BASSEY DISCUSSES THE PROBLEMS OF GAZA EVACUEES AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001438 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG IS GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI SOCIETY SUBJECT: BASSEY DISCUSSES THE PROBLEMS OF GAZA EVACUEES AND A POSSIBLE WEST BANK DISENGAGEMENT REF: JERUSALEM 01463 Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Yonatan Bassey, director of the Disengagement Authority (SELA),told EconCouns on April 4 that Gaza disengagement was a success because the level of violence was lower than he had predicted a year ago. He commented, however, that the evacuees have had a very difficult time adjusting to their new lives. He explained that most still do not have jobs, and many are seeing staff psychologists to deal with the trauma of disengagement. He said settlers had to live in hotels after disengagement because they did not approach SELA in time to have appropriate housing ready for when they moved out of the settlements in Gaza. Bassey predicted that a disengagement from the West Bank would be extremely difficult compared to the evacuations from the Gaza Strip because "evacuating 70,000 is not the same as 7,000, and it will not be done in one step." He added that much of the problem with a future disengagement lies in the ideology of the settler youth, who have been taught by their rabbis and teachers to be "fanatics." End summary. -------------- Gaza Disengagement a Success -------------- ¶2. (C) Yonatan Bassey, director of the Disengagement Authority (SELA),told EconCouns on April 4 that Gaza disengagement, from his point of view, was a success. He reminded EconCouns that a year ago he had predicted severe violence, but said he was glad to see that it was "nothing at all." He explained that from the GOI's perspective, disengagement was beneficial because former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had been able to prove that evacuating settlements could be done if the government was serious about it. He claimed that Ilan Cohen, director general of Sharon's office, has received bouquets of flowers from parents who are happy that their children no longer have to do reserve duty in Rafah. Bassey noted, "In the last seven or eight months, not one Israeli has been wounded in Gaza." He commented that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is as "brave" as Sharon, but does not quite have the same mandate, so there may be problems in the future when trying to move ahead with another possible disengagement. -------------- Evacuees Still Have Problems -------------- ¶3. (C) Bassey continued that while the GOI is pleased with the outcome, there are still many problems in the evacuee community because half do not have jobs, and cannot move on with their lives (reftel). He noted that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor (MOITL) has been involved in helping the settlers find employment, but noted that the settlers have to come to the GOI first with a desire to work. He cited as an example the new Intel plant in Kiryat Gat, and said that the managers of Intel spoke to the MOITL because they were interested in hiring and training 50 settlers from Nitzanit to work in the plant. He said that only two settlers showed in interest in the offer. Bassey added that it has taken others half a year to rebuild 60-70 greenhouses to start farming again, but he conceded that at least "now they're moving on." ¶4. (C) Bassey pointed out that the GOI still has psychologists on staff to help because the evacuees have experienced significant emotional trauma (reftel). He mentioned that kids have had difficulties fitting into their schools and concentrating to study because of the stress of moving and the divorces that have taken place post-disengagement. He said, however, that "little by little it gets better," and that SELA officials talk to settlers and their leaders every day. He noted that the GOI has invested a lot of money to care for the evacuees because after the evacuations of Yamit in 1982, the government learned of the need to be close to the settlers for 2-3 years, not just a month or two. ¶5. (C) On housing, Bassey said that many evacuees are not in new homes yet because "we can't move him to a new house against his will." He explained that since many settlers did not want to coordinate with SELA before disengagement started, it was impossible for the government to prepare all the necessary housing for them to move into in a short amount of time. He reported that the GOI had rented 800 apartments for evacuees to move into before their houses would be ready, but said that only 100 families took advantage of this. The rest stayed in hotels until their caravans were ready, and even now 50 families remain in hotels, although they should move out by the time Passover ends. Bassey assessed that large groups of settlers had not moved to settlements in the West Bank because they do not want to be moved again, fearing another possible disengagement in the future. He said that there are approximately 10-15 families who will be moving to Ariel next month, but added that overall, settlers have stayed in Green Line Israel. -------------- West Bank Withdrawal Will Be Nothing Like Gaza -------------- ¶6. (C) In discussing another possible disengagement, Bassey said that Gaza disengagement was "easy" in comparison to his expectations of what the West Bank will be like, especially taking into consideration settlements like Itamar and Eli where the more ideological settlers live. "Evacuating 70,000 is not the same as 7,000, and it will not be done in one step." He explained that he was proud of having taken part in the most strategic step Israel has undertaken in 30 years, but added that he would end his tenure in 2-3 months because he does "not want to be in the next one." He said he did not know when or how the next disengagement would be done, and noted that it would be difficult regardless of the timing. He said there is currently a debate within the GOI on what type of compensation to provide, and added that the amount of pressure from the USG could also make a difference. -------------- Settler Movement Educating "Fanatics" -------------- ¶7. (C) Bassey explained that the weakness of the YESHA Council is now being emphasized every day because its "orange ribbon campaign didn't work." As a result, Bassey predicted, all the settlers will gather at Itamar settlement to resist if there is another disengagement. In response to EconCouns' question on a possible split in the settler movement, Bassey responded that the problem is deeper than what happened at the demolitions in Amona outpost on February 1. He speculated that it is a question of educating the new generation of settlers in the West Bank, and asked rhetorically, "Will they continue to be fanatics, or will they understand to not use words like 'catastrophe,' 'messiah,' or 'end of days'?" He explained that he has spoken to settler youth in their late teens, and seen their eyes full of anger. He wondered aloud who has taught them, and said that although he comes from the religious population in Israel, he knows that rabbis and teachers have to learn to harness the "evil" they themselves released from Pandora's Box by teaching young settlers to behave this way. Bassey commented that it would take ten years for the youth to see that "we don't live alone," that they have to understand that there are Palestinians in the picture, and that they should not think that they can wait for God and everything will work out. ********************************************* ******************** 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