NABLUS AREA SETTLERS SEEK IMAGE MAKEOVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001990

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2018
TAGS: KWBG PHUM ASEC IS PBTS
SUBJECT: NABLUS AREA SETTLERS SEEK IMAGE MAKEOVER

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. PolOffs met on October 29 with David
Haivri, head of a newly established International Liaison
Office in Barkan settlement (southwest of Nablus),tasked
with strengthening northern West Bank settlers' external
relations in Israel and abroad. Haivri admitted but
downplayed the recent increase in settler violence, said
settlers should "physically fight" attempts to remove
outposts by the GOI, and described efforts to increase
settler access to Joseph's tomb in Nablus. End summary.

Looking for outside support
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2. (C) David Haivri, head of the northern West Bank
settlers' International Liaison Office, said that his office
works on behalf of approximately 30 settlements in the
northern West Bank to "find outside support" in Israel and
abroad. He said few people outside the West Bank understand
Jewish historical ties to the area and have developed
negative opinions on settlers based on media information. He
said his office is attempting to "open a window" to
outsiders. Haivri said he is reaching out to American Jewish
communities and asking for their support on local
construction, education and commercial development.

"This Is the Middle East--It's a Violent Place"
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3. (C) Haivri downplayed the recent increase in settler
violence, saying "this is the Middle East, it's a violent
place." He said the Palestinians also engage in violence,
but the media focuses more attention on settler attacks.
Haivri distanced himself from Yesha Council efforts to
negotiate with the GOI over illegal outposts such as Migron,
saying that giving up any outpost would be "harmful to the
cause," even if it meant permanent construction in a new and
"legal" site. Haivri said settlers should "physically
fight" an evacuation rather than agree to move Migron to
another location. "In the current context, it's better to
fight than negotiate." (Note: For its part, YESHA Council
Chairman Dani Dayan said Haivri is "one of the most extreme
settlers" in the West Bank. End note).

Joseph's Tomb
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4. (C) According to Haivri, the IDF has recently provided
protection one night per month for settlers to visit Joseph's
Tomb in Nablus. Haivri said that during the Jewish holiday
of Succoth, some 1,000 settlers were transported back and
forth in armored buses during the middle of the night, and
hundreds more walked towards the Tomb but were stopped at
Huwwara checkpoint south of Nablus. He said the tours are so
popular that his office does not announce visit dates in
advance because they would be overwhelmed by the response.
Haivri said he hopes to increase regular settler access to
Joseph's Tomb and said he is negotiating with the IDF on the
issue. He admitted that handfuls of settlers are sneaking
into the tomb "nightly," and often must be rescued by the IDF.

Another settler factory shut down
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5. (C) Haivri noted that some 120 factories are currently
operating in Barkan's industrial area, which employ about
4,000 Palestinians. He confirmed that Mul-T-Lock -- the
Israeli subsidiary of a Swedish company -- will soon close
its plant there following pressure by Swedish NGOs about
operating in the West Bank. Haivri commented that it is
"ironic that supporters of the Palestinians would lobby for
closure of a workplace employing Palestinians." He said that
earlier this year, Barkan Winery moved its operation to
Kibbutz Hulda in Israel (but kept the Barkan name) after
international pressure on Heineken, owner of the group that
operates the winery.
WALLES