http://213.251.145.96/cable/2009/04/09TELAVIV936.html
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 000936 



SIPDIS 



H PASS TO CODEL KYL 



E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 

TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV KNNP KWBG IR IS

SUBJECT: CODEL KYL'S MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: 

 WHAT WILL THE U.S. DO ABOUT IRAN? 



Classified By: Ambassador James B. Cunningham, Reason 1.4 (b) (d) 



¶1. (S) Summary. CODEL Kyl, accompanied by the Ambassador, 

called on Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu April 6 in the 

first official U.S. meeting with Netanyahu since he formed a 

government.  The main topics of discussion were stopping 

Iran's nuclear program and Netanyahu's approach to 

peace-making with the Palestinians.  On Iran, Senator Kyl 

raised ways to increase the effect of sanctions, including 

possible legislation targeting Iranian imports of refined 

petroleum.  Adopting a forceful stance, Netanyahu asked 

repeatedly what the U.S. plans to do if sanctions and 

engagement fail to stop Iran's program.  Calling Iran's 

development of a nuclear bomb a world-changing event, 

Netanyahu said all other issues become insignificant by 

comparison.  On the Palestinians, Netanyahu reviewed his 

intent to pursue a three-track approach with political, 

economic, and security aspects.  While noting that his 

government is conducting a review of Israeli policy toward 

the Palestinians, Netanyahu asserted that there is agreement 

within the government and among 80% of Israelis that the 

Palestinians should be able to rule themselves, but with 

limits imposed by Israel's security requirements.  Netanyahu 

said the only difference between his position and that of 

opposition leader Tzipi Livni is over the name of the goal, 

i.e. the two-state solution.  In response to comments by 

Senator Sessions that the Palestinian Authority needs 

functioning courts and jails as well as police, Netanyahu 

agreed but said he had not yet focused much on Palestinian 

governance issues.  Netanyahu said he wants to show the 

Palestinians the benefits of peace, but with the proviso that 

if Iran goes nuclear, peace will fail. Predicting that his 

government would pleasantly surprise many critics, Netanyahu 

concluded that he hopes to come up with a common approach 

with President Obama.  End Summary. 



¶2. (U) CODEL Kyl, consisting of Senator Jon Kyl (R, AZ); 

Senator Jeff Sessions (R, AL); Representative Jane Harman (D, 

CA); Representative John Kline (R, MN); and Representative 

Chris Carney (D, PA), called on Prime Minister Benyamin 

Netanyahu April 6.  The Ambassador, Congressional staff, and 

Pol Couns (notetaker) participated in the meeting.  Netanyahu 

was joined by National Security Adviser Uzi Arad, Spokesman 

Mark Regev, Policy Adviser Ron Dermer, former chairman of the 

Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Kadima MK 

Tzachi Hanegbi (Senator's Kyl's counterpart in the 

U.S.-Israel Joint Parliamentary Committee on National 

Security), and the Israeli Embassy in Washington's 

Congressional liaison officer.  The meeting was the first 

official U.S. face to face contact with Netanyahu since he 

formed his government. 



What Will the U.S. Do About Iran? 

--------------------------------- 



¶3. (S) After a brief discussion of the world economic crisis, 

Senator Kyl raised Iran, noting the "sobering" briefings the 

CODEL had received from senior Israeli defense and 

intelligence officials the previous day.  Kyl said the 

Congress is looking at legislation that would target Iran's 

imports of refined petroleum products, adding that there are 

only four or five companies that supply refined petroleum to 

Iran and the U.S. has considerable leverage over most of 

them.  Kyl added that Israeli experts had told the CODEL that 

they thought such legislation would be helpful.  Netanyahu 

said nothing is slowing the progress of Iran's nuclear 

program.  The Prime Minister asked what will happen to the 

Middle East if Iran obtains a nuclear weapon?  If such a 

prospect is unacceptable, what will the U.S. do as Iran 

reaches the nuclear threshold?  What will the U.S. do if 

Pakistan is taken over by Islamic radicals? 



¶4. (S) Representative Harman told Netanyahu that no one in 

the CODEL disagreed with his analysis, but the U.S. should 

give engagement an opportunity to see if it works.  If it 

does not, at least it would show the world that the U.S. had 

tried.  She added that Congress supports engagement on a 

bipartisan basis.  Senator Kyl added that the Europeans tried 

to engage Iran for five years but it did not work.  President 

Obama will pursue engagement, but Kyl said he doubted it 

would be successful.  We should consider what to do in the 

mean time.  Netanyahu responded that the U.S. should move 

quickly.  Engagement should have a short time limit and a 

specific goal, for example talk to the Iranians for four to 

twelve weeks and make clear that the U.S. goal is an end to 

their nuclear program.  Leaning forward, Netanyahu repeated 

his earlier question:  "What will you do if it does not work?" 





TEL AVIV 00000936  002 OF 003 





¶5. (S) Netanyahu said that learning to live with a nuclear 

Iran would be a big mistake which would lead to a different, 

more dangerous world.  While he noted that he could not say 

for certain that Iran would use a nuclear weapon against 

Israel, if Iran had a bomb Israelis would have to ask that 

question every day.  This is a historic moment, and leaders 

have a responsibility to make decisions.  All other issues 

are insignificant by comparison.  For a third time, Netanyahu 

asked, "What are you going to do?" 





Netanyahu's Approach to the Palestinians 

---------------------------------------- 



¶6. (C) Senator Kyl asked the Prime Minister about his view of 

the two-state solution.  Netanyahu said he plans to engage 

the Palestinian Authority quickly and will not tie political 

talks with the Palestinians to developments with Iran. 

Reviewing a now familiar formula, Netanyahu said he will 

approach the Palestinians on parallel political, economic and 

security tracks.  Political talks would aim at achieving an 

agreement within certain limits, the economic approach would 

promote foreign and Arab investment and joint projects with 

Israeli partners, while the security track would continue to 

build up the PA's security forces.  In order to do any of 

this, Netanyahu noted, he will need a Palestinian partner. 



¶7. (C) Representative Harman observed that the CODEL had 

visited units of the PA's National Security Forces and the 

Presidential Guard.  PA Prime Minister Fayyad said he was 

happy with the PA's security forces, and they want to take on 

increased responsibility for security in Jericho and Jenin. 

Netanyahu replied that Israel would be happy to let them do 

more, but it is not clear what Hamas will do next. If Hamas 

forces a confrontation, Israel will have to initiate further 

military action in Gaza. Israel did not want to go back into 

Gaza, but it will do what is necessary to protect its people. 



¶8. (C) Netanyahu said his government is reviewing Israel's 

policy toward the Palestinians.  There is a consensus in the 

government and among 80% of the Israeli public that the 

Palestinians should be able to govern themselves.  The only 

limits on Palestinian sovereignty would be elements that 

affect Israel's security.  A Palestinian state must be 

demilitarized, without control over its air space and 

electro-magnetic field, and without the power to enter into 

treaties or control its borders.  Netanyahu concluded that he 

and opposition leader Tzipi Livni "only disagree about the 

name," i.e. the two-state solution. 



¶9. (C) Senator Sessions noted that people everywhere want law 

and order.  Palestinians not only need to deal with 

terrorism, they also need a functioning legal system.  Moving 

from a lawless system, the Palestinian Authority is showing 

some pride, but police are not enough, they need courts and 

jails that work.  Economic development is impossible in a 

lawless society.  Netanyahu agreed this was a valid point and 

uncharacteristically admitted that he had not focused much on 

Palestinian governance.  He added that international 

assistance should provide funding for jails and courts.  It 

is possible to create crime-free zones and begin economic 

development "in bubbles" which would then be expanded. 

Senator Sessions noted that Lt. General Dayton is focused on 

this issue.  Representative Harman commented that "bubbles" 

in the West Bank would not be enough, Palestinians need law 

and order everywhere. 



¶10. (C) Netanyahu said the "classic rhetoric" of the peace 

process has been that if Israel withdraws, all will be well. 

Now, however, if Israel withdrew from the West Bank, Hamas 

would take over.  Economic development would not be a 

substitute for a political settlement, but it would change 

the environment and show Palestinians the benefits of peace. 

Israel has been trying to "build a roof without a foundation" 

and it has not worked.  Netanyahu said there was one proviso: 

 If Iran gets a nuke, peace efforts will fail. 



¶11. (C) Netanyahu pointed to the example of Jordanian King 

Hussein, whom he termed Israel's best Arab ally and a man 

deeply committed to peace.  Yet when Saddam Hussein took 

Kuwait, King Hussein got on board with the Iraqis.  In the 

event of a nuclear Iran, "all the Arabs will become Qatar." 

We should therefore move in parallel to work for peace with 

the Palestinians while acting to stop Iran.  Netanyahu said 

he thought his government would pleasantly surprise many of 

its critics.  He concluded the meeting by saying that he 

wants to coordinate Israel's positions with the U.S. and 

hopes to come to a common position with President Obama. 



TEL AVIV 00000936  003 OF 003 







¶12.  (U) CODEL Kyl has cleared this cable. 









********************************************* ******************** 

Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 

********************************************* ******************** 

CUNNINGHAM