Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV5019
2005-08-12 16:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

GAZA DISENGAGEMENT: GEN. DANGOTT UPDATES

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 005019 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2015
TAGS: ECON EAID KWBG KPAL PREL MARR PTER IS EG GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT: GEN. DANGOTT UPDATES
AMBASSADOR ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH PALESTINIANS


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

=======
SUMMARY
=======

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 005019

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2015
TAGS: ECON EAID KWBG KPAL PREL MARR PTER IS EG GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT: GEN. DANGOTT UPDATES
AMBASSADOR ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH PALESTINIANS


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

=======
SUMMARY
=======


1. (C) DEFMIN Mofaz's Military Adviser, General Eitan
Dangott, updated Ambassador August 12 on status of ongoing
GOI-Palestinian negotiations on post-disengagement issues,
including the disposition of settler housing, the degree of
authority for Gaza, improvement in passages, the Gaza
disputed border, greenhouses, the Philadelphi Strip, and the
legal status of the evacuated area of the West Bank. Dangott
said that the two sides are close to agreement on the
principles for the dismantlement of settler housing, but that
the GOI needs USG help in (a) assuring that Egypt agrees to
take unused rubble from the demolished homes; and (b)
securing either EU or World Bank agreement to serve as the
dismantlement program manager. On passages and access,
Dangott said discussions on the Karni border crossing are
moving forward, but the Palestinian side is delaying
discussion of Erez because they want to discuss the border
issue. The Israelis are assembling a pilot program for
Gaza-West Bank convoys and will review it with the
Palestinians within two weeks.


2. (C) Dangott expressed frustration with the Palestinian
side's efforts to front-load the border demarcation as an
issue. The GOI believes Egypt is behind this tactic. On
Philadelphi and the security customs envelope, Dangott said
Israel needs more time to discuss the issues with the
Palestinians and fine-tune a way ahead that is acceptable to
the Knesset. On the status of the northern West Bank areas
that will be evacuated, Dangott said NGO and Palestinian
concerns were essentially unfounded, as the area's status
will evolve with time and Palestinian security performance.
END SUMMARY.

===============
Settler Housing
===============


3. (C) Dangott said that Palestinian Authority Minister of
Civil Affairs Muhammad Dahlan had agreed, after meeting with
Omar Suleiman in Egypt, that private companies will remove
the rubble from the demolition of settler homes. Egypt will
send a small team to Gaza to discreetly look at the houses
while disengagement is taking place. Referring to the draft
principles documents, Dangott said only three of the ten
principles remain unresolved. In particular, Dahlan objects
to references to Egypt, claiming that this will anger the
Egyptians. Dangott requested USG assistance on this matter.
The Ambassador said the USG is asking the Egyptians to notify
the GOI directly or through the USG of their agreement to
receive the rubble. Dangott said that once the principles
are agreed, the GOI would want it signed by MOD DG Amos
Yaron, Wolfensohn and Dahlan. He stressed that the three
signatures are important, psychologically, for the
Palestinians.


4. (C) Dangott said he understands that Wolfensohn is
currently in the U.S. seeking agreement for either the World
Bank or the European Union to serve as project manager for
the demolition. Dangott said he would discuss the issue with
the resident European Union representative the evening of
August 12. Dangott expressed appreciation for our help, but
stressed that the GOI needs a positive answer from the EU or
World Bank by August 14. Asked if the UN could serve as
project manager in case the EU and World Bank refuse, Dangott
replied that the GOI would prefer the that UN not be
involved. He explained that Israel's experience with the UN
has been difficult, and that the UN would draw in too many
actors.


5. (C) Dangott confirmed that the GOI would remove asbestos
and other hazardous materials from the settler housing.
Referring to the homes in the four West Bank settlements that
are to be destroyed, Dangott said that Environment Minister
Director General Miki Haran would provide him with
information on the buildings the week of August 14. In the
meantime, Haran had already told him that there was no
asbestos in the private houses -- only in the public,
industrial buildings. Dangott said that he had already
passed to Dahlan information on which public buildings would
not be razed.

=======================================
Gaza Status to be Discussed Bilaterally
=======================================


6. (C) Dangott briefly touched on the issue of the source of
authority for Gaza, saying it was being discussed bilaterally
with the Palestinian Authority. He said the GOI was trying
to "push something through," and was confident the issue
would be resolved to both sides' satisfaction.

===================
Passages and Access
===================


7. (C) Dangott said that he will meet next week with Dahlan
to discuss the principles of Rafah access through the present
and near term (e.g., while the GOI remains in Philadelphi),
and in the future. Discussions on Karni have already started
and are moving forward. Dangott expressed frustration,
however, that Dahlan appears hesitant to discuss Erez because
Dahlan wants to negotiate the border. The GOI is now waiting
to hear from Dahlan on issues of technology to improve the
passages. Dangott stressed that it was important to move
forward on Erez during disengagement, and that it was
necessary to "push" Dahlan.


8. (C) The General said the GOI is working on a pilot program
for transportation of people and goods between Gaza and the
West Bank, and would have it ready within two weeks, for
review with the Palestinians. Dangott acknowledged that the
Palestinians wanted same-day, door-to-door transport of
goods. Time is needed, however, before a door-to-door system
could be implemented. The GOI wants to see progress on other
issues -- e.g., security issues -- before it starts
discussing door-to-door passage with the Palestinian side.
Dangott observed that the GOI also has work to do to sort out
responsibilities on its side. He said he is trying to get
the GOI to agree that the MOD will be responsible for the
Karni border crossing.

==========
The Border
==========


9. (C) Dangott expressed frustration that Dahlan is always
pushing to have the Gaza border issue placed up front as a
main issue of discussion. The GOI believes Egypt is behind
Dahlan's constant pressure on the matter. Dangott said
Israel cannot allow this issue to be turned into something
close to "Shebaa Farm" that would be exploited to justify
resumption of attacks against Israel from Gaza.

===========
Greenhouses
===========


10. (C) The Ambassador said that Wolfensohn had reached
agreement with the settlers on the greenhouses. Dangott
expressed appreciation for Wolfensohn's assistance, and said
he had passed over all the information he had in his database
to Wolfensohn. He promised the GOI's help in allowing
Palestinians to work at the greenhouses during disengagement.

=================
Philadelphi Strip
=================


11. (C) Dangott recounted that the Israeli security cabinet
had designed two options for the passage of goods and people
from Egypt that preserves Israel's security needs:

(a) The GOI could move the customs and security envelope to
the Erez and Karni border crossings.

(b) The GOI could build a border crossing for people and
goods in the southeastern corner of Gaza (at Kerem Shalom) in
two months, and then eventually connect the border crossing
with the airport.


12. (C) Dangott said he is afraid he will not be able to
convince Dahlan to choose one of these options. He said
Dahlan maintains his preference for goods and people being
allowed to move between Gaza and Egypt via the Rafah border
crossing. The Israeli side has told Dahlan it needs to keep
Rafah secure to (1) prevent crossings into Gaza by Hamas and
Islamic Jihad members (Dangott stressed that Israel has
information that the PIJ members will cross into Gaza if
Rafah is opened.); and (2) keep the security and customs
envelope intact. Dangott said that the Israeli side has made
it clear that it wants to withdraw from Philadelphi as soon
as possible. This hinges, however, on concluding an
agreement with the Egyptians on deploying their 750 border
guards. Dangott said that while negotiations are being
finalized, he had doubts that the Knesset will confirm the
agreement. The General said he will need to further discuss
the agreement with the Egyptians, and that the earliest it
could be presented to the Knesset would be within two weeks.

13. (C) Dangott said he would meet Palestinian Minister of
Interior Nasir Yusif August 14 to discuss how Palestinian
security forces will deploy on the eve of disengagement. He
stressed that the Palestinians must deploy their forces on
August 14, as the Israeli forces will be deployed August 15.
Dahlan told Dangott that he is building a 20,000-man security
force. Dangott's impression was that Nasir Yusif was not
involved in the issue; consequently, the GOI had few
expectations this would occur.

===================================
Status of West Bank Evacuated Areas
===================================


14. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's question about the
status of the northern West Bank areas that will be evacuated
as a result of disengagement, Dangott said their status would
change, in effect, from Area B possibly to "Area B Plus."
The General stressed that this is a question to be decided by
the GOI. He noted, however, that the area in question is
very small, and that concerns about its status -- from NGOs
and Palestinians -- are essentially unfounded. He said the
IDF has no intention of remaining in the area, and that the
GOI will not stop projects that NGOs coordinate with General
Mishlev. Dangott said that, on the Palestinian side, the
status issue is being raised by Dahlan only -- Nasir Yusif is
"not aware of it." Dangott said the matter is not "worth
raising," as the GOI will cooperate with any friendly partner
in the area, and believes the status of the area will change
if Palestinian security performance is positive.

********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv

You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
KURTZER