By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel — A recently published cache of documents released by WikiLeaks has revealed new insights into Israel’s political and diplomatic relations.  The documents cover sensitive topics ranging from information about U.S. citizens living in the West Bank settlements to Israel’s difficulty in dealing with non-violent protests in the West Bank.  Perhaps the most damaging information however is not even from a specific document but the new revelations into the relationship of Israel and America, and their intents and attitudes towards the Palestinians.

While knowledge of the two countries’ close relationship is not really a secret, the candor of the documents is something not normally seen by outside eyes.

A document from a 2006 meeting between the U.S. ambassador and the Israeli foreign minister notes that the model for a secure Israel is to keep the Israeli Jews and the Israeli Arabs segregated.  The Israeli foreign minister warns that in two years “Hamas will take over” the Israeli Arab population, and that the only reason why Israeli Arabs wish to remain in Israel is to receive the social benefits. When discussing the possibility of a two state solution the foreign minister advocates more “creative” thinking, including the “transferring” of more Palestinians out of Israel.  The U.S. ambassador gives no response either positive or negative to the idea.

Another group of more recent documents reveals that U.S. officials have been well aware of Israel’s harsh methods of dealing with peaceful protests in the West Bank for a long time.  A February 2010 cable sent to the U.S. ambassador reveals a premeditated effort to use force against such protesters.   In the cable, the U.S. ambassador notes that government officials consider any such rally as grounds for the use of military force.  At a later meeting, Israel informs the U.S. of it’s intention to use “dirty water” to break up protests even if they are non-violent.  “Dirty water is a reference to the IDF’s chemically treated water that duplicates the effects of skunk spray,” reveals a leaked U.S. cable.  In the same document, Amos Gilad, Israel’s director of policy and political military affairs, is quoted as saying, “we don’t do Gandhi very well.”

The scrutiny given to the WikiLeaks release will likely also be stoked by the U.S.’s announcement that it wishes the Palestinians to delay their bid for statehood at the United Nations General Assembly later this month.  The U.S. wants the Palestinians to return to peace talks with Israel so that both entities can be satisfied.

The current plan, based on a broad vision laid out by U.S. president Barack Obama in May, seems to have the favor of Israel, but the Palestinian position remains unclear.  There have been some signs that Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, would forego the UN vote in favor of real talks, but senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath, dismissed the proposal as inadequate and said a vote would go ahead regardless.  Other Palestinian officials have said that they will not be deterred by the U.S. from seeking UN membership, and that “all [their] papers are ready.”

Currently, the Palestinians expect “more than 150” of the 192 UN member nations to back their bid, but this is still short of the required number needed.

The U.S. has veto power in the Security Council, whose approval is necessary to gain full recognition.  Even with a veto from the U.S. the Palestinians should have enough votes in the general assembly to change their status from a nonvoting entity to a nonvoting observer state.  This status change would allow them to join a number of international committees, and it could strengthen their ability to bring cases against Israel at the International Criminal Court.

A deep concern for many is the effect that an American Security Council veto will have on American-Middle East relations.  Ghaith al-Omari, a former Palestinian negotiator who is now the executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine in Washington, warns “an American veto could inflame emotions and bring anti-American sentiment to the forefront across the [Middle East].”

There is also a “powerful argument…that this will provoke a Palestinian awakening…there will be new violence…and we’ll be blamed,” said Martin S. Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel.

The prospect of new violence taken together with the WikiLeaks revelations of how Israel plans to crack down on future protests casts a somber importance on the diplomatic discussions between the U.S., Israel, and the Palestinians leading up the UN vote.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Palestinian statehood bid ‘papers ready’ — 4 Sept 2011

Al Jazeera — US cable tells of Israel’s ‘harsh measures’ — 4 Sept 2011

Bloomberg — Palestinians Expect 140 Nations to Back Bid — 4 Sept 2011

NY Times — U.S. Is Appealing to Palestinians to Stall U.N. Vote — 3 Sept 2011

Y Net News — WikiLeaks: Israel irked by West Bank protests — 3 Sept 2011

Mondoweiss — WikiLeaks: In ’06, Lieberman told US ambassador of need to transfer Palestinians from Israel – and US says nothing — 25 Aug 2011

Salon — WikiLeaks’ revealing information about U.S. citizens living in West Bank — 24 Aug 2011