RAMON ON CONVERGENCE AND ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001983

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PARM KPAL KWBG IR IS ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: RAMON ON CONVERGENCE AND ILLEGAL OUTPOSTS


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


1. (C) Minister of Justice Haim Ramon told the Ambassador
May 16 that his government will "sincerely" try to work with
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmud Abbas until at
least the end of the year, before deciding, if this effort
fails, to implement convergence. Ramon admitted that through
negotiations with a partner the Israelis might concede more
land than they would do through the independent action
anticipated by the convergence plan. Without a partner,
however, Ramon said, "convergence is the only game in town,"
because by passively maintaining the status quo the GOI will
significantly increase Israel's vulnerability to "the
terrorist and demographic threats." "We've got a good case,"
Ramon said. "We're not increasing the occupation, we're
pulling back and hopefully turning this dispute into one
merely of borders." Ramon claimed that Abbas may respond to
Israeli attempts to work with him by seeking to skip to the
final phase of the road map, and by focusing on politically
loaded issues such as the release of some Palestinian
prisoners from Israeli jails. The Israelis will not accept
these demands, Ramon insisted. Ramon noted that, regardless
of their progress with Abbas, GOI officials will begin
providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by delivering
in-kind assistance (goods),but not cash.


2. (C) Ramon said that a special committee is currently
thinking through various options for the GOI in the West Bank
after convergence, including being open to creating a
substantial Jordanian border passage ("like Rafah") in the
Jordan Valley. He said that the passage arrangements might
include Israeli and even third party observers. Ramon said
that it is too early to decide whether or not to destroy West
Bank settlements after Israel vacates them, but he stressed
that the GOI will retain west of the separation barrier major
settlement blocks such as Maale Adumim and Ariel, which he
claimed comprise approximately one percent of land in the
West Bank. The Ambassador noted that even one percent could
inhibit north-south movement for Palestinians, insisting that
"reduction of obstacles to movement is one of our highest
priorities." Ramon defended inclusion of Ariel by arguing
that it would become like a "balloon on a string" (i.e. the
fence would protect both sides of the road leading to Ariel)
and that tunnels under the "string" would allow N/S movement.
On Maale Adumim, Ramon explained that the GOI plans to
construct a north-south highway for the Palestinians in the
E-1, Maale Adumim area at a cost of approximately one quarter
of a billion dollars. Ramon also said that as part of its
aim to complete construction of the separation barrier by
year's end, changes in the barrier's route could reduce the
number of Palestinians west of the barrier from their current
level of approximately 6,000, under the existing route plan,
to between approximately 2,000 and 3,000. (Note: He freely
acknowledged that this estimate does not include Palestinians
living in Jerusalem. End note.)


3. (C) Ramon said that he will move legislation forward to
expedite the removal of illegal outposts. Firm action on the
illegal outposts, Ramon explained, forms part of the GOI plan
to garner international support for the convergence plan. He
claimed that he will tell settler leaders who oppose this
action, "I have no power to compromise because we made a
promise to the Americans. I can only present compromise
proposals to the U.S. government, and it is up to them to
decide." He mentioned that he will chair a government
committee that he intends to use to make it more difficult to
build new outposts.


4. (C) Other issues covered in the meeting, including
trafficking in persons, Magen David Adom, intellectual
property rights, and nationality and entry, are covered in
septels.

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