SETTLERS LEVERAGE CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001952 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: SETTLERS LEVERAGE CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR THE (WHOLE) LAND OF ISRAEL Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Poloff visited the northern West Bank settlement of Karnei Shomron on 15 August to meet with Sondra Oster Baras, the Jewish director of the Israel office of Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC). Baras is a well-known settler activist and Amcit who, in her words, works to leverage Christian belief in scripture into material support for West Bank settlements. Baras told Poloff that CFOIC raises "hundreds of thousands of dollars" each year to fund community projects, publicity and outreach, and tourism in the West Bank for visiting Christians. Baras is affiliated with the ideological settler movement and told PolOff "we are in the midst of World War III with Islam" and "tell your bosses we (settlers) are not going anywhere." END SUMMARY. Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) -------------- --- ¶2. (C) Poloff met with CFOIC director Sondra Oster Baras in the settlement of Karnei Shomron, east of the separation barrier's planned route. Baras, a well-known settler activist, said CFOIC was founded in 1995 by a Colorado businessman who was "outraged" by Oslo. CFOIC, she said, seeks to translate Christian belief in scripture into concrete support for settling the entire land of biblical Israel. She said Christian support for CFOIC amounts to "many hundreds of thousands of dollars each year" and asserted that four bank transfers arrived during Poloff's hour long visit. A review of CFOIC's website shows that individual Christian donors can directly support specific projects; i.e., playgrounds or security equipment in specific settlements, and congregations can use Pay Pal for CFOIC's adopt-a-settlement program. ¶3. (C) Baras travels frequently for speaking tours and said her church audiences embrace the connection between scripture and modern day prophecy. She said Christians and settlers agree on fundamental issues, especially the Jewish biblical claim to the West Bank. CFOIC organizes tours of West Bank holy sites including the tabernacle at the Shilo settlement, Hebron's Tomb of the Patriarchs (also holy to Muslims and known in Arabic as Ibrahimi Mosque),and Susiya's ancient synagogue in the Southern Hebron Hills. (See reftel on PolOffs' recent visit to the Hebron hills. End Note) World War III -------------- ¶4. (C) Baras said "we are in the midst of World War III with Islam" and added that she is "incredulous" about a two-state solution that creates "Hamasastans" around Israel. She told PolOff that she is "sick of American pressure to do anything" and "tell your bosses we (settlers) are not going anywhere." She said settlers intend to stay in the West Bank and "would rather fight the war than commit suicide." In her weekly newsletter, she writes "we received these territories during the Six Day War, practically against our will; God brought them and almost forced us to capture them...God does not want us to live in peace...We came here to fulfill our divine destiny and, therefore, I don't believe the peace process will bring peace...I don't believe in the peace process but I do believe in the redemption process, which at its basis is a process of return to God." Horns of Samaria -------------- ¶6. (C) Karnei Shomron or "Horns of Samaria" is a settlement of about 1200 families, of whom 110 came from the U.S. and moved into one area designated "by the Jewish Agency" for American immigrants. The settlement (a term Baras said offends her) is at full capacity, and new caravans have not been allowed by the GOI since the April 2004 Bush - Sharon letter. Baras said the settlement is "making do" with over-crowding, but noted that existing caravans renting for USD 150 per month are attractive to newlyweds. WALLES