EAST BARTA'A VILLAGE: "TRAPPED IN THE SEAM ZONE"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000471 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2018 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: EAST BARTA'A VILLAGE: "TRAPPED IN THE SEAM ZONE" Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. East Barta'a mayor Ghassan Kabaha told Poloffs February 26 that his village of 4,000 is "trapped in the seam zone," between the separation barrier and the Green Line. Kabaha said most of the village's residents do not have permission to enter Israel and must cross through the separation barrier to access West Bank hospitals, universities, and employment. The Green Line splits residents of East Barta'a from the 3,400 Arab Israeli residents of West Barta'a, most of whom belong to the same Kabaha clan. Kabaha said the West Barta'a municipal council is hesitant to work with the East on joint projects, because "unlike the GoI, the PA has no money to pay its half." Kabaha reported 50 percent unemployment and complained about the threat of home demolitions. (A map of East Barta'a can be found on the Consulate's classified website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/jerusalem/ind ex.cfm under the link to Political Reporting Attachments and Separation Barrier.) End Summary. Barrier Isolates Palestinians in Seam Zone -------------- ¶2. (C) East Barta'a mayor Ghassan Kabaha told Poloffs February 26 that his village of 4,000 is "trapped in the seam zone," between the separation barrier and the Green Line in the northern West Bank. He said life for East Barta'a residents has been "hell" since the completion of the separation barrier in the area. He said the 75 percent of the village's residents hold West Bank identity cards and cannot legally enter Israel for work or services, despite the fact that there are no fences or checkpoints that prevent residents from entering Israel. ¶3. (C) To reach West Bank hospitals, universities, and employment, East Barta'a residents must travel three kilometers on an unpaved road, cross Reikhan checkpoint in the separation barrier, and travel seven kilometers to Mevo Dotan checkpoint which controls access to Jenin. Upon return, residents show their "seam zone permits" at Reikhan checkpoint to re-enter the seam zone area. According to Kabaha, residents cannot carry food into the seam zone and therefore, rely on the limited number of shops in East Barta'a or cross illegally into Israel. "Israel is open before us, but we cannot enter," said Kabaha, although many residents risk crossing to access hospitals, shopping, and employment. Barta'a: A Village Divided -------------- ¶4. (C) The Green Line splits the 4,000 Palestinian residents of Barta'a al-Sharqiya (East Barta'a) from the 3,600 Arab Israeli residents of Barta'a al-Gharibya (West Barta'a). According to Kabaha, most residents in both villages are from the Kabaha clan, and intermarriage is common. Kabaha said the East and West Barta'a municipal councils enjoy an amicable relationship, noting that West Barta'a Mayor Riad Kabaha is his cousin, but said the West Barta'a council is hesitant to work jointly on trash clean-up and sewage projects because "unlike the GoI, the PA has no money to pay its half." Kabaha said 40 percent of West Barta'a schools are filled with East Barta'a children and added that East Barta'a residents pay neither Israeli nor PA taxes, so children studying in the West receive a free GoI education. East Barta'a residents receive water and electricity from Israel but pay the PA for services which, in turn, pays Israel. Kabaha added that the East Barta'a village council owes the PA two million NIS (USD 500,000) for electricity. ¶5. (C) The 25 percent of East Barta'a residents who hold Israeli identity cards have free access to Israel. Of the other 75 percent with West Bank IDs, Kabaha said, there are 60 businessmen with permits to enter Israel. He estimated that unemployment is 50 percent and that 200 East Barta'a residents enter Israel illegally on a daily basis for manual labor jobs. Kabaha said there is no GoI or PA police presence in East Barta'a and villagers call him if a crime or family dispute occurs. East Barta'a Faces Home Demolitions and Checkpoint Delays -------------- ¶6. (C) Kabaha said East Barta'a lies on 400 dunums (100 acres) of Area B land, but due to natural growth, residents have built on neighboring Area C lands. Currently, there are 70 pending demolition orders for East Barta'a homes that do not have GoI building permits. Kabaha also reported that JERUSALEM 00000471 002 OF 002 Reikhan checkpoint's opening hours from 6 am to 10 pm create difficulties for Palestinian seam zone residents, especially in the case of nighttime medical emergencies and pregnancies. Kabaha can call the Israeli Civil Administration to coordinate the movement of medical patients through the checkpoint at night, however, he said response time is often slow. Bio --- ¶7. (U) Kabaha was appointed mayor in 2005 to head a nine-person village council, made up of 8 Fatah members and one Hamas member. He has managed the Jenin branch of the Ministry of Youth and Sports since 1995. He was also recently elected to the 27-person Jenin Fatah council. WALLES