Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV4715
2005-07-28 15:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

GAZA DISENGAGEMENT UPDATE, JULY 28, 2005

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281554Z Jul 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004715 

SIPDIS

NEA FOR WELCH/DIBBLE
NEA/IPA FOR GREENE
NSC FOR ABRAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2015
TAGS: KWBG KPAL PREL ECON EAID IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT UPDATE, JULY 28, 2005


Classified By: DCM Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

This is a joint message from Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate
General Jerusalem

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 004715

SIPDIS

NEA FOR WELCH/DIBBLE
NEA/IPA FOR GREENE
NSC FOR ABRAMS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2015
TAGS: KWBG KPAL PREL ECON EAID IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT UPDATE, JULY 28, 2005


Classified By: DCM Gene A. Cretz for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

This is a joint message from Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate
General Jerusalem


1. (C) Summary: This is the first in a series of regular
reports tracking progress on disengagement coordination
between the GOI and the PA. On the six priority areas
outlined by Quartet Special Envoy (QSE) Wolfensohn, Ministers
Mofaz and Dahlan agreed that door-to-door movement of goods
should be a goal; PA Planning Ministry reps raised the need
for a GOI document approving seaport construction in order to
encourage donor assistance; the World Bank reported Dahlan,s
verbal agreement that usable rubble from settlement houses
should be employed in construction; Mofaz provided Dahlan a
map and partial inventory of the settlements to be evacuated,
and MoD,s Maj. Gen. Speigel said that Israeli moshavim near
Sufa crossing have expressed interest in marketing
Palestinian agriculture products following disengagement. On
humanitarian issues, PLO Negotiations Support Unit Legal
Advisor said that Dahlan and Mofaz agreed on GOI approvals on
five key humanitarian issues, including family reunifications
and visa overstays. On other aspects of coordination,
Ministers Ramon and Dahlan plan to meet next week on the
turnover of water, electricity, and telecommunications
infrastructure. End summary.


2. (C) Passages and Trade

-- PA Civil Affairs Minister Dahlan told the Consul General
July 27 that his July 26 meeting with GOI Defense Minister
Mofaz went well with Mofaz confirming that door-to-door
movement, in principle, should be the goal. Both sides also
agreed to establish two subcommittees on crossing issues.
One subcommittee will look at short-term issues, including a
convoy pilot project, and the other will look at long-term
issues, such as the security technology to facilitate
door-to-door movement.

-- World Bank country director Nigel Roberts told Embassy
EconCouns July 28 that a subgroup on technical agriculture
issues will meet Wednesday or Thursday of next week on the

possibility of constructing a dedicated agriculture crossing.


3. (C) WB/Gaza Link:

-- Several Gazan private sector contacts from Paltrade and
the Palestinian Business Association have told Emboffs that
the Gazan business community has &no preference8 as to the
type of West Bank/Gaza link constructed following
disengagement. Construction engineer Jawdat al-Khoudry
reported that real estate prices in Bayt Hanoun have risen by
upwards of 70% following a rumor that the rail or road link
to the West Bank would start there.


4. (U) Movement in the West Bank:

-- Nothing to report.


5. (C) Air/Seaports:

-- PA Planning Ministry raised with Staffdel Savit and
ConGenOffs July 28 the need for a written document from the
GOI, perhaps addressed to QSE Wolfensohn, approving work to
move forward on the seaport that will offer a degree of
assurance to donors who want to fund the construction.


6. (C) Settlement Housing:

-- World Bank country director Nigel Roberts told Emboffs
July 28 that a bank study showed that if settlement houses
are lightly demolished, 70% could be used for construction
inside Gaza, leaving approximately 4,200 truckloads of rubble
to dispose of. According to Roberts, PA Civil Affairs
Minister Dahlan concurred that the Palestinians should employ
usable rubble in construction. (Note: The World Bank study
was e-mailed to NEA, July 26. End note.)

-- Gazan private sector contacts in cooperation with the
German consulting firm GTZ have prepared a report asserting
that the approximately 10 million cm of Gazan rubble from IDF
incursions and the Intifada should be dealt with in tandem
with rubble from the demolished settlement houses. According
to the report, both types could be used to construct roads
and a small number of mid-rises, and could generate hundreds
to thousands of short-to-medium term jobs.


7. (C) Greenhouses:

-- PA Civil Affairs Minister Dahlan received from GOI Defense
Minister Mofaz July 26 a map of the settlements to be
evacuated with the greenhouses highlighted and a list of the
types of crops grown and the amount of land under cultivation.

-- According to MoD advisor Maj. Gen. (res) Baruch Speigel,
several kibbutzim and moshavim on the Israeli side of the
Sufa terminal have expressed interest in marketing
Palestinian agricultural produce following disengagement,
fueling the GOI,s consideration of Sufa as a dedicated
agriculture crossing.


8. (C) Humanitarian issues:

-- PLO Negotiations Support Unit Legal Advisor said July 27
that Ministers Dahlan and Mofaz had also agreed in their July
26 meeting that there would be approvals for the following
five humanitarian cases, with specific details to be worked
out by the joint Civil Affairs committee:

(a) Family reunifications -- 5,000 will be allowed in Gaza
but only special cases will be approved for the West Bank;

(b) minors born to individuals with identity cards from the
other area would be given permits to travel to the other area
to register with the PA authorities and then return to their
homes;

(c) visa overstayers in the West Bank/Gaza -- of the 35,000
living illegally in either the West Bank or Gaza, 5,000 would
be permitted to register for an identity card;

(d) visitor permits for special cases would be approved to
allow movement between the West Bank and Gaza; and

(e) PA officials would return to crossing points, such as
Allenby. (Note: It is not yet clear if this will include
both PA police and customs. End note.)


9. (C) Other issues:

-- PA Planning Minister July 28 confirmed that the PA cabinet
approved on July 26 the new regional plan for Gaza
Governorates. The PA Planning Ministry is translating the
plan and will soon post it on its website.

-- Israeli water commission told us that Minister Haim Ramon
will meet next week with PA Civil Affairs Minister Dahlan to
discuss turnover of water, electricity, and
telecommunications infrastructure. Ramon may pass to Dahlan
more detailed infrastructure information than has been
previously provided.

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