SPIEGEL BRIEFS ON FENCE ACTIONS, PREPS MOFAZ FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001420

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2013
TAGS: PREL KWBG PHUM PBTS IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS ISRAEL RELATIONS
SUBJECT: SPIEGEL BRIEFS ON FENCE ACTIONS, PREPS MOFAZ FOR
WASHINGTON MEETINGS


Classified By: Political Counselor Norman H. Olsen for Reasons 1.4 (B)
and (D).


1. (C) BG (res) Baruch Spiegel called POL/C to a
short-notice meeting March 8 to detail the latest steps in
his assigned effort to address for the MOD measures to
relieve the problems for Palestinians caused by the
separation barrier. He said the advanced timing of the
meeting was designed to convey to Washington the latest
developments, on which he had briefed DefMin Mofaz the night
before, and to offer the USG a chance to raise any questions
-- now or in the next 48 hours -- on which he should update
Mofaz prior to the minister's Washington meetings later this
week. Spiegel also noted, following receipt of a telephone
call during the meeting, that he would be appearing on
several television channels that evening to discuss his work
and the measures he has recommended.


2. (C) Without himself detailing specific points, Spiegel
said that press coverage of recently accounced measures to
professionalize IDF conduct and operations at what will now
be called the checkpoints, vice roadblocks, is accurate. The
measures cited in press announcements include better
infrastructure, better training of personnel, an IDF code of
conduct, uniform rules, a "green line" for fast passage of
ambulances, VIPs and vital workers, restroom facilities,
water faucets and garbage cans. Further, he said, the fence
map now looks completely different, with the "loops" into the
West Bank "postponed" for now. These measures, he said, will
address most of the questions put to him by DAS Satterfield
and NSC Director Danin during their last visit. He noted
that they are also similar to measures that MOD officials
discussed with DAPNSA Hadley, A/S Burns and Senior Director
Abrams during their recent visit.


3. (C) In addition, seven checkpoints will be updgraded,
beginning immediately. The Jerusalem area checkpoints are
Kalandia, Wadi El Nahar, and what he termed #300 near
Bethlehem. He described the others, which he did not name,
as four checkpoints around Nablus that will remain in place
for what he termed the time being, leaving open the
possibility that they might be removed at some unspecified
point. Timing of the full renovations will be in months, not
weeks, given budget and constuction issues and training
times. Mofaz, whom he termed "very informed," will be
prepared to discuss these improvements, although Spiegel was
not sure whether Mofaz would raise them himself, or would
simply be prepared to respond to questions.


4. (C) Spiegel said that other issues under consideration
are: relocation of some checkpoints along the fence,
increases in opening times; facilitating transportation for
Palestinian school children; and addressing the needs of
Palestinians whose homes are now separated by the separation
barrier from their lands. All these issues are now the
subject of staff work, he said.


5. (C) On specific issues that the Embassy has raised
previously with Spiegel, he offered the following:

-- The fence that had run to the east of Baqa al Sharqiya,
separating it from the West Bank, is being moved to run
between the Israeli village of Baqa al Gharbiya and the
Palestinian village of Nazlet Issa, just west of Baqa al
Sharqiya. The barrier will have a special gate, manned by
three Israeli personnel, for the use of members of seven
families with identified needs to cross regularly, for
identified persons with "first class credentials," and for
other individuals with special needs yet to be identified.
Other people will need to use other crossing points, such as
the one at Zayteh, to the south, and Reihan, to the north.
Asked why, if that gate exists and must be manned in any
event, the GOI would limit passage, Spiegel explained that
the 37 barrier crossing points planned so far for between
Salem and Qalqilya will range from limited-use doors or gates
up to major personnel and cargo transit crossings with
significant terminal facilities. For instance, the crossing
at Jalameh, farther to the northeast, will be a major
facility, including for cargo transit. He added that Salem
crossing point will be limited to unspecified Israeli
operational needs and will not serve as a regular passage.

-- At Beit Surik, north of Jerusalem, Spiegel is looking at
proposals to prevent Palestinians from being separated by a
close-running fence route from several thousand dunams of
their land on the southern side of the village. Spiegel
showed POL/C a map with the present fence route, close to the
village, and what he described as one alternative: a broader
loop of fence that runs closer to the Green Line and to the
Israeli village of Nevasserat. He pointed to a high point of
ground northeast of Nevasserat and slightly south of east
from Beit Surik, identifying it as a critical security
overlook and a site that would remain on the Israeli side of
the fence under any circumstances.

-- On the Rosary Sisters school case, where the separation
barrier runs close to the school and separates Israeli
students from their homes, Spiegel said he had met with
school representatives that afternoon and taken with him a
portfolio of documents to consider.

-- On the Jerusalem barrier overall, Spiegel said GOI
officials had come to the decision to cease construction in
those areas where he has identified problems until legal
issues have been resolved and until remedial measures are
both identified and ready for implementation. For instance,
he said, construction of wall sections will not continue
without inclusion of necessary crossing points. Wall and
gate construction will proceed concurrently. Kalandia and A
Ram crossings will be big complexes, he added, and officials
there are checking house to house before proceeding.
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