KNESSET MEMBERS VISIT GAZA SETTLEMENTS, SOME

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 005093

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2010
TAGS: PGOV KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT GOI INTERNAL SETTLEMENTS
SUBJECT: KNESSET MEMBERS VISIT GAZA SETTLEMENTS, SOME
POSITIVE, SOME PAINED AS THEY LEAVE

Classified By: Political Counselor Norman Olsen for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Knesset members who support disengagement as well as
those who oppose it have been visiting the Gaza settlements
since the disengagement process began August 15. Some have
gone to show support for the settlers, while others have gone
to show sensitivity to the settlers, but also to support the
IDF and police. Pro-disengagement Shinui MK Ilan Lebovitch
spoke with Poloff August 17 just as he was driving out of
Gush Katif after having met with residents and IDF soldiers.
Lebovitch said that the process has been very difficult for
the IDF and the settlers, but that it appears to him that the
evacuation nonetheless has been moving forward and working
well. He highlighted the "wonderful job" the IDF and police
are doing. Lebovitch said that most of the residents he saw
in Gush Katif were remaining in their homes. (Note: Israeli
security personnel asked residents to remain in their homes
so that officials could deal with Israeli demonstrators who
had infiltrated the area.) He said that the IDF and police
were mainly dealing with youth who had infiltrated into the
settlements. Lebovitch assessed that at the time the IDF
moves to forcibly evacuate the Gush Katif settlements, some
residents will leave voluntarily and others will be removed
by the IDF, but most will not act violently. Lebovitch said
that some residents clearly did not want him there, as he is
a member of a party that has supported disengagement. He
said that, nevertheless, it was important for him to go to
support the IDF and police.


2. (C) Likud MKs and disengagement foes Gilad Erdan and
Gideon Sa'ar visited Gush Katif on August 14 and met with
settlement leaders with the aim of discouraging
confrontations with the IDF. Erdan told Poloff on August 17
that the evacuation process seems like it will be completed
quickly. He assessed that the IDF may encounter problems in
the two isolated and deeply ideological central-Gaza
settlements of Netzarim and Kfar Darom, where they could
encounter more extremists. Erdan stressed that he is very
unhappy about disengagement in general and that it is a bad
time for him.

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