Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JERUSALEM1275
2007-06-20 14:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

HEBRON REMAINS QUIET, THANKS TO RESPONSIVE

Tags:  PGOV ECON EAID PREL KWBG IS 
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VZCZCXRO0763
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1275/01 1711453
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 201453Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8112
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001275 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE/HARRIS; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/ADKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: HEBRON REMAINS QUIET, THANKS TO RESPONSIVE
LEADERSHIP, FUNCTIONING ECONOMY, AND STRONG SOCIAL STRUCTURE

REF: JERUSALEM 607

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001275

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE/HARRIS; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS;
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/ADKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: HEBRON REMAINS QUIET, THANKS TO RESPONSIVE
LEADERSHIP, FUNCTIONING ECONOMY, AND STRONG SOCIAL STRUCTURE

REF: JERUSALEM 607

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In June 12 conversations with the Consul
General, the Hebron governor, the mayor of Hebron, and a
Hebron-based Fatah PLC member noted that Hebron remains calm,
despite on-going violence in Gaza and the areas, strong
Hamas elements. Hebron Mayor Osaily stressed his priority to
provide services and show Hebronites "another way." All
noted the problems with Israeli settlers in downtown Hebron
and suggested that easing access to the Old City would
undermine support for Hamas. They stressed the need to
maintain Hebron's economic access to Israel. All noted their
appreciation for the USG's decision to resume the Eastern
Hebron Bulk Water Project and urged more assistance in the
southern West Bank. End summary.


2. (C) In a June 12 trip to Hebron (Note: Before the
dramatic events of the past week in Gaza),Consul General and
ConGenOffs met with the Governor of Hebron Areef al-Jabari,
the newly appointed Mayor of Hebron Khalid Osaily, and Fatah
PLC member Akram Haimoni. They all expressed concern about
Gaza and stressed that they are working hard to keep the
Hebron area quiet by encouraging moderate voices and
providing services. Hebron is the West Bank,s largest
governorate (pop. 600,000),with 50 percent unemployment,
strong Fatah and Hamas movements, and on-going problems with
Israeli settlers, all of which make it a potential powder
keg. They stressed the strong social fabric of Hebron where
the clans have largely stayed out of politics, unlike in Gaza
where the clans are part of the violence.


3. (C) Governor Jabari stressed his activist approach to
countering extremists. When Osaily was appointed mayor by PA
President Abbas in April (Hebron's municipal elections are

scheduled for the fifth round),Jabari said he confronted the
opposition from the Islamic forces who had reservations about
Osaily and pointed to the value of having a mayor of his
caliber. (Note: Osaily had served on the City Council since
1976 and as Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor. He resigned in
2005 to run for the PLC on the Third Way national list
(number three after Salam Fayyad and Hanan Ashrawi).
Notwithstanding his long public service career, he is better
known as a successful businessman. He is a long-standing
contact of the Consulate. End note.) Osaily stressed that
he wants to show Hebronites "another way" and that
development and politics can go hand-in-hand. He described
the recent opening of a new USD 5 million wholesale
agricultural market in southern Hebron that was 100 percent
financed by the municipality. Less than two months after its
opening, he proudly said, they had already recouped USD 3
million of the investment after selling shops to the traders.



4. (C) Both Jabari and Osaily noted downtown Hebron's
problems with Israeli settlers. Osaily said he wants H2 "to
come back to life" since the Israeli-controlled electronic
gates to the Old City effectively make it a ghost town with
1,800 shops closed and 1,000 homes empty. PLC member Haimoni
noted that opening access to the Old City before the next
election will undermine Hamas, support. He stressed the
need to support Hebron,s moderates.


5. (C) Osaily asked for USG assistance to ensure that the
new Israeli crossing at Tarqumiya, with a USAID-funded
container scanner, does not become "another
Karni/al-Mintar." Hebron is quiet, he argued, largely
because it still has an operating economy with access to
Israel, so "don't destroy the economy," he stressed. He
pressed for certain road closures to be lifted to facilitate
easy access to the crossing, including the opening of the
industrial estate's front gate (reftel),access to Route 35
from Hebron, and from Hebron south to Yatta.


6. (C) Jabari and Osaily welcomed the decision to resume the
Easter Hebron Bulk Water (Bani Naim) Project. The Governor
he said he will personally ensure security at the site. Both
requested donor support for infrastructure and job
creation/income generation projects.


7. (C) All said they thought Hamas would win fewer seats if
an election were held today in Hebron. (Note: Hamas won all
nine constituency seats when numerous Fatah and
Fatah-alligned independents split the secular vote.) Both
Jabari and Haimoni admitted that Fatah had not made much
progress in reforming itself. Osaily stressed his belief
that it is all about services and noted that Hamas supporters

JERUSALEM 00001275 002 OF 002


now ask for his help, saying, "The more services that you
provide, the more they will vote for you."
WALLES