Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JERUSALEM1191
2008-07-08 14:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
BETHLEHEM STONE EXPORTS RESUME THROUGH CHECKPOINT
how-toVZCZCXRO1939 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHJM #1191 1901433 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 081433Z JUL 08 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2040 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001191
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/SACHAR; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR
DAVIS/ROSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL IS KWBG KPAL
SUBJECT: BETHLEHEM STONE EXPORTS RESUME THROUGH CHECKPOINT
NEAR CITY
REF: JERUSALEM 1051
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001191
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/SACHAR; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR
DAVIS/ROSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL IS KWBG KPAL
SUBJECT: BETHLEHEM STONE EXPORTS RESUME THROUGH CHECKPOINT
NEAR CITY
REF: JERUSALEM 1051
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (U) Stone and marble industry representatives in Bethlehem
say that Israeli officials have rescinded an order to reroute
trucks carrying containers of stone and marble 40 kilometers
to the south. The order had threatened to erode the
competitiveness of Palestinian stone and marble, the West
Bank's leading export commodity (reftel).
2. (C) According to Samir Dahdal, an executive at Nassar
Stone Group (the West Bank's largest stone exporter),
container trucks from Bethlehem began moving again through
the checkpoint near the city on June 26. Dahdal said Nassar
Nassar, the company's CEO, appealed personally to Major
General Yosef Mishlev, the Coordinator of Government
Activities in the Territories (COGAT),to allow shipments to
resume, though he could not say if that intervention had
prompted the reversal. Ihab Khalil, Executive Manager of the
Union of Stone and Marble in Palestine, said his organization
had also met with COGAT officials to appeal the order.
Khalil said that COGAT indicated they might go beyond
restoration of the status quo by opening the checkpoint on
Fridays and Saturdays.
WALLES
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/SACHAR; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR
DAVIS/ROSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL IS KWBG KPAL
SUBJECT: BETHLEHEM STONE EXPORTS RESUME THROUGH CHECKPOINT
NEAR CITY
REF: JERUSALEM 1051
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (U) Stone and marble industry representatives in Bethlehem
say that Israeli officials have rescinded an order to reroute
trucks carrying containers of stone and marble 40 kilometers
to the south. The order had threatened to erode the
competitiveness of Palestinian stone and marble, the West
Bank's leading export commodity (reftel).
2. (C) According to Samir Dahdal, an executive at Nassar
Stone Group (the West Bank's largest stone exporter),
container trucks from Bethlehem began moving again through
the checkpoint near the city on June 26. Dahdal said Nassar
Nassar, the company's CEO, appealed personally to Major
General Yosef Mishlev, the Coordinator of Government
Activities in the Territories (COGAT),to allow shipments to
resume, though he could not say if that intervention had
prompted the reversal. Ihab Khalil, Executive Manager of the
Union of Stone and Marble in Palestine, said his organization
had also met with COGAT officials to appeal the order.
Khalil said that COGAT indicated they might go beyond
restoration of the status quo by opening the checkpoint on
Fridays and Saturdays.
WALLES