PALESTINIANS CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAELI DEVELOPMENT

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 002086 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/LENTZ; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR AHERN DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/MEA:MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID ETRD KWBG PREL IS SUBJECT: PALESTINIANS CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAELI DEVELOPMENT OF WEST BANK TOURISM SITES ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Palestinian businessmen and officials are concerned about unilateral Israeli development of tourist infrastructure in the West Bank. The PLO's Negotiations Support Unit (NSU) considers these actions a form of illegal settlement activity and notes that some of the sites are in areas off-limits to Palestinians and Palestinian development. Profits from these West Bank sites are remitted entirely to Israel. The NSU reports that requests by the PA to develop archaeological sites in Area C have been pending Israeli approval for years. End summary. GOI development continues in Palestinian territory... -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Palestinian officials and private sector tour operators are concerned over unilateral GOI developmet of tourism sites in the West Bank. According o ConGen contacts, there are three sites that th GOI plans to market internationally as part of new "Pilgrim's Route": a Baptismal site near Jricho, the "Good Samaritan" site, and the Qumran aves near the Dead Sea. The Baptismal site, also known as "Qasr al-Yehud," is located in an area o the Jordan Valley that has been a closed militay zone since 1967. Media report that the IsraeliMinistry of Tourism has invested NIS 3.5 million USD 900,000) to develop the site, and the Ministy of Defense will contribute NIS 1 million to imrove the access road. The Good Samaritan site is ocated off the highway from Jericho to the Dead ea and will open in 2009, according to the press. The Qumran caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls wee found by a Bedouin in 1974, are now part of anIsraeli National Park located off the same highway (Route 90). ¶3. (SBU) Officials at the NSU tol Econoff that they consider Israeli investment, dvelopment, and operation of archaeological and plgrimage sites in the West Bank as illegal settlment construction. ...but doesn't benefit the Plestinian economy -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Hassan Saleh Hussein, Myor of Jericho, confirme to Econoff that Israeli development of the site near Jericho is not coordinated with the PA or te municipality. He also stated that only Palestnians with local IDs (Jordan Valley/Jericho regin) are permitted to use Route 90, and that it wold be very difficult for Palestinian tour buses or tour operators to reach these sites. ¶5. (SBU) he NSU notes that revenue generated from developent of these archaeological sites (including entrace and parking fees) will not benefit Palestinias, but rather will be remitted entirely to the Iraeli economy. Furthermore, because these areas ae in Area C and under Israeli control, the NSU pedicts local Palestinians will be unable to establish restaurants or souvenir shops nearby. Palestinian development largely on hold -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In contrast, according to the NSU, requests by the PA to develop archaeological sites in Area C for tourism purposes have remained pending for years. The NSU said a request to excavate and develop Sebastia (an important archaeological site near Nablus) has been pending for over eight years. WALLES