IDF EVACUATES RAJABI COMPOUND IN HEBRON

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002197

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2018
TAGS: KWBG PHUM ASEC IS PBTS PTER
SUBJECT: IDF EVACUATES RAJABI COMPOUND IN HEBRON

REF: JERUSALEM 2187

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


1. (C) Summary. On December 4, some 600 Israeli security
forces forcibly evicted 250 Hebron settlers from the Rajabi
compound following a last-minute, unsuccessful attempt by
Defense Minister Ehud Barak to convince settler leaders to
evacuate voluntarily. Evacuation of the compound lasted
thirty minutes and required tear gas and stun grenades. An
estimated 25 settlers and 25 Palestinians were reported
injured during the evacuation. Three injured settlers were
reportedly flown by helicopter to hospitals in Israel. For
settlers, the compound was a strategically important location
between the Tomb of the Patriarchs/Ibrahimi Mosque and the
Kiryat Arba settlement. End summary.

FORCED EVACUATION OF RAJABI COMPOUND
--------------


2. (U) At 2:30pm (local time) December 4, some 600 Israeli
security forces enforced a High Court of Justice (HCJ) order
to evacuate an estimated 250 settlers from Hebron's disputed
Rajabi compound ("Beit Hashalom" to settlers). The daytime
operation surprised settlers and lasted approximately 30
minutes. Security forces using stun grenades and tear gas
dragged settlers one at a time from the 40,000 square feet
compound. Press reported the strongest resistance from some
100 youths holed up in the "synagogue" area on the compound's
bottom floor. (Note: The Rajabi settlers living at the
compound were mostly families with multiple children who did
not appear to resist violently. End Note.) Television
images showed settlers calling soldiers "Nazis" and reading
from prayer books while being dragged out.


3. (U) Press reported that police discovered materials
settlers planned to burn, potatoes with nails, and acid that
settlers planned to use to resist the operation. Following
the evacuation, settlers clashed with Palestinians in the
Muslim cemetery immediately west of the compound. (Note:
Additional settler violence following the evacuation reported
septel. End note.) Israeli border police announced that
they would occupy the compound to prevent settlers from
attempting to re-enter it.

NO AGREEMENT WITH YESHA
--------------


4. (C) Earlier, Yesha Council Chairman Dani Dayan had met
with MOD Barak in a failed effort to avoid a forced
evacuation. Dayan told Poloff December 4 that the meeting
was "unfruitful." (Note: Settlers in the Rajabi compound
earlier said the Yesha Council did not speak for them, and
that they would not be bound by any deal brokered by the
Yesha. End note.)


5. (C) Barak later met with Rabbi Moshe Levinger, a
respected, ailing founder of the Hebron settlements, who
asked Barak to delay the operation until noon December 5.
Dayan told Poloff that Levinger "rose from his deathbed" and
was received by Barak without an appointment. Press reported
that Barak gave Levinger two hours for the settlers to leave
the compound peacefully, ordering the forced evacuation when
the time expired. Kiryat Arba settler Elyakim Haetzni
confirmed to Poloff on December 4 that the settlers'
attorney, his son Nadav Haetzni, took part in "intense
consultations" that morning. Haetzni said the Yesha Council
was "not a factor" in negotiations and claimed that the
meeting was "a ruse" by the GOI to catch the settlers off
guard with a forced evacuation.


6. (C) COMMENT: The 40,000 square feet Rajabi compound,
occupied by settlers since March 2007, was a strategic
location for settlers. The compound is on the road between
the Tomb of the Patriarchs/Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and
Kiryat Arba settlement to the northeast. Most Hebron settler
violence over the summer has been in this corridor.
Following the evacuation, settlers announced they would
continue their campaign to purchase Palestinian properties in
Hebron.

WALLES