BASSEY SUGGESTS POSTPONING DISENGAGEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002538

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: BASSEY SUGGESTS POSTPONING DISENGAGEMENT


Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) Summary: Yonatan Bassey of the Disengagement
Authority (SELA) said on April 18 that it was his idea to
postpone disengagement until after Tisha B'Av because the
timing would be better for religious reasons. He noted that
the settlers have been more responsive to SELA in the past
two or three weeks, and that even residents from Netzarim are
quietly talking to him. Bassey continued that two-thirds of
the settlers will eventually live in the area around
Ashkelon, but the protected dunes there will not be damaged.
He said that someone should buy the settlers' greenhouse
equipment because they have started investing in new
greenhouses outside the Gaza Strip, and will take their
equipment with them. He suggested that if the U.S. wants to
help Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with disengagement, the USG
should focus on helping the settlers by freeing Jonathan
Pollard because Pollard is very important to them. End
summary.

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Postponing Disengagement
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2. (C) Yonatan Bassey, Director of the Disengagement
Authority (SELA),told Economic Counselor and Officer on
April 18 that the idea to postpone disengagement was his. He
said that the period of Tisha B'Av, which he described as
mourning the destruction of the First and Second Temples, and
the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, is "the worst
three weeks for Jews to leave." Bassey said that he feels
very close to the settlers, even if they do not feel close to
him, and that he thinks it is better "for religious reasons
to postpone." According to Bassey, disengagement should
begin after August 15 (Note: Tisha B'Av is through August

14. End note).


3. (C) Bassey said he thinks that PM Ariel Sharon may be
considering the postponement. In Bassey's opinion, Sharon
needs the extra time to talk to the settlers to help them
understand why Israel is evacuating them from the Gaza Strip.
Bassey commented that Sharon has talked to the settlers
without him because the settlers see Bassey as the enemy. He
explained that Sharon apologized to Bassey for meeting the
settlers without him, and said that Sharon is not working
against him. According to Bassey, he and Sharon are "playing
good cop, bad cop."

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Relocating and Compensating the Settlers:
Dunes are Safe, Citrus Groves are Not
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4. (C) Bassey noted that the settlers have been more
responsive to SELA since the Knesset vote on the referendum
and passage of the budget. He explained that only 70-80
families have asked for compensation so far, but now SELA is
"really negotiating" (Note: When EconCouns and Econoff
walked into the SELA office, an office assistant was
preparing 1,008 compensation application packages for
mailing. End note). Bassey commented that even settlers
from Netzarim are now quietly talking to him, but declined to
mention any names to protect them. He said the settlers told
him they would argue publicly against disengagement but in
the end they would leave. He noted that he never thought
these settlers would talk to him two or three weeks ago.


5. (C) Bassey continued that many of the settlers want to go
to the Ashkelon-Nitzanim area. This is a problem, however,
because the Mehadrin Company owns about 1,000 acres of citrus
groves in the area and these groves will have to be uprooted
to build villages to accommodate the settlers. Bassey said
Mehadrin would have to receive compensation from the
government, but since he is a partner, he "wants to stay out
of it." He mentioned, however, that Mehadrin would not be
adversely affected from having to relocate.


6. (C) Bassey claimed that the "Environment Ministry talks
too much" and that no one is going to destroy the protected
dunes north of Ashkelon. He explained that 450 families will
move to Kfar Hanoar in Nitzanim, and that the GOI will build
two or three new villages between Ashkelon and the dunes to
house other settlers. He said about two-thirds of the
settlers will eventually live around the dunes, but not
inside. Bassey commented that settlers from the northern
West Bank settlements would probably go to Afula, and that
about 50 settlers may move to the Negev on their own.


7. (C) Bassey noted that the majority of the 70-80 families
that have applied for compensation are from the northern West
Bank settlements. He also commented that he just bought the
land in Kfar Hanoar a few days ago where the 450 families
will move. Bassey reported that one option the settlers will
have will be to receive some of this land instead of
compensation for their land in Gaza. He mentioned that some
settlers have requested to live in temporary caravans right
across the street from their future homes in Kfar Hanoar
because they think the GOI will renege on this land-for-land
deal if they are not physically present there. Bassey opined
this is crazy because the settlers will need schools and Kfar
Hanoar cannot accommodate their educational needs right now.

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Settlers Rebuilding Greenhouses
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8. (C) Bassey mentioned that he was trying to negotiate that
the Palestinians begin caring for the greenhouses a few weeks
before disengagement so that the Palestinians could "get used
to it." He also said that "the Americans are lazy" because
they are not doing enough to encourage the transfer of
assets, and that he is afraid the settlers will take all the
equipment and destroy the buildings. Bassey reported that if
no one buys the settlers' equipment in the next three weeks,
the settlers will take it with them to the new greenhouses
they are investing in near Kibbutz Nahal Oz, just east of the
Netzarim settlement outside Gaza. He explained that the
Israel Lands Authority gave them about 1,000 acres from the
kibbutz, and that they have begun construction there; the
settlers will work on this land because Ashkelon is only
about 20 minutes away.

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Security
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9. (C) On security matters, Bassey claimed that the settlers
will disarm. He said, however, that Defense Minister Shaul
Mofaz should not have stated publicly that the settlers
talked to him because this would make them feel guilty and
ashamed. Bassey reported that the police and the military
will undertake the evacuations together because it will be a
difficult process and Israel does not have enough police for
the job. He explained that the Gush Katif bloc would be
evacuated through Road 242, the Kissufim Road, but did not
comment on the northern Gaza Strip settlements.

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How the U.S. Can Help: Free
Pollard, Money for the Negev
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10. (C) Bassey suggested that if the U.S. wants to help
Sharon with disengagement, the U.S. should focus on the
settlers themselves. He said that one way to make them more
comfortable with the evacuation would be for the U.S. to free
Jonathan Pollard. Bassey explained that Pollard is very
important to the settlers, and his freedom would be a
significant gesture.


11. (C) Bassey said that aid to develop the Negev and
Galilee is important, as well. According to Bassey, since
the budget is aimed at the disengagement plan, Israel needs
funds for the Negev because it is important for the GOI "to
continue to develop" the region.

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