Viewing cable 08TELAVIV2745, CODEL WEXLER'S MEETING WITH MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002745 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KWBG IS
SUBJECT: CODEL WEXLER'S MEETING WITH MILITARY INTELLIGENCE 
CHIEF YADLIN 

REF: A. TEL AVIV 2742 
¶B. JERUSALEM 2202 

Classified By: Acting DCM Marc Sievers, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) 

¶1. (S) Summary. In his December 3 meeting with Israel 
Defense Intelligence Director Yadlin, Representative Robert 
Wexler (D-Florida) referred to his previous meeting with 
Likud Party leader Netanyahu (reftel) and asked for Yadlin's 
assessment of the possibility of Israel and the Palestinian 
moving forward on the basis of an "economic peace." Yadlin 
said Israel's relations with the Palestinians need time; the 
next Israeli Prime Minister and perhaps the next PA President 
will need the time to build trust. Trying to move directly 
to a solution will result in violence as in 2000. Yadlin 
said the Palestinians have established two entities. Abbas 
and Fayyad rule the West Bank with Israel's support, while 
Hamas has established a terrorist entity in Gaza. Yadlin 
stressed that Israel is on the right track in the West Bank, 
while he advocates taking a "much tougher" approach to Gaza. 
Yadlin said Israel can find Hamas officials where they live 
and work in Gaza. If the firing of rockets and mortars from 
Gaza continues, the IDF will "use this card," i.e. resume 
targetted assassinations, in order to "change the paradigm." 
End Summary. 

¶2. (S) Representative Robert Wexler, accompanied by staffer 
Jonathan Katz, control officer and PolCouns called on Israel 
Defense Intelligence (IDI) Director Major General Amos Yadlin 
in the Kirya December 3. Noting that he had just come from a 
meeting with Likud Party leader Bibi Netanyahu, Congressman 
Wexler noted the Netanyahu is talking about an economic plan 
for developing the West Bank, while Prime Minister Fayyad 
says the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is not economic in 
nature. Proceeding from the assumption that Netanyahu is 
likely to form the next Israeli government, Wexler asked 
whether Yadlin thought it would be possible to marry 
Netanyahu's economic plan with Fayyad's pragmatic approach of 
getting "deliverables" and reducing the IDF's role. 

¶3. (S) Yadlin replied that the Palestinians are only 
Israel's number four threat in the IDI's assessment, 
following Iran, Syria, and Hizballah. Although the 
Palestinians are not the IDI's top concern, Yadlin said he 
would answer the question by noting that it will take time to 
marry Netanyahu's approach to Fayyad's. If the parties 
attempt to move straight to resolving the conflict, the 
attempt will collapse and result in violence as in the start 
of the Second Intifada after the 2000 Camp David summit. The 
key question is how can the Palestinian Authority control 
terrorism. Yadlin said the USSC General Dayton is doing "a 
very good job" of training the PA Security Forces, but Yadlin 
quoted Dayton as saying that the PASF will need three to five 
years to build its counter-terrorist capabilities, including 
a functioning justice system. 

¶4. (S) Yadlin said the IDF is out of the Jenin area unless 
it receives reports of a "ticking bomb." The PA, however, is 
ignoring Gaza and Fayyad insists on paying salaries in Gaza, 
which helps Hamas. Yadlin said this is a "big mistake." 
Yadlin noted that the Palestinians have created two entities. 
President Abbas and Fayyad condemn terrorism and stress that 
Palestinian national goals can be achieved through 
negotiations. They rule in the West Bank with Israel's 
assistance. In Gaza, a terrorist organization is in power 
and Hamas preaches that Palestinian aspirations can be 
achieved through terrorism. This division provides Israel 
with a "historic opportunity" to prove that Hamas' approach 
will fail. 

¶5. (S) Yadlin insisted that Israel must not withdraw from 
the West Bank too soon or it would pave the way for a new 
wave of suicide bombings inside Israel. Israel's good 
security situation is a direct result of the IDF and Shin 
Bet's sustained effort to destroy terrorism in the West Bank. 
This efforts continues every night of the year. It will 
take time to build trust between the next Israeli prime 
minister and perhaps the next PA president as well. Yadlin 
said he is satisfied that Israel is now on the right track in 
the West Bank. The IDF has figured out how to remove 
obstacles that affect the Palestinian economy while leaving 
in place the means to ensure Israel's security. In Gaza, 
however, Israel needs to be "much tougher." 

¶6. (S) Congressman Wexler asked why Fayyad wants to send 
money to Gaza. Yadlin said Fayyad fears that if he does not, 
Hamas will bring in money from Iran, but Yadlin added that 
this concern was misplaced. Hamas' control of Gaza provides 
an opportunity. Since the terrorists are now the government, 
Israel knows which terrorist is sitting in what office and 
where their homes are. They have come out of hiding and into 

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the open, so the IDF can identify and find them. Yadlin 
warned that if the shelling of Israeli communities from Gaza 
continues, Israel can "use this card" against Hamas. It will 
"change the paradigm," he concluded. 

¶7. (S) Comment. While Yadlin did not use the phrase 
"targeted assassinations," it was clear from the context that 
he is advocating this approach to countering the threat from 
Hamas. It was also clear that he strongly opposes those in 
the GOI who advocate maintaining a base of currency flow into 
Gaza. End comment. 

¶8. (U) CODEL Wexler did not have the opportunity to clear 
this cable. 

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