A few Wikileaks cables published in Counterpunch (and not yet elsewhere).

Gaza

Below 11 cables from Counterpunch on Gaza around New Year 2009. Text only, no comments.

Abbreviations:
GOI: Government of Israel, IDF: Israel Defense Forces, COGAT: Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, PA: Palestinian Authority, PASF: Palestinian Authority Security Forces, USG: US Government

2008-12-22 08TELAVIV2864 PREPARING FOR AN ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATION IN GAZA
The contingencies range from resumption of targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders to a full-scale invasion and reoccupation of Gaza. ... We recommend that the Department also begin to prepare press guidance, talking points and Security Council reaction in the event that Israel acts in the near future. ... Our recommendation is that the USG start with putting the blame on Hamas

2008-12-29 08TELAVIV2906 GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 29, 18:00
Air strikes against strategic and tactical targets continued throughout the day, as did rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip. One Israeli civilian was killed ... Israeli Naval forces also attacked Hamas vessels and coastal structures overnight ... the only two Israeli banks that maintain correspondent relationships with Palestinian banks, report that they plan to permanently discontinue provision of services to Gaza branches as of midnight on December 31st.

2008-12-30 08JERUSALEM2314 SENIOR IDF, PASF COMMANDERS MEET TO DISCUSS WEST BANK SECURITY SITUATION
PA security chiefs met with top IDF and COGAT officers ... the two sides agreed to expedite coordination and exchange information on disturbances and agreed both sides have an interest in avoiding violent clashes.

2008-12-30 08TELAVIV2922 GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 30, 18:00
Air strikes during the early morning hours of December 30 destroyed a number of Hamas strategic and tactical targets, including a government complex in Gaza City. Rockets and mortars from Gaza continued to strike Israel ... An Israeli Navy vessel rammed a boat from the Free Gaza movement carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza ... "inefficiencies on the part of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) Ministry of Health -- and not the GOI -- are responsible for the delay of medical supplies into Gaza."

2008-12-31 08TELAVIV2930 GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 31, 14:30
rocket fire continues into Israel from Gaza ... Israeli airstrikes are ongoing ... Protests against the Gaza operation continue in Israeli-Arab and mixed Jewish-Arab towns

2009-01-02 09TELAVIV5 GAZA SITUATION REPORT, JANUARY 2, 15:00
Local and international media highlighted FM Livni,s January 1 comments in Paris that a ceasefire was unnecessary ... Rocket and mortar strikes against southern Israeli towns have decreased, but Grad-type rockets continue to impact Be,er Sheva ... On the morning of January 2, Embassy Tel Aviv, Consulate-General Jerusalem and Embassy Amman facilitated the evacuation of 27 American citizens and their family members from Gaza.

2009-01-02 09JERUSALEM17 GAZA CONTACTS DESCRIBE A MISERABLE LIFE UNDER FIRE
Hamas' objective is permanently reopening the crossings, not halting Israeli attacks or protecting Gaza's population ... airstrikes are having a severe psychological impact on his children, who have become distant and distrustful. He said he was fortunate to have relocated his family to an in-laws' house the night before his house was wrecked. ... The adults are eating little themselves so the children can eat.

2009-01-04 09CAIRO7 EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 4
Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing on January 4 after the Israelis gave advanced warning of their ground invasion and additional air strikes on the smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Rafah border.

2009-01-05 09CAIRO17 EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 5
Egyptian border guards successfully prevented subsequent attempts to breach the border by a small number of unorganized individuals. ... The Egyptian military stressed that the Rafah border would not be permanently opened until the Palestinian Authority regained control of the border crossings.

2009-01-05 09TELAVIV15 GAZA SITUATION REPORT, JANUARY 5, 16:00
IDF ground operations continued January 5 with heavy artillery fire and troop advances on Gaza City. ... The number of rocket attacks has decreased, although 28 rockets were fired at Israel as of 1600 local. ... The GOI continues to restrict media access to Gaza ... On January 3, the IDF also confiscated the personal cell phones of soldiers involved in the ground campaign.

2009-01-06 09JERUSALEM49 AS IDF MOVES IN, GAZA CONTACTS EXPRESS ANGER AND DESPERATION
A wide range of ConGen Gaza contacts showed signs of increased trauma as they recounted a night of heavy IDF bombardment, an attempt by militants to fire rockets from civilian areas, and shortages of essential materials, including food, water, and fuel. Contacts expressed mounting anger at what they termed the "randomness" of Israeli attacks. CNN's bureau chief described a woman at Shifa Hospital who said her baby died after four days without food or water.

2008-12-22	08TELAVIV2864	PREPARING FOR AN ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATION IN GAZA The contingencies range from resumption of targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders to a full-scale invasion and reoccupation of Gaza. ... We recommend that the Department also begin to prepare press guidance, talking points and Security Council reaction in the event that Israel acts in the near future. ... Our recommendation is that the USG start with putting the blame on Hamas
2008-12-29	08TELAVIV2906	GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 29, 18:00 Air strikes against strategic and tactical targets continued throughout the day, as did rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip. One Israeli civilian was killed ... Israeli Naval forces also attacked Hamas vessels and coastal structures overnight ... the only two Israeli banks that maintain correspondent relationships with Palestinian banks, report that they plan to permanently discontinue provision of services to Gaza branches as of midnight on December 31st.
2008-12-30	08JERUSALEM2314	SENIOR IDF, PASF COMMANDERS MEET TO DISCUSS WEST BANK SECURITY SITUATION PA security chiefs met with top IDF and COGAT officers ... the two sides agreed to expedite coordination and exchange information on disturbances and agreed both sides have an interest in avoiding violent clashes.
2008-12-30	08TELAVIV2922	GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 30, 18:00 Air strikes during the early morning hours of December 30 destroyed a number of Hamas strategic and tactical targets, including a government complex in Gaza City. Rockets and mortars from Gaza continued to strike Israel ... An Israeli Navy vessel rammed a boat from the Free Gaza movement carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza ... "inefficiencies on the part of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) Ministry of Health -- and not the GOI -- are responsible for the delay of medical supplies into Gaza."
2008-12-31	08TELAVIV2930	GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 31, 14:30 rocket fire continues into Israel from Gaza ... Israeli airstrikes are ongoing ... Protests against the Gaza operation continue in Israeli-Arab and mixed Jewish-Arab towns
2009-01-02	09TELAVIV5	GAZA SITUATION REPORT, JANUARY 2, 15:00 Local and international media highlighted FM Livni,s January 1 comments in Paris that a ceasefire was unnecessary ... Rocket and mortar strikes against southern Israeli towns have decreased, but Grad-type rockets continue to impact Be,er Sheva ... On the morning of January 2, Embassy Tel Aviv, Consulate-General Jerusalem and Embassy Amman facilitated the evacuation of 27 American citizens and their family members from Gaza.
2009-01-02	09JERUSALEM17	GAZA CONTACTS DESCRIBE A MISERABLE LIFE UNDER FIRE Hamas' objective is permanently reopening the crossings, not halting Israeli attacks or protecting Gaza's population ... airstrikes are having a severe psychological impact on his children, who have become distant and distrustful. He said he was fortunate to have relocated his family to an in-laws' house the night before his house was wrecked. ... The adults are eating little themselves so the children can eat.
2009-01-04	09CAIRO7	EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 4 Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing on January 4 after the Israelis gave advanced warning of their ground invasion and additional air strikes on the smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Rafah border.
2009-01-05	09CAIRO17	EGYPT: GAZA ROUND-UP: JANUARY 5 Egyptian border guards successfully prevented subsequent attempts to breach the border by a small number of unorganized individuals. ... The Egyptian military stressed that the Rafah border would not be permanently opened until the Palestinian Authority regained control of the border crossings.
2009-01-05	09TELAVIV15	GAZA SITUATION REPORT, JANUARY 5, 16:00 IDF ground operations continued January 5 with heavy artillery fire and troop advances on Gaza City. ... The number of rocket attacks has decreased, although 28 rockets were fired at Israel as of 1600 local. ... The GOI continues to restrict media access to Gaza ... On January 3, the IDF also confiscated the personal cell phones of soldiers involved in the ground campaign.
2009-01-06	09JERUSALEM49	AS IDF MOVES IN, GAZA CONTACTS EXPRESS ANGER AND DESPERATION A wide range of ConGen Gaza contacts showed signs of increased trauma as they recounted a night of heavy IDF bombardment, an attempt by militants to fire rockets from civilian areas, and shortages of essential materials, including food, water, and fuel. Contacts expressed mounting anger at what they termed the "randomness" of Israeli attacks. CNN's bureau chief described a woman at Shifa Hospital who said her baby died after four days without food or water.