NOF HASHARON SETTLEMENT MAY GET BUYERS:

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002762

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: NOF HASHARON SETTLEMENT MAY GET BUYERS:
DISENGAGEMENT EVACUEES

Classified By: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Consulate General Jerusalem cleared this cable.


1. (C) Summary: Dror Ginatt, Secretary General of the
Israeli community of Nirit, told econoff that the town
chairman of the settlement of Homesh recently visited him to
inquire about moving Homesh's settlers to Nirit after
disengagement. Ginatt informed him that there are no
vacancies in Nirit, and suggested that the settlers look at
the new settlement of Nof HaSharon on the other side of the
Green Line in the West Bank. Ginatt also told econoff that
since the High Court decided to allow the development of Nof
HaSharon, Nirit's residents are now negotiating with the
developers to limit Nof HaSharon's size to 50 housing units
in exchange for use of Nirit's infrastructure. Arieh Han, a
resident of Nirit, told econoff that Nirit's residents voted
in favor of negotiations in a very close vote, rather than
trying to appeal the High Court's decision, because the
residents "want to minimize the damage," but he thought it
was "naive" to think that Nof HaSharon would not grow beyond
50 units because there are powerful, ideological interests
behind the new settlement. End summary.

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Homesh Settlers to be Nirit's Neighbors?
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2. (C) Dror Ginatt, Secretary General of Nirit, the Israeli
community that abuts the Green Line, told economic officer on
May 3 that the town chairman of Homesh recently visited him
to discuss moving Homesh's residents to Nirit. (Note: Homesh
is one of the northern West Bank settlements slated for
evacuation under the disengagement plan. End note.) Ginatt
said he responded that there are no vacancies in Nirit, but
Homesh's residents could possibly move to Nof HaSharon
instead, the new settlement being developed adjacent to Nirit
but on the east side of the Green Line in the West Bank.
Ginatt explained that although Nirit and Nof HaSharon "are in
negotiations and still an open case," Nirit's residents will
not try to "manipulate" who buys land in Nof HaSharon. Press
reports from the Jerusalem Post indicate that Homesh is
currently negotiating with the government to move its
residents to Nof HaSharon.

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Nirit Allows Infrastructure
Connection For No More Growth
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3. (C) Ginatt noted that the ongoing negotiations between
Nirit and Nof HaSharon relate to Nof HaSharon not being able
to expand beyond 50 housing units. Since the High Court
almost two months ago decided to allow the development of the
new settlement, Nirit's residents agreed that Nof HaSharon
could use their infrastructure services if the development
does not expand beyond 50 housing units, according to Ginatt.
Nirit's residents do not have the money for an appeal
against the High Court's decision, and do not expect to win,
so they have "decided to accept it if there is no more
development in Nof HaSharon" beyond the 50 units. Ginatt
said the negotiations with the developers on zoning changes
are going well. He commented that the developers have
accepted the concept of no more than 50 units because they
want to "finish and get out of the picture."


4. (C) Arieh Han, a resident of Nirit, told econoff that
Nirit's residents decided to enter into negotiations with the
developers in a very close vote of 159-148. He pointed out
that almost 50 percent of Nirit's residents who voted still
do not want Nof HaSharon to grow next to their community,
even though the vote passed, because they perceive it
violates GOI commitments to the U.S., and because they do not
believe the settlement will stop at 50 units. Han added that
many of Nirit's residents did not vote at all because they
are tired and do not believe anything can be done to stop the
development of the new settlement. Han continued that those
who voted for negotiations with Nof HaSharon's developers did
so because they "want to minimize the damage but it's naive"
because Nof HaSharon will grow beyond 50 houses regardless of
any agreement. He said there are ideological interests
behind the establishment of the settlement that will not be
stopped.

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