MAYOR OF ARIEL: FORGET LAND FOR PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001907

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2017
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: MAYOR OF ARIEL: FORGET LAND FOR PEACE

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Mayor of the Ariel settlement Ron Nachman
told POLOFF during a lengthy August 29 meeting that the USG
pursuit of land for peace is "a big mistake" and proposed
splitting the West Bank between Israel and Jordan. For
thirty years, Nachman has been the Mayor of Ariel, which is
home to 18,000 Israeli settlers and which extends 22 km into
the West Bank. He said he is considering a return to
national Israeli politics (he was once in the Israeli
Knesset). END SUMMARY.

Rejecting Land for Peace
--------------


2. (C) Ron Nachman is the founder of and only mayor in the
history of Ariel, which is the fourth largest West Bank
settlement with 18,000 residents (half from the former Soviet
Union). In a three-hour August 29 meeting with PolOff, he
focused almost exclusively on national and Arab-Israeli
issues and took time for a call from Israeli MoD Barak. He
said "land for peace" is a big mistake and that by pursuing
this policy, the USG is "doing the bidding" of the Arabs, who
"don't know democracy." Nachman rejected Oslo and said "we
gave land and got suicide bombers in return." He added "Even
if I leave the West Bank tomorrow with all the rest of the
settlers, terror will remain." Nachman blamed the
Palestinians for not establishing their state in 1947 and
said a state needs three elements: land, people, and
international recognition. He assessed that Madrid gave the
recognition, and Oslo gave the land, and said Israel had
created a partner in the Palestinians when Egypt and Jordan
had failed to do so.

Carving up the West Bank and Gaza
--------------


3. (C) Nachman proposed that the solution to the
"Palestinian problem" is for Arab countries to give Egypt USD
15 billion over ten years to annex Gaza and develop Northern
Sinai and Rafah into industrialized zones on the
Mediterranean. In the West Bank, he said, the Arabs should
provide USD 20 billion over ten years to develop its industry
and economy, and Israel and Jordan should annex the territory
like "interlocked fingers".


4. (C) Nachman said that Ariel has a generally aging
population and is unlikely to grow any larger, especially
since the separation barrier already extends 22 km into the
West Bank to contain the settlement, and barrier construction
is complete in the immediate area. Comment: Nachman was
notably one of the few settlement Mayors whom Post has
recently met who did not press the need to expand his
settlement to accommodate natural growth. End Comment.

Neighboring Arab Towns
--------------


5. (C) Nachman claimed that Ariel has a good relationship
with neighboring Palestinian towns and said he "supplies"
water, electricity, and emergency medical services to nearby
Salfit. He said some 2000 Arabs work in Ariel, and he wants
to be a "spearhead" for cooperation with northern West Bank
towns on hospitals, sewage systems, industry, research and
development, and casinos.

Sixth Term Ending: National Politics Next?
--------------


6. (C) After thirty years leading Ariel, Mayor Nachman is a
leading figure of the settler movement. His sixth term ends
in 2008, and he told POLOFF that he is actively considering a
return to national politics. He was previously a Likud
member of Knesset. Nachman has reportedly thus far refused
offers to do so, including at the request of former PM
Sharon, but he told PolOff, he now thinks that Israel most
needs real leadership, and he indicated that he thinks he can
provide it.
WALLES