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

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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
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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