United States | Message to Israel

[Odinson]

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

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TO: Yair Lapid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel ( Zak )​

FROM: Tom Goldstein, Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Israel

Minister Lapid,

The Department of State is becoming increasingly worried about the on-going situation between Israel, Palestine, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. I am sure that your government's goal is to maintain a state of peace and prevent any kind of conflict between the Arab countries, yourself, and the Palestinian regime. The State Department has urged me to inform you that we are ready to assist in any way possible to ensure that peace remains in the region.

Best Regards,

Tom Goldstein
United States Ambassador to Israel
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[Zak]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Security Classification: ENCRYPTED​

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Recipient: Tom Goldstein, Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Israel (Odinson)

I would like to thank you for your message of support for peace within the Middle Eastern region, and we highly agree that peace within Israel and the Palestinian region is of high importance to the Prime Minister and our fellow cabinet which is why we wanted to begin peace negotiations with the Turkish Government which were turned down with the reasoning being that Israel is trying to 'weasel its way out of serious predicaments using weak diplomatic summits and meetings which hold no real substance and only serve to distract from the issue.' as quoted by the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I would like to invite you to the Foreign Ministry Building here in Jerusalem to meet with myself to discuss the opportunities for peace and the aims and goals regarding the Middle Eastern region over lunch, between me and the Minister of Defence. I look forward to hearing your response.


Benjamin Netanyahu
Minister of Foreign Affairs

 

[Odinson]

Private
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Ambassador Tom Goldstein departed the American embassy and made his way to the Foreign Ministry Building in Jerusalem so that he could meet with the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense for lunch. Travelling with him were some of his senior staff. He and his staff would walk into the building, produce their diplomatic credentials if necessary, and wait to be greeted.

Zak

 

[Zak]

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence would be stood at the main entrance to the Foreign Ministry Building as they would be joined by selected civil servants of high importance from both government departments. They would both greet the Ambassador upon his arrival and the Minister of Foreign Affairs would guide the Minister of Defence, the Ambassador and his senior staff to an office which had been sweeped beforehand by Shin Bet agents to allow the group to have the floor without the room being bugged.

"Mister Ambassador, welcome to Jerusalem. Can I get you a drink or something to eat?"

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Ambassador Goldstein briefly took off his glasses and cleaned them with a small handkerchief that had the Star of David on it. He returned a greeting to both of the men and followed them to the room where they would be meeting, "Thank you, Minister Netanyahu. You know, a Coca-Cola would be wonderful, if you have it. No ice please," he said as he took a seat in the room when the other two men did.

Zak

 

[Zak]

A staffer would bring in a Coca-Cola and glass and two glasses of water for the two Ministers as they placed the drinks on coasters around the table. Both Ministers opened their notepads as they prepared to take notes on the meeting to liaise with each department further down the line and escalate it to the Prime Minister if needed.

"Thank you for coming Ambassador Goldstein, I'm sure that you're a very busy man. I just wanted to get the United States stance on the crisis between Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia on Palestine. As I mentioned earlier, Israel has tried to make peace with Turkey which has been denied due to Israel trying to 'weasel its way out of serious predicaments using weak diplomatic summits and meetings which hold no real substance and only serve to distract from the issue.'

The Turkish Government also issued a list of demands to our country, some of which include the denouncing of right-wing violence which we have done. We may be a far-right government but we have been democratically elected by the Israeli people on a mandate to protect them and that is what we stand by. The threatening of invading the State of Israel if certain demands aren't met such as cancelling military exercises. We will not stand by and be bullied by a government which is trying to destabilize the region by not meeting for peace."

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"What is the State of Israel's stance on Palestine?" the Ambassador replied before taking a rather large gulp of the Coke and then sitting back with some unhealthy satisfaction. "Does your government have any plans of invading Palestine or the West Bank? From what I understand, there is a build-up of Israeli troops on the border with Palestine?" he asked.

Zak

 

[Zak]

"We do not see Palestine as a legitimate state and never will. I can neither confirm or deny that Israel has plans to invade Palestine as a whole, the West Bank or Gaza. That is up to Prime Minister Bennett, we have not deployed any troops to the border with Gaza, this was just something announced on social media but nothing has been deployed as of said point today." Minister Netanyahu replied.

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Ambassador Goldstein took a smaller sip of his coke and then sat forward as he looked at the two men for a few moments. "The State Department asked me to come here because they were hoping that we could prevent Arab and Turkish troops from coming to Jerusalem and raping it, and then burning it to the ground. If your government plans on invading Palestine for no other reason than you want to control it, then I have no idea how we will be able to justify defending Israel. If our intelligence is right about the size of Israel's current military, you wont stand much of a chance alone.

"If your government is dedicated to preserving peace in the region and does not intend on invading Palestine, or whatever you would like to call it, then the entire world would find Turkish and Saudi incursions into Israel unacceptable - including the United States. The State Department would be ready to organize some kind of formal peace talks as soon as possible to ensure that the situation in the region does not get worse... If neither of you can tell me what Israel's intentions are towards Palestine, then can I speak to the Prime Minister?" he asked.

Zak

 

[Zak]

Minister Netanyahu dials the Prime Ministers Office on a secure line to check if the Prime Minister was free, after a few exchanges between a staffer on the line in Hebrew, a short while later an encrypted video call was initiated between the Prime Minister and the trio at the Foreign Ministry Building where Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was joined on screen in a smartly dressed suit, all lines being secure.

"Ambassador Goldstein, how may I be of service to you today?" He asked, offering a smile which was rare from the Prime Minister.

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Ambassador Goldstein finished off his Coke. "Prime Minister, thank you for taking the time. Foreign Minister Netanyahu invited me here to discuss the situation between Israel, Palestine, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia yet he can't tell me what exactly Israel's plans are with Palestine. A conflict between Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia could result in tens-of-thousands dead, not to mention the crucial religions and historical sites that could be destroyed during such a conflict. The United States would really like to prevent any kind of kinetic conflict like that from happening. If Israel wants to maintain peace in the region, then the State Department is prepared to host high-level peace talks between Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. However, I need to know if you intend on having the Israel Defense Forces invade Palestine," he said. "That would obviously escalate the situation, dramatically."

Zak

 

[Zak]

"Well, as you may know Ambassador. Palestine has always and will be seen as a threat to Israel and its society. I must ask something Mister Ambassador, do you have permission to speak on behalf of the Secretary of State or do you know if the Secretary is free to join a call at this present moment? The President or Vice President would also be welcome to take the call if the Secretary is not free."

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"Secretary Fitzgerald and Vice President Sinclair are in Korea right now, and are unavailable. However, I did speak with Secretary Fitzgerald a few hours ago. I have been fully briefed on this situation and I know what the United States is, and is not, prepared to do in regards to it," he said, and then waited for the Prime Minister to respond. Goldstein wished that he hadn't drank his Coke so quickly.

Zak

 

[Zak]

"I am today suggesting the tripartition of the Palestinian territories, whereby Israel would unilaterally annex Area C, authority over the Gaza Strip would be transferred to Israel, and Area A and Area B would remain with the Palestinian National Authority, but under the security umbrella of the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet to ensure quiet, suppress Palestinian terrorism, and prevent Hamas from taking over the territory. Palestinians who lived in Area C, the Gaza Strip and Arabs in Israel will be offered Israeli citizenship or permanent residency status.

Finally, Israel would invest in creating roads so Palestinians could travel between the regions without checkpoints, and invest in infrastructure and joint industrial zones, because peace grows from below, through people, and people in daily life. We would also be willing to allow the United States State Department to send in observers on occasions they feel necessary to ensure that a deal is being followed.

In return, for United States support on the matter, we would be willing to allow the stationing of a radar station on Mount Keren in Dimona in Southern Israel."

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"Prime Minister, why do you want Israel to annex Area C and the Gaza Strip? You would be annexing millions of people who do not want to be a part of your country... I cannot imagine how destabilizing this would be for Israel," he said. The ambassador could not fathom how this could be peacefully achieved.

Zak

 

[Zak]

"Ambassador, these are Jews lives we're talking about. Hundreds of thousands of Jews. Israel has for years cited several reasons for gaining Area C of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, a claim based on the notion of historic rights to this as a homeland as affirmed in the Balfour Declaration; security grounds, internal and external, and the deep symbolic value for Jews of the area occupied. We're also looking to invest in these areas and will allow observers to oversee said projects will benefit not only Jewish civilians but also Palestinians too."

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"I am going to have to relay this information directly to the White House, as time is of the essence. I will be available by phone or video conference," the ambassador said before he got up, bid all three of the men including the Prime Minister farewell, and made his way downstairs before returning to the United States embassy. At the embassy, encrypted phone and telcom lines would be kept open in the event that discussions needed to happen immediately with the Israeli government. Meanwhile, the ambassador would, in detail, inform President Gore directly (via a secure connection) of the discussions he had with the Israelis while President Gore securely informed him of discussions that the United States had with the Turks. Meanwhile, a formal statement was prepared by the White House Press Secretary.

Zak