Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV5581
2005-09-09 14:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

PEACE NOW ANALYZES THE DISENGAGEMENT PROCESS

Tags:  PREL PGOV KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
pdf how-to read a cable
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 02 TEL AVIV 005581 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: PEACE NOW ANALYZES THE DISENGAGEMENT PROCESS

REF: TEL AVIV 4471

Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

This cable has been cleared by Consulate General Jerusalem

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 005581

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: PEACE NOW ANALYZES THE DISENGAGEMENT PROCESS

REF: TEL AVIV 4471

Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

This cable has been cleared by Consulate General Jerusalem


1. (C) Summary: Yariv Oppenheimer, Secretary General of
Peace Now, said that the disengagement from the Gaza Strip
had gone very well, and in particular praised the IDF
soldiers and the police for the way in which they negotiated
with settlers throughout the evacuations. He said that he
had faith that if the IDF were given an order to dismantle an
outpost in the future, the soldiers would be capable of
carrying out the order. He was disappointed, however, that
the media focused so much on disengagement opponents, without
reporting on those who left peacefully, and blamed the level
of violence on West Bank youth who "had nothing better to
do." Oppenheimer also said the Disengagement Authority
should not have publicized the negotiations it held with
settlers prior to the evacuations. Oppenheimer reported that
Peace Now won its petition in the High Court for the IDF to
dismantle permanent construction in Amona outpost, but is
seeking further clarification on the deadline for the
dismantlement because the IDF has not taken any action to
date. End summary.

--------------
Media Coverage Unbalanced
--------------


2. (C) Yariv Oppenheimer, Secretary General of Peace Now,
told econoff on August 31 that disengagement had gone very
well. He said that he first feared that extensive press
coverage of disengagement opponents would weaken public
support for the evacuations. He was disappointed that the
press focused on the resistance and hardly reported on the
settlers who evacuated peacefully, but was pleased that the
public supported the operation until the end, noting that
some polls even showed increases in support as the
evacuations were carried out.

--------------
Praise for the Security Forces
--------------


3. (C) Oppenheimer praised the soldiers and police who
carried out the evacuations. He explained that they did well
by first negotiating, and only later physically evacuating
settlers. He commented that he now trusted the Israeli
security forces much more than before. He said that he had
faith that if the IDF were given an order to dismantle an
outpost in the future, the soldiers would be capable of
carrying out the order. Oppenheimer stressed that he was
happy to see that soldiers followed their orders, with few
exceptions, regardless of their personal views on
disengagement.

-------------- -
West Bank Youth, Not Settlers, Caused Problems
-------------- -


4. (C) Oppenheimer said that the Gaza settlers behaved
reasonably well. He noted that even if some had to be
physically carried out by soldiers, they were not as violent
as many had predicted. He blamed most of the violence on the
"hilltop youth" from the West Bank who threw paint thinner
and eggs on soldiers, and barricaded themselves inside
buildings. He asserted that most were there because "they
had nothing better to do," and claimed that they received
financial support from the YESHA council to go to Gaza. He
said that the evacuations would have looked different had
they taken place after the start of the school year.
Oppenheimer also compared the protests to his experiences as
an activist in the Labor Youth movement, and said that "they
mostly just had fun" and that "it was a blast to stage
protests and demonstrations."

--------------
SELA Needs a PR Lesson
--------------


5. (C) Oppenheimer took issue with the fact that the
Disengagement Authority (SELA) publicized the private
negotiations it had with settlers who approached the GOI on
compensation and relocation prior to the start of
disengagement. He explained that it is difficult to keep
secrets in tight-knit settlement communities, and that the

SIPDIS
publicity may have discouraged others from coming forward to
negotiate.

--------------
Amona Outpost
--------------


6. (C) Oppenheimer reported that Peace Now in early August
won its petition in the High Court against Amona outpost,
east of Ofra settlement near Ramallah (reftel). The High
Court ordered the IDF to demolish the nine permanent
structures in the outpost, according to Oppenheimer, but did
not specify a deadline for the dismantlement. Oppenheimer
said he would seek further clarification from the Court
because the IDF has not taken any action against Amona to
date.

********************************************* ********************
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