MAZMURIYA CHECKPOINT CLOSED TO ALL BUT SETTLERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000593 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2018 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: MAZMURIYA CHECKPOINT CLOSED TO ALL BUT SETTLERS REF: JERUSALEM 2555 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. According to B'Tselem and Palestinians from the Jerusalem villages of Sur Baher and Um Tuba, use of Mazmuriya checkpoint near Bethlehem has been restricted to settlers since March 20. All Arabs, including Jerusalem ID holders, West Bankers with permits, and Arab Israelis, have been prohibited from using the checkpoint. Sur Bahar and Um Tuba residents told Poloff that they can no longer use the checkpoint to access Bethlehem and a seven minute drive now takes half an hour. B'Tselem fieldworker confirmed to Poloff that during an April 2 visit to Mazmuriya checkpoint, Israeli soldiers told him only residents of Tekoa and Nokdim settlements are permitted to pass. On an April 4 visit to the checkpoint, Poloff witnessed Israeli soldiers wave three Israeli drivers through the checkpoint and refuse entry to two Jerusalem ID holders, sending them back in the direction of Jerusalem. End Summary. Checkpoint Closed to Palestinians -------------- ¶2. (C) According to B'Tselem and Palestinians from the Jerusalem villages of Sur Baher and Um Tuba, use of Mazmuriya checkpoint near Bethlehem (also called al-Nueman checkpoint) has been restricted to settlers since the first day of Purim on March 20. All Arabs, including Jerusalem ID holders, West Bankers with permits, and Arab Israelis, have been prohibited from using the checkpoint. Mazmuriya checkpoint is east of Bethlehem on the new Za'atar bypass road (also called the Lieberman road) which links Tekoa and Nokdim settlements to Har Homa settlement and Jerusalem. (Note: Mazmuriya checkpoint is planned to be one of six West Bank commercial crossings. It is currently under construction, but still used for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. End Note) An exception is being made for the 59 residents of al-Nueman who have Jerusalem IDs to pass through the checkpoint (reftel). (Al-Nueman village is within the 1967 Jerusalem municipal boundaries, and one-third of the residents have Jerusalem IDs. Two-thirds have West Bank IDs and must pass through the checkpoint to access the West Bank. End Note) The Long Route to Bethlehem -------------- ¶3. (C) East Jerusalem ID holders, particularly from villages south of Jerusalem, use Mazmuriya checkpoint to reach Bethlehem. Sur Bahar resident and ACS FSN Jamal Abu Teir told Poloff March 31 that as a Jerusalem ID holder, he can no longer use Mazmuriya checkpoint to access Bethlehem or his family's land, which is outside the separation barrier in the West Bank. Abu Teir reported that soldiers at the checkpoint told him, "No Arabs, the road is only for settlers." On April 4, a Sur Baher resident holding Israeli citizenship confirmed to Poloff that he has not been permitted to cross Mazmuriya checkpoint. Before the closure, he said he could reach Bethlehem in seven minutes, but now must drive thirty minutes and cross through the Tunnels or Beit Jala checkpoints west of Bethlehem. B'Tselem's fieldworker Karim Jubran confirmed to Poloff that during an April 2 visit to Mazmuriya checkpoint, Israeli soldiers told him only residents of Tekoa and Nokdim settlements are permitted to pass. ¶4. (C) During an April 4 visit by Poloff to Mazmuriya checkpoint, an Israeli Border Guard refused to confirm whether East Jerusalem ID holders, West Bankers with permits, and Arab Israelis could cross. However, while speaking to the Border Guard, Poloff witnessed another solider wave through three Israelis driving Israeli-plated vehicles. A minute later, the same solider prohibited two Jerusalem ID holders in an Israeli-plated vehicle from crossing the checkpoint and asked them to make a U-turn back towards Jerusalem. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) B'Tselem staff told Poloff that the closure of Mazmuriya checkpoint to Jerusalem ID holders, West Bankers with permits, and Arab Israelis is the first time they have seen the GOI close a checkpoint to all Arabs. During Jewish holidays, it is common for the GOI to close checkpoints for short periods, however, it is significant that the Purim closure on Mazmuriya checkpoint has not been lifted. WALLES