SPIEGEL OUTLINES GOI PLAN TO REMOVE SOME OBSTACLES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 006891

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: SPIEGEL OUTLINES GOI PLAN TO REMOVE SOME OBSTACLES
TO MOVEMENT IN WEST BANK

Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Brigadier General (res.) Baruch Spiegel,
advisor in the Ministry of Defense (MOD),briefed the
Ambassador and Embassy staff on the GOI's three-phase draft
plan for the reduction and removal of obstacles to movement
in the West Bank. In Phase I, the GOI plans to remove a
total of 28 checkpoints in the northern West Bank and west of
Hebron. The roadblocks will be removed to increase movement
between Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Qalqilyah, and at Beit
Awwa, west of Hebron, and at Neveh Geva'ot in the Gush
Etzion. He noted that Za'atara checkpoint (Tappuach
Junction) would be expanded to allow more traffic to travel
south of Nablus. Spiegel continued that Phase II would begin
after a 2-3 month evaluation period, and will see the removal
of 20 checkpoints around Nablus, including Beit Furik,
Huwarra, Beit Iba, and Awarta, as well as at least four
checkpoints in or near Ramallah. He expects these openings
to reduce the travel time between the northern to the
southern West Bank, depending on the capacity of the
container checkpoint at Wadi Nar, east of Jerusalem. Spiegel
welcomed U.S. engineering technical expertise to expand the
capacity at the checkpoint. He told the Ambassador that
Phase III would be implemented in sync with the completion of
the separation barrier, and that the GOI will remove an
additional 107 checkpoints in the southern West Bank near
Hebron and adjacent to the seam zone. Spiegel did not have
permission to discuss the important Hamra checkpoint in the
Jordan Valley for Palestinians to access Route 90, but the
Ambassador will raise this issue with Defense Minister Shaul
Mofaz. The Embassy and OCHA will analyze the plan this week,
and begin talks with the GOI on a mutually acceptable plan
prior to the December 31 date specified by the November 15
Agreement on Movement and Access. End summary.

--------------
General Overview
--------------


2. (C) On December 11, Brigadier General (res.) Baruch
Spiegel, advisor in the Ministry of Defense (MOD),briefed
the Ambassador and Embassy staff on the GOI's draft plan to
remove obstacles to movement in the West Bank, as stated in
the Agreement on Movement and Access. According to Spiegel,
the plan will have three phases, and will reduce the number
of obstacles to create "effective movement between regions"
and greatly improve the economic and humanitarian situation
in the West Bank. He explained that progress on the removal
of closures would depend on the security situation, the
relative effectiveness of Palestinian security services, the
relative proximity to Jerusalem, and the presence of the
separation barrier. He said that the Jerusalem area would be
clear of roadblocks and other obstacles once the 12 planned
terminals are built.


3. (C) Under what Spiegel termed "Civilian Considerations,"
he said the GOI would remove or reduce obstacles to movement
based on existing roads, access between villages and city
centers, access to bridges to Jordan, and access to the seam
zone between the Green Line and the separation barrier. He
noted that obstacles would be reduced to help the
Palestinians go to hospitals, essential development projects,
District Coordination Offices for permits, and back-to-back
trade platforms. Among the components of the plan are
reducing and removing obstacles, opening checkpoints in
phases, implementing infrastructure development projects,
improving roads and interchanges, strengthening field
security and civilian coordination, building trust between
the two sides, and reducing friction between settlers, the
IDF, and Palestinians. Spiegel mentioned that the goals of
the plan are to increase movement in the West Bank, create
alternatives and improvements in current routes to minimize
delays, and develop and encourage public transportation. He
also said that this plan would "create a positive momentum
and improve the status of daily living."

--------------
Plan in Three Phases
--------------


4. (C) According to the IDF, there are currently 304 total
obstacles to movement as of last week. (Note: OCHA reports
399 as of November 15. End note.) The IDF counts 253
roadblocks, 11 checkpoints, 11 internal checkpoints, and 29
seam zone passages. Of these obstacles, according to
Spiegel, the GOI plans to remove 28 in Phase I, 20 in Phase
II, and 107 in Phase III. At the end of Phase III, the GOI
expects approximately 120 obstacles to remain throughout the
West Bank, probably surrounding the settlements that will be
to the east of the separation barrier, according to Spiegel.


5. (C) Spiegel claimed that 12 of the 28 roadblocks to be
removed in the first phase have in fact already been removed,
north of Hebron. He explained that the GOI plans to remove
the checkpoint at Beit Awwa, near the Green Line west of
Hebron, and another roadblock at Neveh Geva'ot in the Gush
Etzion. The remaining roadblocks will be removed from the
northern West Bank to increase movement between Jenin,
Tulkarm, Nablus, and Qalqilyah. He said he hoped that Road
57 could be upgraded to eventually connect it to Route 60
heading north. He also said that the checkpoint at Za'atara
(Tappuach Junction) would be expanded to allow more traffic
to cross through. Spiegel continued that Phase II would
begin after a 2-3 month evaluation period, and would see the
removal of checkpoints around Nablus: Beit Furik, Huwarra,
Beit Iba, and Awarta, as well as at least four checkpoints in
or near Ramallah. He assessed this would reduce
significantly the time it takes to travel from the northern
to the southern West Bank. Any remaining major delays would
be "owing to the load at Wadi Nar," or depending on the
capacity of the container checkpoint at Wadi Nar, east of
Jerusalem. Spiegel said that Wadi Nar will be normally open,
unless there is a terror attack, and welcomed U.S.
engineering technical expertise to expand the capacity at the
checkpoint. He commented that the Rimonim Junction would
also normally be open, and asked for USAID help in upgrading
Road 449 from Ramallah to Jericho. The GOI also expects to
remove some roadblocks on Road 317 leading into Hebron from
the villages near Yatta.


6. (C) Spiegel told the Ambassador that Phase III would take
place with the completion of the separation barrier,
especially in the southern West Bank near Hebron and adjacent
to the seam zone. When the barrier is complete, the
remaining roadblocks will be removed, he said. Spiegel
reported that he was not authorized to discuss the Jordan
Valley, and the issue would have to be taken up at a higher
political level.

--------------
The Pilot Assistance Plan
--------------


7. (C) Spiegel mentioned the possibility of a test pilot in
which obstacles are removed in areas where international
development projects are simultaneously being implemented,
such as road and infrastructure development, water projects,
and job creation programs. In addition to Road 57 and 449,
he noted that Roads 354 from Tarqumiya to Beit Awwa, and Road
356 from Hebron to Bethlehem should be upgraded as examples
for possible road projects.

--------------
Additional Comments
--------------


8. (C) The Ambassador raised questions about the third
phase, which Spiegel had left largely undefined. He noted
that the USG could not agree to any plan without knowing
where remaining obstacles would be and why. He also pressed
for the GOI to consider ways of evaluating the impact of the
removal of the closures. Spiegel agreed to begin talks in a
subcommittee with Embassy staff and OCHA to increase
transparency in the permit regime system, and in the
operation and infrastructure of remaining checkpoints.

********************************************* ********************
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.
********************************************* ********************
JONES