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Thu, Oct 20, 2011 | Source: WikiLeaks

Saif al-Islam Qaddafi

WikiLeaks: Saif Al-Islam Al-Qaddafi’s Palestinian Adventurism

In a nod to his father’s dream to serve as grand regional mediator, Saif al-Islam al-Qadhafi appears to be increasingly interested in helping to broker reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, possibly in hopes of achieving a compromise prior to the Libyan-hosted Arab League Summit in March. One of Saif’s close advisors and confidantes recently told us that Saif believes Libya has the best chance to forge a compromise between the Palestinian parties due to its “neutrality,” and because of that, had been approached personally by Khaled Mish’al to intervene. Mish’al has also reportedly asked Saif to serve as a backchannel interlocutor between Hamas and the USG. The advisor confirmed that the Libyan government was pursuing a second track to influence Palestinian reunification, via the son of one of Muammar al-Qadhafi’s fellow “free officers.” While Saif has worked in the past to negotiate a compromise between the Israelis and the Palestinians on the release of Gilad Shalit, his current efforts focus exclusively on the Palestinian account.

Source: WikiLeaks

Reference ID: 10TRIPOLI113
Created: 2010-02-10 08:52
Classification: SECRET//NOFORN
Origin: Embassy Tripoli

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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5780
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 6338
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NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA MAG, SEMEP; NSC FOR AGUIRRE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/10/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR KISL KWBG KPAL IS LY
SUBJECT: SAIF AL-ISLAM AL-QADHAFI’S PALESTINIAN ADVENTURISM

REF: TRIPOLI 110

CLASSIFIED BY: Gene A. Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

¶1. (S/NF) Summary: In a nod to his father’s dream to serve as
grand regional mediator, Saif al-Islam al-Qadhafi appears to be
increasingly interested in helping to broker reconciliation
between Fatah and Hamas, possibly in hopes of achieving a
compromise prior to the Libyan-hosted Arab League Summit in
March. One of Saif’s close advisors and confidantes recently
told us that Saif believes Libya has the best chance to forge a
compromise between the Palestinian parties due to its
“neutrality,” and because of that, had been approached
personally by Khaled Mish’al to intervene. Mish’al has also
reportedly asked Saif to serve as a backchannel interlocutor
between Hamas and the USG. The advisor confirmed that the
Libyan government was pursuing a second track to influence
Palestinian reunification, via the son of one of Muammar
al-Qadhafi’s fellow “free officers.” While Saif has worked in
the past to negotiate a compromise between the Israelis and the
Palestinians on the release of Gilad Shalit, his current efforts
focus exclusively on the Palestinian account. End Summary.

¶2. (S/NF) Mohamed Ismail, chief of staff to Saif al-Islam
al-Qadhafi recently discussed with P/E chief the latter’s
involvement in Palestinian reconciliation efforts, which
involved two visits by Hamas Political Chief Khaled Mish’al to
Tripoli and a meeting in Spain between Saif and Mohammed Dahlan,
Fatah Central Committee member and former Security Chief in
Gaza. Ismail stressed that his boss was acting strictly in his
capacity as head of the Qadhafi International Charity and
Development Foundation (QDF), not on behalf of the Libyan
government. According to the advisor, Mish’al had approached
Saif to work with him to negotiate a compromise with Dahlan,
which would possibly involve the USG. He characterized Dahlan
as “more reasonable” than PA President Mahmoud Abbas, whom he
believed was a “weak figurehead, without authority,” and an
obstacle to reconciliation efforts.

¶3. (S/NF) While Saif was working toward a compromise in time to
announce the achievement at the upcoming Arab League Summit,
which Tripoli will host in March (reftel), he was finding the
Palestinians “stubborn” and difficult to advise. Ismail opined
that Egypt was complicating matters through its ardent support
for Fatah and hatred of Hamas. “They’ll never allow unity,” he
remarked. Nevertheless, Saif believes that Libya stands a
better chance than other “Arab brothers” to broker
reconciliation, given its “neutral” position on matters. Ismail
also claimed that Saif had attempted to mediate between Israel
and the Palestinians on the release of Gilad Shalit, but he had
not achieved much success and had not attempted to engage on
that matter since last October. Ismail suggested that Saif
serve as a liaison for informal communication between Hamas and
the USG, claiming that Mish’al had asked Saif to approach the
USG on that issue.

¶4. (S/NF) Ismail refuted a January 24 report in Israel’s
“Haaretz” claiming that “a group of four or five” Libyans had
been denied entry into Ramallah for talks with senior Fatah
officials in late December. He said that Khaled al-Humeidi,
Head of the quasi-governmental International Organization for
Peace, Care, and Relief in Libya and an aide to Muammar
al-Qadhafi, had led the delegation, and that Humeidi, son of one
of the five “free officers” that led Muammar al-Qadhafi’s 1969
coup, and his buddies went to Ramallah and met with the
officials. The advisor claimed that Humeidi’s efforts were
independent of Saif’s, potentially at the behest of the Libyan
leader. Humeidi’s organizations has also reportedly provided
aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

¶5. (S/NF) Comment: Saif’s adventurism among the Palestinians is
not new — he has made public statements on Israeli-Palestinian
issues in the past — and is reminiscent of his father’s
attempts to mediate in conflicts across the region and on the
continent. His efforts are all the more critical given the need
for some Qadhafi family achievement after the AU debacle and in
light of the upcoming Arab summit here. End comment.

CRETZ