CHECKPOINT NORTH OF HEBRON OPENS WITH STRICT

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001508 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018 TAGS: KWBG PBTS PREL PHUM IS SUBJECT: CHECKPOINT NORTH OF HEBRON OPENS WITH STRICT LIMITATIONS; HEBRON MAYOR WANTS MORE Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Congenoffs observed the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint north of Hebron August 13 and verified that it is open for six hours daily, but only to commercial traffic to and from the Tarqumiyah crossing with Israel. Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily said the limited opening is positive, but the checkpoint should be open to all traffic, similar to Kvasim checkpoint south of Hebron. He said he is urging the IDF to open a third checkpoint inside Hebron to ease traffic flow and expressed concern over tactics of the Golani Brigade, which recently took command in Hebron. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Congenoffs visited the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint between Hebron and Route 35 (the main east-west route between Hebron and Tarqumiyah crossing into Israel) August 13 and observed that it was open, with two IDF jeeps and six soldiers waving trucks through. The soldiers confirmed that the checkpoint is open from 5 am to 7 am and from 9 am to 1 pm daily and estimated 80-90 trucks pass through per day. They said the crossing is only open to commercial traffic and is closed between 7 am and 9 am to facilitate settler traffic. During a five minute span on August 13, Congenoffs observed three trucks entering and two trucks leaving Hebron. Congenoffs observed that trucks are only allowed entry and exit at Farsh al-Hawa from the west toward Tarqumiyah crossing. The trucks exiting Hebron at Farsh al-Hawa cannot proceed east to Route 60 with access to Jerusalem and the northern West Bank. ¶3. (C) In an August 13 meeting, Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily characterized the limited opening of Farsh al-Hawa as "very important" but said it should be open to both commercial and private traffic around the clock. He noted the minimal level of Israeli traffic on Route 35 near Farsh al-Hawa, which Congenoffs verified August 13. He said the new opening is designed to channel traffic toward Tarqumiyah crossing but "dogs, scanners, and four hour delays" at Tarqumiyah do not promote trade and investment. Most of the region,s truckers, he noted, use alternate routes to avoid Tarqumiyah. ¶4. (C) Mayor Osaily praised the May opening of Kvasim checkpoint next to Hebron's southern Industrial Area, which allows commercial and private vehicles access directly onto Route 60. He said that opening has stimulated economic activity in the southern part of the city. Osaily said he is pressing the IDF to remove another key roadblock inside Hebron ("Shalaleh"),which severs main traffic arteries in the city,s commercial center. (NOTE: The "Shalaleh" roadblock is a few meters north of the Beit Romano yeshiva settlement where H1 and H2 are separated by a wall. END NOTE.) ¶5. (C) Mayor Osaily expressed concern over the aggressive tactics of the Golani Brigade, which took command of the Hebron area in July. He said soldiers broke a window in the Hebron municipality building after being refused entry at 3 am. He said the Golani Brigade, which he claims always sides with the settlers, has "turned up the heat" unnecessarily in Hebron. WALLES