The Palestine Papers
Meeting Minutes: Dov Weisglass and Saeb Erekat

The minutes of a meeting between Saeb Erekat and Dov Weisglass in Tel Aviv on May 19, 2005. The main issue they discussed was Israeli security.

Weisglass: "Everything we do is provisional, revocable license of Hamas. In such a situation the security consideration will prevail in Israel and there will never be a solution you can live with." Erekat: "The Intifada stopped! What more can you ask for in such a short period of time."

On fugitives: Erekat: "Jericho and Tulkarem? What is your information." Weisglass: "The problem of the fugitives in Jericho was solved. As for Tukarem there are 10 out 64 fugitives that did not surrender their arms."

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Weisglass – Erekat Meeting Minutes

May 19, 2005, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM*

Tel Aviv, Carlton Hotel

 

 

Attendees: Dr. Saeb Erekat, Habib Hazzan, Dov Weisglass, Shalom Tourjman

 

DW:    We have video tape showing Hammas firing mortars and PA Police standing 25 meters away and hindering them. We both however should be grateful for what Hammas does because it lets Abu Mazen realize his mistake. Abu Mazen strategic alliance with Hammas and “inclusion” strategy is wrong. In light of the events of the recent days we decided to stop refraining from reaction. We will act against actual doers if needed.

 

            In one particular incident we identified the cell preparing to launch mortars and we gave the information to the local security commanders in Gaza. Nothing was done and then we decided to act. This happened in Khan Younis. The Palestinian policemen were 25 meters away and after we hit the cell they became suddenly very active and helped evacuate the injured to the hospitals.

 

SE:      You called me around 7:00 PM and what happened after that. How many rockets launched? There were clashed between PA police and Hammas. The police will not and can not shoot their own people but Hammas demonstrators torched a Palestinian police car.

 

DW:    True there was a certain drop in shelling but why can’t the police act directly without involvement, why don’t they have clear instructions and procedures. In any case, the slow down had nothing to do with AM or SE instructions but is a result of Hammas internal decisions. We are partners to the same problem. Hammas does not want to break the rules before the elections. They might have feared Abu Mazen

 

SE:      Fatah was planning to get Palestinian protestors go to the streets against breaking the cease fire and firing mortars etc. But we must think of the root causes how do we move from a situation of anger to a situation of hope?

 

DW:    Gave the dentist example – a bad tooth, pain management vs. uprooting the problem. Abu Mazen must uproot Hammas ability to put all of us hostage to Hammas. What we did in the week before the meeting with pain management and what Abu Mazen is doing is pain management.

 

SE:      You can also uproot the cause of anger. What we need in the short term is direct contacts between the security heads Mofaz and Yousif. Why is Mofaz refusing to meet Yousif?

 

DW:    That is not a problem; the meeting is not an issue. The problem is will Hammas ever give up violence even if integrated in the political system? Everything we do is provisional, revocable license of Hammas. In such a situation the security consideration will prevail in Israel and there will never be a solution you can live with. Why do you think the security people chair every meeting and over rule us? Without this understanding what would a meeting mean?  Yousif will hear the same things from Mofaz that I am telling you. If Yousif comes to Mofaz with a plan to dismantle Hammas then Mofaz will help. AM said but never meant the “one authority, one gun”.

 

SE:      The Intifada stopped!! What more can you ask for in such a short period.

 

DW:    It stopped because Hammas put it on hold and not because AM stopped it. It is not in the hands of Yousif or in the hands of Abu Mazen; it is in the hands of Hammas.

 

SE:      AM told you through me that Yousif is the only security counterpart to Mofaz.

 

ST:       What about the other people, princes of sorts, that discuss security with Mofaz and that Abu Mazen lets discuss security in his name?

 

SE:      As I said to you – Nasser Yousif is the only counterpart and the only person Abu Mazen trusts on security. Why not have Mofaz meet him next week while you are in DC.

 

DW:    Will make it happen.

 

SE:      Jericho and Tulkarem? What is your information.

 

DW:    The problem of the fugitives in Jericho was solved. As for Tulkarem there are 10 out of 64 fugitives that did not surrender their weapons.

 

SE:      These people, according to what I understood, claim they have no weapons. I suggested to Yousif to accept this statement and arrest them if any of them is proven later to have lied and have a weapon. If they have it and carry it in the streets for example, arrest them.

 

DW:    If this is the case then we can start planning to hand over Qalquilya and consider second phase of Jericho and Tulkarem. Bush will have a lot of questions on security and about Gaza evacuation security planning.

 

SE:      Regarding Silvan Shalom. I hereby officially register the PA protest about Shalom declarations. Please tell him to shut up. The elections might be postponed because of internal Palestinian matters, CEC readiness etc. but regardless we should start working to coordinate regarding elections in East Jerusalem. Ziad Bakri went to Shin Beit and told they about registration, they told him no problem. I notified you and you did not have a problem and then on May 9th the Israeli police closes the centers? Why do we need to go to Washington and then for you to concede to US pressure on this. Why look as the obstacle for democracy?

 

DW:    I also think we shold start coordination. A soon as you and us come back from our respective trips to the US we will kick off coordination of elections.

 

ST:       What about canvassing? Why voter registration centers.

 

HH:     1. The Palestinian law 2. this is what is done every where else. 3. even if we opt for canvassing last time the students of Ibrahymieh were stopped by the Shin Beit and questioned. We need to coordinate regardless of the specifics.

 

SE:      What about an Abu Mazen Sharon summit/ meeting? How about June 7th or 8th as a possible date.

 

DW:    Abu Mazen will be in the region then? We will check and get back to you about this proposal. But lets have a next meeting on June 1st to discuss the meeting of the two leaders.

 

SE:      I agree. What about the prisoners?

 

DW:    We will bring the issue to the government approval either on Sunday the 29th or on June 5th.

 

SE:      Deportees?

 

DW:    The issue will be resolved when the fugitives issue will be resolved, the two issues are interconnected. There is no bloody difference between a fugitives in Ireland and one in Jenin.

 

SE:      Airport?

 

DW:    No news on this front. Will not happen soon.