VZCZCXRO4191
RR RUEHBC RUEHDH RUEHKUK RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHJI #0014/01 0100637
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 100637Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1692
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 8670
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0218
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000014 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IPA; CA/OCS/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2020 
TAGS: CASC KISL KWBG PREL SA YM IR IS
SUBJECT: JEDDAH GOVERNOR PRINCE MISHAAL BIN MAJID'S 
ASSESSMENTS OF YEMEN, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT, IRAN 
 
REF: A. 09 JEDDAH 0275 
     ¶B. JEDDAH 0010 
     ¶C. 09 JEDDAH 484(NOTAL) 
 
JEDDAH 00000014  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. In December 29 introductory meeting with 
Ambassador, Prince Mishaal bin Majid bin Abdulaziz, Governor 
of Jeddah (ref A), warned that Yemen could become like 
Somalia in the absence of development projects funded by the 
GCC, U.S., and Europe.  Skeptical that Israel wants peace 
given ongoing settlement construction,  Mishaal urged the 
United States to take decisive action to resolve the 
long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which he said 
damages America's standing and increases Iranian influence in 
the Middle East.  The Jeddah governor expressed satisfaction 
with Hajj 2009 -- which succeeded despite H1N1, Iranian 
threats, global recession, and flash floods -- and predicted 
5 million Hajj visitors in Saudi Arabia by 2025, including 
increasing numbers of pilgrims from the states of the former 
Soviet Union.  Mishaal agreed to look into two American 
Citizen Services cass.  End summary. 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION LAN: YEMEN CAN BECOME "HEAVEN 
OR HELL" 
 
¶2. (C)Prince Mishaal bin Majid bin Abdulaziz, Governor of 
Jeddah since 1998, began the December 29 meetingwith 
Ambassador by raising security issues in th Middle East, 
focusing on areas of Afrca and Asia that are "dangerous" for 
Saudi Arabia, particularly Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and 
Somalia.  Invoking the Ottoman Turks' occupation of Yemen and 
Egypt, Prince Mishaal said the geography and people of Yemen 
are both formidable, "very tough."  Saudi Arabia wants to 
help Yemen, not fight in it.  The Yemenis are "good, 
hard-working people," but if things remain the same they will 
continue to fight, Mishaal predicted.  Yemenis are not 
united; each tribe is different, and there are Sunnis and 
Zaidis.  Yemeni President Abdullah Saleh is not doing well in 
Mishaal's opinion. The GCC, U.S., and Europe need to build up 
Yemen by investing in the economy, constructing schools, 
educating Yemenis, and providing technology.  Asked how this 
might be done, Mishaal replied that an international 
reconstruction plan should be written for Yemen.  Saudi 
Arabia will no longer write a blank check, as in the past. 
While Saudi Arabia can help with roads, and everyone should 
share in building Yemen, Yemen has the potential "to become a 
heaven or a hell."  Mishaal insisted that "if we don't work 
hard, the Iranians will take full advantage, as they have in 
Somalia."  Explaining his bleak assessment, Mishaal remarked, 
"I say what I feel. I'm not a diplomat." 
 
 
UNRESOLVED PALESTINIAN ISSUE -- "A TOOL FOR IRAN TO FIGHT US" 
¶3. (C) Turning to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Prince Mishaal 
argued that "only the U.S. can fix it" by "becoming a judge 
rather than a partner" in the peace process.  "We have had no 
solutions in the 1940,s, '50,s, and '60,s and the problem 
just keeps getting bigger."  Pressing a medical metaphor, 
Mishaal continued: "Sometimes when you go to the doctor, he 
not only gives you medicine but tells you that he must cut 
something off that you can live without, but you live.  But 
if you don't make the decision, then one day you may die of 
the disease."  Mishaal went on to say that absence of a 
solution will produce hardship for everyone:  "We don't hate 
America -- especially the American people -- but when it 
comes to the Middle East everyone changes his position." 
America he said is associated in the popular mind with 
Israel, and failure to solve the core issue has the result of 
"giving our enemy the tools to fight us.  Iran is playing 
with Hamas."  Mishaal said he was not sure what is going on 
with the Iranian opposition, but hoped it has the effect of 
waking Iran up.  "Iran," he said, "wants to be only power 
controlling the area.  If it reaches that point they will 
destroy everyone."  The Ambassador spoke to Special Envoy 
Mitchell's efforts on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. 
Mishaal's assessment was skeptical: "There is no hope for the 
moment.  Yesterday Israel said it would build more houses, 
and the United States wants me to believe Israel wants peace." 
 
HAJJ 2009: SUCCESS DESPITE H1N1, IRAN, RECESSION, FLOOD 
 
JEDDAH 00000014  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶4. (U) Accepting congratulations on the success of Hajj 2009, 
Prince Mishaal commented that there were four problems this 
year: the economy, rain, Iran and H1N1.  SAG really felt that 
it must succeed in this Hajj -- "Thank God we did."  This 
year SAG implemented a new model for Hajj, with 100,000 
troops accompanying pilgrims from site to site.   Although it 
was very hard to manage, the troops behaved in a professional 
manner. "It will be even better next year," he asserted.  The 
Kingdom has a good structure in place and has learned to 
handle the pilgrimage challenge well.  Observing that a 
number of countries once part of the Soviet Union did not 
send pilgrims before but are starting to do so now, Mishaal 
predicted the country will be managing 5 million Hajj 
pilgrims in 15 years.  Expressing pride in what he described 
as Saudi Arabia's "1400 years of service to the Islamic 
world," the Governor noted that the Saudi Government never 
makes money from the Hajj, but instead spends three times 
what individual pilgrims pay (est. $6,000 per Hajji) -- per 
pilgrimage. 
 
NOVEMBER 25 FLOOD: "CRISIS WILL CHANGE JEDDAH" 
¶5. (U) Alluding to the November 25 flash floods that 
displaced thousands of Jeddawis, Prince Mishaal said the 
flood crisis posed an unprecedented challenge in Jeddah.  He 
praised the many volunteers that came out to help victims and 
promised the crisis "will change the face of Jeddah."  In two 
to three months, he predicted, possibly after conclusion of 
the work of the investigation committee which he co-chairs 
with Mecca Governor Prince Khaled Al Faisal (ref B), "there 
will be many changes." 
 
HELP WITH ACS CASES 
¶6. (U) Ambassador raised two American Citizen Service cases 
and secured the Jeddah Governor's promise to look into them. 
On the case of Mr. Bandele Hinton, detained since 
mid-November (ref C), Mishaal said the matter would not go to 
court and indicated that Mr. Hinton should be deported in the 
near future.  He seemed less familiar with the year-long exit 
request of Mr. Floyd Young, but invited the Consulate to send 
him a letter on the subject (which has been done). 
 
COMMENT 
¶7. (C) Prince Mishaal expounded at greater length on 
international issues (Arab-Israeli and Yemen) than we have 
seen before, offering bleak and skeptical overall 
assessments.  Previous meetings over the past year had drawn 
him out mainly on internal Jeddah matters.  Though plainly 
speaking his ("undiplomatic") mind on political questions, 
Mishaal maintained his usual informal, friendly, engaging 
manner throughout the meeting.  End comment. 
 
¶8. (U) Ambassador Smith has cleared this message. 
 
 
 
 
QUINN