Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07CAIRO376, ARAB LEAGUE DENOUNCES ISRAELI MUGHRABI GATE,

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07CAIRO376.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07CAIRO376 2007-02-12 12:02 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Cairo
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEGA #0376 0431202
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121202Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS CAIRO 000376 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MEPN KPAL EG IS
SUBJECT: ARAB LEAGUE DENOUNCES ISRAELI MUGHRABI GATE, 
TEMPLE MOUNT ACTIONS 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE TREAT 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (SBU) ARAB LEAGUE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES MET IN CAIRO 
ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, TO DISCUSS THE WEEKEND VIOLENCE IN 
JERUSALEM, TOUCHED OFF BY ISRAELI CONSTRUCTION AT THE 
MUGHRABI GATE NEAR THE TEMPLE MOUNT.  SENIOR POLITICAL 
ADVISOR TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS, NABIL SHAATH, 
JOINED FOR THE EMERGENCY SESSION.  AFTER THE MEETING, 
DELEGATES ISSUED A STATEMENT TITLED "ISRAELI PROCEDURES 
AGAINST THE AQSA MOSQUE" (TEXT BELOW AT PARAGRAPH THREE) 
WHICH CALLED FOR FOLLOW-UP AT THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY 
COUNCIL AND UNESCO.  ALONG WITH A DENUNCIATION OF ISRAELI 
ACTIONS, THE STATEMENT ANNOUNCED PLANS TO ISSUE AN ARAB 
POSTAL STAMP WHOSE REVENUES WILL BE DONATED TO SUPPORT THE 
"STEADFASTNESS OF JERUSALEM AND ITS PEOPLE."  EGYPT'S 
DELEGATE TO THE LEAGUE TOLD LOCAL MEDIA THAT ARAB FOREIGN 
MINISTERS WOULD PURSUE THE ISSUE OF ISRAELI ACTIONS NEAR THE 
TEMPLE MOUNT AND AQSA MOSQUE DURING THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED 
MINISTERIAL IN CAIRO ON MARCH 3-4, TO PREPARE FOR A MARCH 
28-29 ARAB SUMMIT IN RIYADH. 
 
2.  (SBU) MEANWHILE, EGYPT'S MFA WAS ALSO QUICK TO POUNCE ON 
THE ISSUE, CONVOKING ISRAELI AMBASSADOR SHALOM COHEN ON 
FEBRUARY 8 TO CONVEY EGYPT'S "RESENTMENT AND ANGER OVER THE 
EXCAVATIONS AND DEMOLITIONS ISRAEL IS CARRYING OUT NEAR THE 
AL AQSA MOSQUE."  THE MFA WAS EQUALLY QUICK TO ISSUE A PUBIC 
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE MEETING BETWEEN COHEN AND MFA CHEF DU 
CABINET WAFAA BASSIM, STRESSING EGYPTS CONCERN THAT "SUCH 
ACTIONS (BY ISRAEL IN JERUSALEM) SUBVERT THE EFFORTS 
CURRENTLY EXERTED TO REBUILD CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE 
PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI SIDES." 
 
3.  (U) TEXT OF FEBRUARY 10 ARAB LEAGUE STATEMENT ON AQSA 
MOSQUE, MUGHRABI GATE ISSUE 
 
BEGIN TEXT (UNOFFICIAL EMBASSY TRANSLATION): 
 
STATEMENT ON ISRAELI PROCEDURES AGAINST AQSA MOSQUE AND 
TAKING A UNIFIED ARAB STAND AGAINST THAT AGGRESSION 
 
THE AL COUNCIL, AT THE LEVEL OF PERMANENT DELEGATES, HELD AN 
EMERGENCY MEETING ON FEBRUARY 10, 2007, UPON THE REQUEST OF 
THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATE, AND CHAIRED BY AMBASSADOR KHALIL 
AL-ZAWAWY OF BAHRAIN.  THE MEETING WAS ATTENDED BY ARAB 
LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL MOUSSA AND NABIL SHA'ATH, AS 
REPRESENTATIVE OF MAHMOUD ABBAS, TO DISCUSS THE AGGRESSIVE 
ISRAELI PROCEDURES BEING TAKEN AGAINST THE ISLAMIC HOLY SITES 
IN JERUSALEM, THE SERIOUSNESS OF EFFORTS BY THE OCCUPYING 
FORCES TO DIG BENEATH AND AROUND THE AL AQSA MOSQUE, AND THE 
DEMOLITION OF THE MUGHRABI GATE NEXT TO THE WESTERN WALL OF 
THE MOSQUE. 
 
THE COUNCIL CONDEMNED THESE CRIMINAL AND DESTRUCTIVE ACTS BY 
THE ISRAELI OCCUPYING AUTHORITIES AGAINST THE AL AQSA MOSQUE 
WHICH THREATEN (IT) WITH COLLAPSE, AND ASSERTED THAT ANY 
ENCROACHMENT ON THE (AQSA) MOSQUE IS AN ENCROACHMENT UPON THE 
ISLAMIC RELIGION WORLD-WIDE.  THE COUNCIL WARNED AGAINST 
CONTINUING ISRAELI AGGRESSION ON ISLAMIC HOLY SITES IN 
JERUSALEM AND AGAINST THE VIGOROUS VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL 
LEGITIMACY RELATED TO JERUSALEM AND ITS MILITARY OCCUPATION. 
 
THE COUNCIL PRAISED THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PALESTINIAN 
PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM IN FACING THE 
OCCUPYING AUTHORITIES TO PROTECT THE AL AQSA MOSQUE. 
 
THE COUNCIL CALLED FOR A NUMBER OF STEPS (AT THE ARAB, 
ISLAMIC, AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS) TO BE TAKEN TO HALT 
ISRAEL'S AGGRESSION ON THE AQSA MOSQUE AND OTHER ISLAMIC AND 
CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES IN JERUSALEM, ASSERTING THE FOLLOWING: 
 
- ASSERTING THE ARAB CHARACTER OF JERUSALEM AND THE 
ILLEGALITY OF ISRAELI PROCEDURES AIMED AT CONTROLLING IT AND 
CHANGING ITS GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC NATURE; CONDEMNING 
ISRAELI AGGRESSION ON AL-AQSA MOSQUE AND ISLAMIC AND 
CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES IN THE CITY, ADHERING TO THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE ON ALL 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES OCCUPIED AFTER 1967 WITH JERUSALEM AS 
ITS CAPITAL.  THE COUNCIL ALSO CONDEMNS ALL ISRAELI PROGRAMS 
AND PLANS - OFFICIAL AND NONOFFICIAL - WHICH AIM TO ENFORCE 
ITS OCCUPATION AND TAKING OF JERUSALEM. 
 
- URGED THE ARAB GROUP AT THE UNITED NATIONS TO REQUEST A 
SECURITY COUNCIL EMERGENCY SESSION, AND THE SHOULDERING OF 
THE UNSC'S RESPONSIBILITY TO HALT SUCH SERIOUS VIOLATIONS 
AGAINST THE AL AQSA MOSQUE, WHICH VIOLATE THE FOURTH GENEVA 
AGREEMENT OF 1949 AND RELATED PROTOCOLS AND ALSO CONTRADICTS 
THE HAGUE AGREEMENT OF 1954 WHICH REJECTS AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS 
TAKEN AGAINST ANY PLACE OF WORSHIP, IN ADDITION TO CALLING 
FOR AN END TO PLANS BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPYING AUTHORITIES TO 
 
EXTEND JEWISH CONTROL OVER SUCH PLACES. 
 
- URGED THE ARAB GROUP AT UNESCO TO CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY 
MEETING TO REVIEW THE SERIOUS VIOLATIONS TO A MAJOR FEATURE 
OF HUMAN AND ISLAMIC HISTORY IN JERUSALEM. 
 
- CALLED UPON THE TRANSITIONAL ARAB PARLIAMENT AND ARAB 
PARLIAMENTARIAN FEDERATION COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS 
WITH REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTS TO CONSULT AND 
COORDINATE WITH THE AL SECRETARY GENERAL TO TAKE NECESSARY 
PROCEDURES IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER. 
 
- CALLED UPON WESTERN AND ISLAMIC COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS 
TO CONTINUE MATERIAL AND OTHER SUPPORT TO THE INHABITANTS OF 
JERUSALEM AND PALESTINIAN ASSOCIATIONS, TO MAINTAIN THEIR 
STEADFASTNESS AND TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TO HALT THE 
CRIMINAL ACTS OF ISRAEL'S OCCUPYING FORCES AGAINST THE AQSA 
MOSQUE AND ISLAMIC AND CHRISTIAN HOLY SITES. 
 
- CALLED UPON THE MEMBERS OF THE QUARTET TO SHOULDER THEIR 
RESPONSIBILITIES AND TO PRESSURE ISRAEL TO COMMIT TO AN 
IMMEDIATE HALT TO ITS AGGRESSION WHICH THREATENS ALL EFFORTS 
TO REVIVE THE PEACEFUL OPERATION AND ABORTS THE POSSIBILITY 
OF NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE STATUS OF JERUSALEM. 
 
- NOTED THAT THE ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARIAT WILL COORDINATE WITH 
THE OIC SECRETARIAT TO ISSUE A POSTAL STAMP DEPICTING 
JERUSALEM, WITH REVENUES GOING TO SUPPORT THE STEADFASTNESS 
OF JERUSALEM AND ITS PEOPLE. 
 
END TEXT OF STATEMENT. 
RICCIARDONE