Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JERUSALEM593
2008-04-07 08:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
MAZMURIYA CHECKPOINT CLOSED TO ALL BUT SETTLERS
how-toVZCZCXRO4883 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHJM #0593 0980830 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 070830Z APR 08 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1102 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
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)
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
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