COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR FEBRUARY 4-9, 2007 VISIT OF

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000317

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR S/CT (JAKUB, DEES) AND NEA/IPA (MAHER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER OTRA ASEC AMGT IS
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR FEBRUARY 4-9, 2007 VISIT OF
TSWG TEAM TO ISRAEL

SIPDIS

REF: STATE 09251


1. (SBU) Embassy Tel Aviv warmly welcomes the February 4-9
visit to Israel of Mr. Ralph Hager and Mr. Gerald Davis,
representing the S/CT-chaired Technical Support Working Group
(TSWG). Please note that all message traffic concerning
travel to Israel and the Occupied Territories should be sent
to both Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate General Jerusalem.
Embassy Tel Aviv's Point of Contact (POC) for the visit will
be Political-Military Officer Michael C. Keays; phone:
972-3-519-7460; FAX: 972-3-519-7484; cell: 972-50-678-2308;
home phone: 972-9-958-9842; unclassified E-mail:
KeaysMC@state.gov; classified E-mail address:
KeaysMC@state.sgov.gov. Hotel room reservations for the
nights of February 4-8 have been made for Messrs. Hager and
Davis at the David Intercontinental Hotel in Tel Aviv, 12
Kaufman Street, Tel Aviv; phone: 972-3-795-1111; FAX:
972-3-795-1112. The embassy single room rate is USD 220 per
night and includes breakfast, tax and Club Lounge privileges.
Per reftel request, their personal data -- including
security clearance data -- has been passed to the Israeli
POC. Post understands that the team will taxi between the
airport and hotel, and that no other assistance is required.


2. (U) All USG visitors to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank are
responsible for reading this message thoroughly and complying
with its instructions, and are required to comply with U.S.
policy contained in Department of State cable 342724 (100514Z
OCT 90). This classified cable is available for review
through the office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs,
Department of State (NEA/IPA, Room 6247, 202-647-3672). All
official visitors to Israel with secret clearances or higher
should review 12 FAM 262.3 prior to arrival. Copies of this
FAM are available in the Regional Security Offices in Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem. Since the opening of a new airport
terminal in November 2004, Israeli security procedures have
been significantly strengthened and formalized. All official
visitors, regardless of rank or means of transportation into
and out of Israel, should expect to be questioned with
respect to their luggage, purchases, and possibly with
respect to their activities during their stay in Israel.


3. (U) Threat assessment: The threat of terrorism and
violence in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank is high. There is
no information indicating that this particular visit is
threatened or targeted. Government employees should assume
that they are subjected to technical and physical
surveillance. Visitors should be scrupulous in securing
classified and sensitive information in the Embassy or
Consulate General and assume that any materials left in hotel
rooms or public or semi-private places may be compromised.


4. (U) Travel Policy: In light of the current security
situation, the following measures are in effect for all U.S.
Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate General Jerusalem personnel,
as well as all USG official visitors. On the advice of the
Regional Security Officer, exceptions to this policy may be
granted on a case-by-case basis upon approval of the
Ambassador in Tel Aviv or the Consul General in Jerusalem,
respectively.

A) Throughout Israel, travelers are strongly urged to avoid
areas of public gathering or assembly, such as cafes, malls,
restaurants, and movie theaters, especially during peak hours
of business. Discos and nightclubs are off-limits.

B) The use of public buses and trains, and their respective
terminals/stations, is prohibited.

C) Travelers must exercise caution when out in public and
should report suspicious activity to the police and RSO
immediately.

D) Official travel to the West Bank is authorized on a
case-by-case basis when determined by the Consul General to
be mission-critical. For limited, personal travel, U.S.
government personnel and family members are permitted to
travel through the West Bank, using only Routes 1 and 90, to
reach the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge or the Dead Sea coast
near Ein Gedi and Masada. Each such transit requires prior
notification to the Consulate General's security office and
must occur during daylight hours. U.S. Government personnel
and family members are permitted personal travel on Route 443
between Modi'in and Jerusalem during the daylight hours only.


E) Official and personal travel to the Gaza Strip, including
to the Palestinian-controlled portions of entry/crossing
points into the Gaza Strip, remains prohibited. Under policy

guidance issued by the Secretary of State, the Consul General
may grant rare exceptions to this prohibition only for
official, mission-critical travel by the named special envoys
of the President.

F) Jerusalem's Old City is off-limits during the hours of
darkness, and on Fridays between the hours of 1100-1400.

G) Travelers to Jerusalem are urged to remain vigilant,
especially in the commercial and downtown areas of West
Jerusalem and the city center. Israeli security services
report that they continue to receive information of planned
terrorist attacks in and around Jerusalem.

H) Also in Jerusalem, the Tayelit or Haas Promenade (vehicle
overlook) located in Armon Hanatziv and bordering the
Palestinian Village of Abu-Tor is open for USG personnel
during daylight hours only. Both the area below the
Promenade and the village of Abu-Tor remain off-limits. In
addition, due to reported increases in criminal activity,
employees should avoid the outlying villages surrounding East
Jerusalem.

I) Northern Israel/Golan Heights: While there is a cessation
of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, the situation
remains tense and a possible resumption of sporadic violence
cannot be ruled out. Visitors to the Golan Heights should be
warned that due to unmarked or poorly marked minefields, they
should walk only on established roads or trails and pay close
attention to warning signs and notices in the area.

J) Country clearance for official travel to post will be
reviewed on an individual and mission-critical basis. All
TDY visitors at post for more than one week are required to
attend the security newcomer briefing presented by the
Regional Security Office (RSO). Sponsoring offices will
incorporate this briefing into visit schedules as required.
Official visitors here less than one week are strongly
encouraged to contact the RSO for the most recent security
related information.


5. (U) It has been longstanding USG policy for Administration
officials not to travel to territories captured by Israel in
the 1967 War (the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights and East
Jerusalem) escorted by Government of Israel officials, either
civilian or military. Overflights of these areas have been
permitted in certain circumstances. Security situation
permitting, Administration officials may travel to the West
Bank or Gaza in the company of Consulate General personnel.
As noted above, however, due to the October 2003 attack on
Embassy personnel in Gaza, all travel to Gaza has been
suspended for the foreseeable future. The Embassy recommends
that Congressional and Staff delegations follow these USG
guidelines when visiting Israel.


6. (U) Embassy support costs: Visitors or their
agencies/bureaus must provide fund cites to cover requested
commercial services such as equipment, supplies, and
transportation, as well as required Embassy/Consulate General
overtime. In order to maintain their traditionally high
standards of visitor support, Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate
General Jerusalem generally require an appropriate fund cite
to cover per diem costs of control officers and motorpool
personnel when assigned to visits. If security personnel are
required, the fund cite must cover their expenses as well.
The Embassy/Consulate General will provide estimated costs
upon request.


7. (U) Computer Access: TDY visitors requiring computer
network access should so inform their control officers at
least five days in advance of their arrival in Israel and
Jerusalem.

-- SBU systems: Visitors who enjoy access to their home post
SBU computer system via Outlook Web Access, and who have
requested SBU computer access through their visit officer,
will receive logons upon arrival allowing them to access that
system from terminals at the Embassy and Consulate General,
respectively. Visitors who are unsure whether their home
post supports Outlook Web Access should contact their local
systems administrator before commencing travel. Visitors who
do not have access to their home post SBU systems via Outlook
Web Access must provide the Embassy and Consulate General
with the fully qualified domain name and the IP address of
their home e-mail server. That information is necessary for
Embassy and Consulate General personnel to configure the
visitor's access to his or her home post SBU account, and is
available from the visitor's home post SBU systems manager.

-- Classified systems: Visitors requesting access to
classified computer systems must provide front-channel
confirmation that they possess at least a "secret" clearance.
No access to home post classified e-mail accounts is
possible from either the Embassy or Consulate General.
Accordingly, Embassy and Consulate General information system
personnel will be able to provide only new, separate
classified e-mail accounts accessible only at their
respective posts.


8. (U) Visas: Israel requires visas for holders of
diplomatic and official passports. All personnel visiting
Israel on official business must obtain visas from the
nearest Israeli Embassy or Consulate prior to arrival in
Israel. Visitors traveling on tourist passports do not need
to obtain a visa in advance.

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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.
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JONES