MOD DG AMOS YARON ON PASSAGES, THE BARRIER, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 003561

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS MILITARY RELATIONS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: MOD DG AMOS YARON ON PASSAGES, THE BARRIER, AND
SALES TO VENEZUELA


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


1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Ministry of Defense
(MOD) Director General Amos Yaron recently to discuss the
status of the seamline barrier around major settlement blocs.
Yaron said that the idea of building a wall in Hebron has
been turned down by the Attorney General. Yaron noted that
the MOD will be in charge of all technical work related to
the passage s, and that their proper functioning depends in
part on the security situation. He asked for clearer USG
guidance on the modalities of mortar sales to Venezuela and
said Israel would do its "best to abide" by the guidance.
End summary.

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Seamline Barrier
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2. (C) Ministry of Defense (MOD) Director General Amos Yaron
told the Ambassador that the decision on the location of the
seamline barrier around the major settlement blocs is in
various stages. He noted that the Ma'ale Adumim and Gush
Etzion barrier decisions are with the Ministry of Justice
(MOJ),and the Ariel barrier decision is with the High Court.
Yaron mentioned there are problems between the MOD and the
MOJ regarding the route of the barrier around Jerusalem.


3. (C) Yaron said the barrier in the Eshkolot area may not
keep its current route east of the quarries. He commented
that the GOI will find local solutions and may split the
quarries if they are close to the barrier by running the
barrier through the quarry instead of around it.


4. (C) Yaron continued that the idea of building a wall in
Hebron has been turned down by the Attorney General. He
explained that Central Commander Yair Naveh came up with the
concept of building the wall because he is "angry that the
settlers keep attacking the soldiers."

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Crossings
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5. (C) The Ambassador informed Yaron that Brigadier General
(res) Baruch Spiegel, MOD advisor, had expressed concern
about the water, sewage, and sanitation problems in Wadi
Hanun in the Gaza Strip impacting the construction of the
Erez Crossing. Yaron said that it would be good if USAID got
involved in the area to help the Palestinians deal with the
environmental issues there. He said, "You have to do
something about this."


6. (C) Yaron told the Ambassador that he had a meeting with
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres to better coordinate the
disengagement process amongst themselves. They decided that
all technical work related to passages would fall under the
MOD, and that Peres would work on policy matters. Yaron
continued that the MOD is not in a position to limit business
by holding containers and trucks at crossings, and if trucks
"want to cross today, they cross today." He said the proper
functioning of passages will depend on the security
situation, and on the passages being built to the
specifications in the tenders.


7. (C) Yaron said he told World Bank President James
Wolfensohn in early May that it is important to increase
Palestinian ownership of the disengagement process. He noted
that "we have to try to find a way or create a situation in
which ordinary Palestinian people start to feel that they
have something to lose." As such, he told Wolfensohn that
the GOI has to "speed up the passages" and needs $150-200
million to build them because the first priority is movement
of goods and people.

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Sales to Venezuela
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8. (C) Regarding Israeli sales of mortars and other defense
equipment to Venezuela, Yaron told the Ambassador that Israel
has "quite a large business there" of a few million dollars
and needs more specific guidance from the USG. He explained
that this amount of trade is significant for Israel, and
requested clearer guidance from the USG on arms sales to
Venezuela in order to avoid another China.

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