International Airport (Maman Building, No. 1103), 
Tel Aviv, and Ashdod, and works through a local agent in 
Eilat.  He explained that RPA Port Aviation ships "all kinds 
of cargo," from perishables and livestock to military 
equipment.  Dayan claimed RPA Port Aviation only forwards 
defense articles to foreign government ministries -- not to 
"small companies."  He said less than one percent of RPA Port 
Aviation's annual sales are comprised from U.S.-origin 
defense articles.  Dayan was reluctant to divulge any of RPA 
Port Aviation's other foreign government clients for 
proprietary reasons. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Dayan said RPA Port Aviation's relationship with the 
Government of Georgia has spanned "a number of years," or as 
long as there have been direct Georgian Airlines flights to 
and from Israel.  He said RPA Port Aviation had only recently 
began brokering defense articles, and confirmed that the 
company is a registered broker within Israel.  RPA Port 
Aviation's relationship with Falcon Defense Group also is 
relatively new, he explained.  When asked about a U.S. 
brokering license, Dayan provided a copy of a DSP-119 form 
dated March 19, 2009, listing both RPA Port Aviation and 
Falcon Defense Group as proof RPA Port Aviation was a 
registered U.S. broker.  He explained that RPA Port Aviation 
receives a commission for its forwarding services; this 
commission is in addition to air freight, handling and 
storage fees. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Dayan said RPA Port Aviation does not technically 
take any shipment into possession.  Rather, Dayan confirms 
upon a shipment's arrival its authenticity based on 
documentation submitted in support of its license 
application.  While clearing customs, the shipment is stored 
with Maman Cargo and Security, a former state-owned security 
company located at Ben Gurion International Airport that was 
privatized in 1989.  According to Dayan, the shipment is 
placed in a secure cage located in a Maman Cargo and Security 
warehouse.  Maman Cargo and Security controls access to the 
 
 
cage, which includes 24-hour armed security and video cameras 
-- "not even I have access to the shipment," Dayan said.  He 
explained that it typically takes several days for shipments 
to clear customs before they are forwarded on to their final 
destination. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Dayan possessed documentation in support of the two 
Falcon Defense Group transactions (reftel), including copies 
of end user certificates, purchase orders, and DSP-5s.  While 
seemingly confused about the question regarding a U.S. 
brokering license, Dayan appeared familiar with regulations 
governing the brokering of U.S.-origin defense articles, 
including restrictions on re-transfer and re-export. 
CUNNINGHAM