NABLUS AREA SETTLERS LAUNCH ROCKETS ON PALESTINIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001165 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018 TAGS: KWBG PBTS PREL PHUM IS SUBJECT: NABLUS AREA SETTLERS LAUNCH ROCKETS ON PALESTINIAN VILLAGE Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: According to PA officials and press, two small rockets were launched July 1 from Bracha settlement south of Nablus toward the Palestinian village of Burin resulting in no injuries. PA Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah and PLO Chief Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat condemned the rockets as a "serious escalation" of settler violence and a "terrorist act." PA security forces (PASF) told ConGen POL Specialist that they handed the rocket shells over to Israeli security forces in the West Bank. Settlers in the area and Yesha Council representatives told PolOff that they have no knowledge of the incident. END SUMMARY Two rockets launched from Bracha at Burin -------------- ¶2. (C) According to press and PA officials, two rockets were launched from the Bracha settlement (south of Nablus) in the direction of the Palestinian village of Burin on July 1. No injuries or damage were reported. The PASF officer who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident told ConGen POL Specialist that the rockets were made from two pipes, each 20 centimeters in length, and landed approximately 150 meters from Palestinian homes. He added that he had contacted the IDF shortly after the incident and had handed over the shells to them. (Note: The PASF provided photos of the remains of the rockets, which are on the Consulate's classified website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/jerusalem/ind ex.cfm under the link to Political Reporting Attachments. End Note.) According to the press, this incident follows a similar incident on June 20 when a rocket fired from Yitzhar settlement (also south of Nablus). Bracha, as well as nearby Yitzhar, Elon Moreh, and Itamar, is well known for radicalism and a history of violence toward Palestinian neighbors. ¶3. (C) PA Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah told the press that the rockets represent an "escalation of (violence) by the settlers," and Chief PLO Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat described the incident as "a terrorist act by the settlers against out unarmed people and a dangerous development." Settlement Leaders Downplay Incident -------------- ¶4. (C) Yesha Council Chairman Dani Dayan told PolOff July 2 that he did not whether "whether it was a serious report or a joke," adding that he has been asked for comment by Al Jazeera. Yigal Amitai, spokesman for the neighboring Yitzhar settlement, confirmed to PolOff that the launches were carried out by "a pair of young science students at the yeshiva carrying out experiments on their own." He added that "these are not qassams, but only experimental rockets" and said he believes the press has exaggerated the incident. WALLES