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FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7658
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 5214
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 8821
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0052
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4520
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 8265
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000332 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D - JBUTTE-DAHL; NEA FOR IPA AND SEMEP; AID FOR 
SBORODIN, NSC FOR KUMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020 
TAGS: PREF PGOV KPAL KWBG IS LE
SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY LEW'S MEETINGS WITH UNRWA 
COMMISSIONER GRANDI AND GAZA NGO REPRESENTATIVES 
 
Classified By: CG Daniel Rubinstein, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) During his February 19 visit to the Jalazone refugee 
camp in the West Bank, Deputy Secretary Jacob J. Lew toured 
the camp's UNRWA health clinic and discussed UNRWA's 
operations with UNRWA Commissioner General Filippo Grandi, 
Deputy Commissioner General Margot Ellis, Deputy Director for 
Gaza Aidan O'Leary, and Director for the West Bank Barbara 
Shenstone.  Separately, the Deputy Secretary met with 
representatives of humanitarian NGOs, who expressed concern 
about the situation in Gaza as well as Israeli policy 
regarding visas for humanitarian workers.  End Summary. 
 
U.S. Assistance to UNRWA 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) UNRWA Commissioner General Grandi thanked Deputy 
Secretary Lew for U.S. support to UNRWA, noting that the USG 
is not only supportive as a donor, (as UNRWA's largest 
bilateral donor), but also as an advocate for improved access 
for materials and staff into Gaza and the West Bank.  Deputy 
Director for Gaza O'Leary said that USG support was 
particularly helpful in convincing the GOI to allow into Gaza 
materials needed to operate summer camps in 2008.  O'Leary 
suggested that additional USG advocacy is needed, noting that 
two water/sanitation projects -- one in Rafah and one in Khan 
Younis -- have remained pending for over two years. 
 
¶3. (C) Grandi said that both Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime 
Minister Fayyad and President Abbas have acknowledged that 
UNRWA shares an important burden with the PA in providing 
health and education to 4.7 million Palestinian refugees 
throughout the region.  UNRWA's facilities in the region 
include 700 schools where nearly 500,000 Palestinian children 
study, and 140 clinics providing primary health services to 
the majority of registered refugees.  Grandi pointed out that 
UNRWA is unique among UN agencies as a direct service 
provider.  UNRWA is also perceived as the symbol of the 
international commitment to the refugee issues until a 
political solution is found, he said. 
 
Neutrality and Anti-Incitement 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Grandi said the agency is very conscious of U.S. 
concerns about neutrality, stressing that "we try hard to be 
responsible users of U.S. Government funds."  He said UNRWA 
makes every effort to ensure the integrity of its programs, 
particularly in education and in the distribution of food and 
other relief assistance.  One way UNRWA accomplishes this is 
through the U.S.-funded Operation Support Office, staffed 
with international officers who conduct inspections to ensure 
the neutrality of UNRWA installations and programs.  O'Leary 
stated that UNRWA "must be impartial, or we fail.  Everyone 
watches us:  the Palestinian factions, Israel, Egypt, the 
donors."  He said that UNRWA has a zero tolerance policy 
towards staff conduct.  If staff participate in political 
conferences or rallies, regardless of party affiliation, 
UNRWA will terminate their employment, O'Leary added. 
 
¶5. (C) On the education curriculum, O'Leary emphasized that 
the GOI distributes the same textbooks used by UNRWA to 
Arabic-medium public schools in East Jerusalem, noting that 
if the GOI had concerns about incitement within those books, 
it would not do so.  Director for the West Bank Shenstone 
said that the PA textbooks, used by UNRWA, have been examined 
closely by international organizations.  The two historical 
narratives taught on the Israeli and Palestinian sides differ 
significantly, she noted, but no overt incitement was found. 
Although the refugee narrative is very present in the 
Palestinians' lives and homes, it is not taught in the 
schools, she said. 
 
¶6. (C) O'Leary noted that UNRWA/Gaza has developed a special 
human rights curriculum, expanding on UNRWA's regular Human 
Rights and Tolerance Education program.  He said that the 
special curriculum builds on the 1948 Declaration of Human 
Rights, Gandhi's anti-colonial movement in India, Mandela's 
anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and the U.S. Civil 
Rights movement to teach children about non-violence, human 
 
rights, and the responsibilities and obligations that come 
with those rights. 
 
UNRWA's Relationship with the GOI 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Grandi suggested that UNRWA's relationship with the 
GOI is constructive; "we both need each other," he said.  The 
relationship is also sometimes fraught with conflict over 
day-to-day operational issues.  Like other UN agencies, 
UNRWA's access to the GOI is mostly limited to Coordination 
of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the 
director general-level of GOI ministries, he said.  However, 
decisions are not made at this level, said Grandi, who added 
that he is working with UN sister agencies to arrange 
ministerial-level meetings. 
 
¶8. (C) In response to reports that UNRWA's presence 
perpetuates the cycle of poverty in the camps, Grandi said 
that the reality is that there is no alternative.  The 
refugees remain refugees because of the lack of a political 
solution.  Grandi maintained that, if UNRWA were to cease to 
exist, the refugees would be stateless people adrift in the 
region, at risk of radicalization.  He said that through the 
provision of health, education and social services, UNRWA 
helps to keep the refugee population from further extremism. 
He admitted that UNRWA could do more to promote 
self-reliance, but is constrained by lack of resources as 
well as by the ongoing conflict.  Grandi said that he 
discussed with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora last week the 
issue of granting more rights to refugees in Lebanon, 
particularly the right to work.  Siniora reportedly agreed, 
but said it would have to be done quietly. 
 
 
Gaza NGOs:  Siege is Weakening Moderates and Civil Society 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) In their meeting with Deputy Secretary Lew on Gaza 
issues, representatives of international NGOs CARE, CHF, CRS, 
and ARD asserted that the Israeli siege on Gaza is 
counterproductive because it strengthens Hamas and more 
radical elements within Gaza.  Moderate elements, including 
independent civil society organizations and the private 
sector, are grower weaker day by day, they said.  NGOs also 
drew attention to the new Israeli visa regime for 
humanitarian workers, which makes it illegal for 
international NGO personnel to work in East Jerusalem.  They 
expressed concern that the new restrictions would negatively 
impact their ability to provide humanitarian assistance to 
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. (Note:  This issue 
was subsequently raised by Deputy Secretary Lew in his 
meeting with Israeli Minister for Regional Cooperation Silvan 
Shalom and will be reported by Embassy Tel Aviv septel.) 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Although they recognized USG efforts to increase 
the range of goods allowed into Gaza, the NGOs pleaded for a 
more aggressive approach.  NGO representatives expressed 
concern that USG contact policy (which prohibits all 
communication with public sector institutions in Gaza, except 
at the lowest administrative level) puts them "at risk" and 
makes an already challenging operating environment even more 
difficult.  NGO representatives asked that the contact policy 
be changed or interpreted to allow for basic communication at 
the lowest technical level, to give them slightly more room 
to operate and to align with a more common position among 
donors and NGOs in Gaza.  They noted that there is a 
tremendous need for assistance in Gaza, and Gazans appreciate 
the assistance the USG provides. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Deputy Secretary Lew expressed appreciation for the 
work that the international NGOs are doing, and explained 
that there is an extraordinary amount of scrutiny on USG 
assistance to Gaza, and how it is implemented.  He stressed 
that the USG has been working hard to increase the range of 
goods entering Gaza, at many levels, and will continue to do 
so.  He made clear that while he recognized the challenges 
that U.S. contact policy presented for our implementing 
partners, it was critical to our ability to continue 
providing assistance in Gaza and would remain in place, 
without modification. 
 
RUBINSTEIN