Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV803
2005-02-09 14:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

DEFENSE MINISTRY DENIES VERACITY OF FEB 8 HA'ARETZ

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 TEL AVIV 000803 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTRY DENIES VERACITY OF FEB 8 HA'ARETZ
ARTICLE ON ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS


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

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000803

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015
TAGS: PREL KWBG IS SETTLEMENTS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTRY DENIES VERACITY OF FEB 8 HA'ARETZ
ARTICLE ON ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS


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


1. (U) A February 8 article in Ha'aretz quotes a senior
security official as saying that Israel will evacuate illegal
outposts in the West Bank only after the implementation of
the disengagement plan in the Gaza Strip and the northern
West Bank. According to the security official, the GOI's
commitment to the U.S. to evacuate outposts remains in place,
but attempts to evacuate the outposts now would inflame the
conflict between the settlers and the government, and could
hurt the implementation of the disengagement plan. The
official also predicted that Washington would not press
Israel on the issue of outpost removals, noting that
Secretary Rice did not mention outposts during her meetings

SIPDIS
with GOI officials on February 6-7. The article said that
although the Secretary stressed that evacuating outposts was
important at her final press conference, she "clearly placed
higher priority on implementation of disengagement."


2. (C) Brigadier General (res.) Baruch Spiegel told the
Ambassador that the article is incorrect and that they do not
know who the senior security official is who is quoted in the
article. The Minister of Defense asked Spiegel to convey to
the Ambassador confirmation that there is no change in
Israel's policy with respect to taking down outposts.

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